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Offline Bill_O

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pay for help
« on: March 06, 2019, 08:09:06 AM »
We make some machines that we need to change to using Mach4 running in the background from a program made using Visual Studio.
Currently we use a high end controller board with a custom program.
The manufacturer of the board on very little notice has informed us they will stop making the board on April 1st.
We are looking for anyone that knows Lua programing in Mach4 very well.
A knowledge of how Mach4 can be made to run in the background of another program is a huge plus.
This would need to be done at our facility in Plano, Texas.
We will pay for your time and travel expenses.
This is a time crunch for us so if at all possible we would like to get the help by the end of next week.
Please contact Bill at 1-800-310-2887
Re: pay for help
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2019, 01:06:33 PM »
Hi,
what controller? Is it a motion controller?

Mach4, very much like Mach3, is an application that runs in the foreground. There would be a plugin
that translates Machs instructions into whatever format the controller required to enact them.

I'm not sure that you could 'run Mach4 in the background'. What you need is a plugin for your controller
to talk to Mach4. It would (probably) be possible for Mach to instruct your controller to execute certain functions including
programmed routines. That is to say that Mach would be supervisor but your existing controller would retain its motion control
status.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline Bill_O

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Re: pay for help
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2019, 03:13:19 PM »
Craig,

The current motion controller we use is from a company called Delta Tau. We use their PMAC.
Our custom software currently works with the PMAC.
The problem is the PMAC is going to not be made any more.
I currently use Mach3 with an ESS and PMDX-126 for the cnc routers we sell.
That will also need to be changed to Mach4 down the line.
Hopefully at that point I have a better idea of how to do the Lua.
I have a lot of custom stuff for the routers.
What my problem is the bending machines we make.
We have a custom program that does certain things that we still need to be able to do.
Some of it I am almost sure can not be done in Mach4
So we want to change our current software to run Mach4 but just in the background to actually control the machine.
If you are curious about what the machines we make are here is out website.
www.computerizedcutters.com

Bill
Re: pay for help
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2019, 05:00:56 PM »
Very cool machine!
So you're looking for Mach4 to move the metal through the machine, bend the material, and notch the material?
From what I can tell, you would have Mach4 do the following:
Move ### Units (inches/mm) --> Notch1 -->  Move ### --> Bend1 XDegrees --> Move ### --> Notch2... Move ### --> Notch1 --> Move### Bend2  --> etc..
Series of Notching and bending whether it be Notcher 1, 2, 3, etc... Bend Position 1, 2, 3, etc so many degrees.

What are you thinking as far as getting the information to Mach4 to move?
Do you have separate software that generates notched positions and bend positions?
Chad Byrd

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: pay for help
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2019, 07:05:23 PM »
I don't see any reason Mach4 can't do it. It will take a bit of work which == time but certainly doable unless I'm missing something.
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!
Re: pay for help
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2019, 08:08:36 PM »
Brett, that's what I'm thinking.   That's why I was asking how they fet their information.   The g code.   Shouldn't be too bad, it's an awesome setup.   Mach is for sure cable od doing the job, it's just a matter of telling Mach how to do it.
Chad Byrd

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: pay for help
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2019, 10:49:25 PM »
Yup, it's just I/O and motion.

1) Figure out what needs to happen.
2) Figure out how the user interacts with.
3) Marry those 2 things.
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!
Re: pay for help
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2019, 02:58:12 AM »
Hi,
kool machine.

The single most important feature of Mach4 is its programmatic flexibility. Indeed I believe that is the key
attribute that NFS required of Mach4 because it permits/promotes sales amongst OEMs.

If you want to pay I would happily work on such a project. As I live in New Zealand that idea might not float!
Additionally I suspect your time scale is overly ambitious. A bullet proof software solution is not likely to
result from lightning development.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline Bill_O

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Re: pay for help
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2019, 08:17:13 AM »
Thanks all for the responses.
Chad, you are correct in the order.
It does different things as the metal moves through the machine.
All of it is stuff that Mach can do except for some selecting of what to run and where to start which is all stuff out current custom software does.
We have modified out current software to output a gcode to be able to use Mach instead of out current controller board.
Here is a sample;

M54
G1 F 200.0 X22.81
M54
;Arc End Notch
G1 F 200.0 X22.93
M54
G1 F 200.0 X23.48
M54
G1 F 200.0 X24.00
M54
G1 F 200.0 X24.03
M54
G1 F 200.0 X24.58
M54
;Arc End Notch
G1 F 200.0 X24.76
M54

;Start Bending

G1 F200.0 X25.24
M57
G1 F3000.0 Y2.44
G1 F3000.0 Y-20

G1 F 200.0 X25.31
M54
G1 F200.0 X25.34
G1 F3000.0 Y24.49
G1 F3000.0 Y-10

G1 F200.0 X25.44
G1 F3000.0 Y28.67
G1 F3000.0 Y-10

G1 F 200.0 X25.50
M56
G1 F200.0 X25.54
G1 F3000.0 Y28.67
G1 F3000.0 Y-10

Actually very simple stuff.
My biggest problem is getting an encoder input for the material positioning.
We have an encoder with a wheel that rolls on the material.
Then if the feed roller slips we actually get the positioning from the encoder.
I think I might be getting a very very small handle on how to do the macros.

Craig.
Yes it is probably a little ambitious as far as time goes but I am just repeating what my boss wanted.
We have an opportunity to make a final purchase of out current controller board but want to know we are going to be able to work using Mach.
I wish you lived closer because we would absolutely pay for the development help.

Bill
Re: pay for help
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2019, 08:50:00 AM »
The only issue I see with this would be the encoder keeping track of your position.  I don't have any experience with that, the only thing I can think of that would be close is the Vital Systems Encoder Feedback.  They can get the encoder counts to have a closed loop system.  I wonder if that would work, may take a little work to get it calibrated correctly though.
Chad Byrd