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Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« on: January 21, 2019, 08:00:46 PM »
Hi,
I gave up waiting for a Mach 4 USBSS plugin and bought a ESS to switch over to Mach 4.  I first got Mach 3 running with the ESS with little trouble but I did notice that homing my X axis sounded a little different.  My X axis has a slave motor and I could not tell if they were both homing.  I did not know it this was a difference between the USBSS and ESS or if only one motor was homing.  I went a head and got Mach 4 up and running with the ESS and my X axis homing is the same.  In Mach 3 their was a check box in the configuration page where you could check to say if you want both motors homed.  It squares up the gantry.  Is there something I am missing in Mach 4 to tell it to do the same thing?

My second question has to do with the rotary tool path display. So far it is much better the Mach 3 but is there way to adjust the diameter of what is displayed?   I did very little rotor stuff on my cnc router in Mach 3 but want to do more with mach 4.  The tool path look correct but the proportion is not correct.  In CAM it is long and thin but when I load the G code it is short and fat?  I think it may run ok if I ran it. 
Thanks for any help,
regards,
Todd
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2019, 08:59:58 PM »
Hi,
I don't have slaved axes so I can't answer definitively.

Slave motors are assigned to each axis on Configure/Control/Axis Mapping.

Each assigned slave motor will require its own Step and Direction pins and if you want to square the gantry each slave
will require its own home switch to complement the master home switch.

The gantry squaring routine is carried out by the ESS not Mach. Further details on how it works are probably best found
on the Warp9 site.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2019, 05:42:51 PM »
Thanks Craig,

Now I have a rotary axis question for mach 4. I created some G code  in V carve to test the rotary axis.  My feed rate for my tool was 60 inch/min in v carve.  Mach 4 thinks it is 60 degree/min, to slow.

In mach 3 there was setting where you could tell mach it was a rotary job and it would compensate or adjust the speed.  Can I set that up in Mach 4?   Did I miss something in my setup?
I could make rotary tool in V carve software and crank the speed way up.
Thanks,
Todd
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2019, 12:45:02 AM »
Hi,
I don't use a fourth axis as so can't answer your question definitely.

I have heard that many have had success with using inverse time mode, this is a modal Gcode setting,
not a Mach4 setting.

Look up G93 page 54 in "Mill GCode Programming" manual in the Mcah4 Docs folder.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 and Ihave a few question.
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2019, 08:43:57 PM »
Thanks Craig,

Now I have a rotary axis question for mach 4. I created some G code  in V carve to test the rotary axis.  My feed rate for my tool was 60 inch/min in v carve.  Mach 4 thinks it is 60 degree/min, to slow.

In mach 3 there was setting where you could tell mach it was a rotary job and it would compensate or adjust the speed.  Can I set that up in Mach 4?   Did I miss something in my setup?
I could make rotary tool in V carve software and crank the speed way up.
Thanks,
Todd



I have the same problem! If i set my CNC up as all METRIC when I use an INCH G-code file everything works great for rotary engraving feed speeds. If I set up my CNC for INCH & re-tune motors rotary speed is too slow! MACH4 with ESS Smoothstepper using VCarve files. Something is wrong in the MACH4 calculations for INCH to degrees! I've not got any answers on this problem that works - I would like to keep my Inch machine setup for 4th axis!
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2019, 09:03:00 PM »
Hi,
would you post the current axis max speeds and step per unit (all axes)?

What seems to happen when you have a rotary axis is that the linear axes go slow to stay in sync with the rotary axis,
especially if you have significant gear reduction in the rotary axis.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2019, 10:22:34 PM »
ESS CNC Rotary
The opposite happens - the linear axis (Y) 7 (Z) are OK its the wrapping of (X) which slows down. With th machine setup in MM all file works OK for both MM & Inch files. If I set the machine up for INCHES the inch files no longer feeds fast enough in the rotary axis. When I change motor 4 tuning I lose 360º per rev.
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2019, 11:19:15 PM »
Hi,

Quote
When I change motor 4 tuning I lose 360º per rev.

You can't change the tuning of your rotary axis WITHOUT changing the gearing or microstepping. With given
gearing and mircostepping there is a certain number of pulses required to rotate the axis one degree....set it
and leave alone.

You are moving axes in a coordinated fashion, the slowest axis determines the rate at which the other axes move.

Please post your axis tunings (steps per and max vel.)

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Finial switching over to Mach4 amd Ihave a few question.
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2019, 09:09:34 AM »
Here is the settings that work with CNC set for MM. If I setup for INCH & change X, Y, & Z and leave A alone the A axis now turns too slow when I use the same Gcode files.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2019, 09:15:24 AM by harlindg »