Hey all
I have recently got into cnc work and and working on retrofitting an older plasma table with Mach 4 and and ESS smooth stepper. My problem is that when I load my g code the machine will just randomly stop at one of the G4 or G04 P0.1 commands (for some reason sheet cam uses both and not just one). However when there is a G04 P0.1 two lines later the machine will act normal. It does not happen every G04, but it is always caused by a G4 command (if that makes sense). I have tried using code editor in sheet cam to remove or change the code to all G04 and tried to change the duration but neither seem to make any difference . I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions, tips, tricks.

(Operation: Inside Offset, INTERIOR_PROFILES, T1: Plasma, 0.0315 in kerf)
N0280 G00 X233.8552 Y127.3623
N0290 M63P4 (***THC Inhibited, AD2***)
N0300 (>>>Probe/Ref<<<)
N0310 G31.0 Z-10  F500.0
N0320 G91 G00 Z6.0000 (Incremental move for switch offset distance comp)
N0330 G90 (Back to absolute move mode)
N0340 G92 Z0.0 (Z work coordinate set to 0.0)
N0350 m2020 (HC_WORK_Z_ZEROED=1)
N0360 G4 P0.1
N0370 G00 Z6.0800
N0380 G4 P0.001
N0390 M62P3 (>>>Torch ON<<<)
N0400 Z5.0800 (Force a small move in Z to make M62 fire the torch)
N0410 G04 P0.1
N0420 G02 X232.9405 Y130.1538 Z2.0320 I2.2989 J2.2989 F355.6
N0430 X233.8552 Y131.9601 I3.2137 J-0.4926 F1778.0
N0440 X241.8316 Y120.2303 I5.1053 J-5.1053
N0450 M62P4 (+++THC Allowed, AD2+++)
N0460 X233.8552 Y131.9601 I-2.8711 J6.6246 F2540.0
N0470 M63P3 (<<<Torch OFF>>>)

G4 is a delay, this can be in seconds or microseconds depending on the setting in the mach3 config screen.  I think Mach4 uses P for microseconds and X for seconds

Hallo,
sorry das ich in Deutsch antworte. Mein englisch ist sehr schlecht.

In Mach4 wird bei G04 Pxx auf 2 arten angewendet.

G04 P10 = 10 Millisekunden.
G04 P10. = 10 Sekunden.

Also ist die Eingabe P0.1 = 100 Millisekunden und die Eingabe P0.001 = 1 Millisekunde.
Probieren Sie mal P1. und P10. dann sollten Sie einen Unterschied feststellen.
Gruß Thomas

I understand that a g04 is a pause command, but what would make it stoop completely on a g04?

Hi,
ich hoffe das ich das richtig verstanden habe.
Du möchtest die Maschine komplett zum Stillstand bringen? Richtig?
Das macht man mit dem Befehl M00.
Mit M00 bleibt die Maschine / das Programm stehen, und wartet auf das drücken der Start-Taste damit die Maschine / das Programm weiter läuft.

Beispiel:

G00 Z100.
G00 X0. Y0.
M03 S2000 F100
G00 Z5.
G01 X-30.
M00          (Maschine bleibt Stehen und wartet auf Startknopf)
G01 Y-20.
G00 Z100.
M05
M30

gruß
Thomas

i do not think that the G04 is causing the Problem. try to run a simple test like this


G01 X10 F300
G04 P0.1
G01 X0
G04 P0.1
G01 X10
G04 P0.1
G01 X0
G04 P0.1
G01 X10
G04 P0.1
G01 X0
G04 P0.1

I typed in the code you gave me to my MDI and it runs just fine. I am at a loss here. I have tried installing newest version of Mach, different post processors in sheet cam, and different screen sets with out any success

try to copy this code in a Textfile like test.tap and the load/run this file.

Don’t see a anything to copy