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Author Topic: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3  (Read 12864 times)

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Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« on: April 02, 2008, 07:45:18 AM »
Has anyone had any problems posting from Visual Mill into Mach3.  Is the post proc listed on the Vismill site ok. it seems to corrupt my xyz dro's

Bruce

Offline stirling

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Re: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2008, 08:51:31 AM »
Hi Bruce - you might want to post a link to where on the site the post is. But anyway - if there's a problem with it you should be able to correct it using the post generator/editor within VM.

I use RhinoCAM which is basically VM as a plugin for Rhino - I had to make a few alterations to the Mach2 post that came with it to suit my use of Mach3 - but seems to do the trick so far.
Re: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2008, 06:19:02 PM »
Thanks Stirling,

I have not had any experience editing posts p's YET.  Could you offer any suggestions  as to what I should look for in the pp.
The symtoms are:
1. loads the g code OK
2. errors because of not accepting G43 (when I deleted that block the program will run)
3. even after referencing all axes.  axis "machine coord" DRO's read zero but program DRO's have an offset that CAN'T be cleared to zero
4. it is as though there is some corruption of mach 3 by the post p

Any clues would be appreciated.

Bruce
 
Re: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2008, 10:52:20 PM »
Just googled a search for Mach 3 post for visualmill and found :       http://www.k2cnc.com/Mach3/Mach3-MM.spm
I will try it out and "post" my findings in this thread

Bruce
Re: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2008, 11:00:26 PM »
I use the Mach2 post and works perfect every time just need to delete the G43 line.

Offline stirling

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Re: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2008, 05:20:47 AM »
Hi Bruce

Yes I remember this now - I'm not sure why Mach has a problem with G43 - afterall it's in the gcode list that Mach reckons it supports. It doesn't matter of course because by using CAM your toollength offsets are already taken into consideration.

Anyway here's the way I got rid of this particular problem with mine.

If you run the post editor, the problem is that it can be difficult to find where (under which tab) any particular gcode actually is, well it is for me anyway! so...

Go to your VM instalation folder (presumably under "c:\program files" or similar.
Look for the "posts" folder.
Find Mach3.spm or more likely the Mach2.spm and load it into wordpad or notepad.
Do a find for G43 - you'll find it first under the MISCELLANEOUS DEFINITION SECTION - ignore this.
Continue the find and you'll see it in the TOOLCHANGE DEFINITION SECTION - You can either edit it out there and then, or probably safer go back to the post editor and take the line out there (you now know to look under the ToolChange Tab for G43)
Save your post as Mach3 (or whatever) and away you go.

Personally I find it easier just to edit the .spm file but until you're comfortable with the layout you're probably better off doing it in the editor as no doubt corruption of the file will screw things up right royally.

Hope this helps

Ian
Re: Visualmill post proc. for Mach 3
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2008, 09:01:12 AM »
Thanks Ian,
I have loaded the pp from K2cnc and all is OK. I also checked for a G43 in the .spm and there was none to be found.
They have fixed the problem already.
The next problem I came across - on completion of the run file my z home/limit tripped.
I traced this problem back to the Vismill pp "start/end" and amended the end target z to suit my home z.

Now all is onkydory!

Thank you and others for your help

Bruce