Hello,

I am new using Mach3, I think is a software amazing, I think to do a retrofit of a hydraulic punch Whitney, but I have some doubts, I hope someone can help me?

This machine has the function of making holes in steel plates, the plate is positioned on a table with movement on the axes X and Y.

You enter a drawing of the plate with holes to be made and the system automatically is positioned at each coordinate X - Y and move down the punch tool to do the cyle, when finish the cycle the punch tool is moving up, when is in the top position.... the table is moved to the new coordinate X - Y, when reach the punch tool begin the cycle to make another hole.

My question is:

Can I turno On or Off certain Output when the Mach3 is in the right coordinates? (To Download the tool)
Can I re-start the program at the Mach3 when the presence of a digital signal? (LS Tool Up position)

Thanks and I hope can help me.

Regards.

Herman 

Yes - but you are wasting your time. Let Mach3 do it ALL for you.

Mach 3 can give you movement of X and Y - BUT - with a motor on your Z axis, you can move the tool down to the correct height for punching. If you then use a code such as M3 (spindle motor start) and M5 (spindle motor stop) you can control the punch via a relay. The Z axis can lift again, and move to the next position.

If you want to retain manual control you can use the G0 X* Y* to move the table, and then following these M1, which is the command to stop, The machine will stop, you can punch the hole, then if you press "Cycle Start", it will carry on to the next hole.

Thank you for the help, have all the reason!!!

In this way can move down / up the hydraulic cylinder using the spindle start / stop signals, ingenious!!!....(maybe I can't use a motor, because the machine have a big hydraulic cylinder to do this task).

But is possible to put a condition the program don't re-start after ensure the "top" position of the punch tool with a Limit Switch?
The cycle will be this:
When i make the hole, send the signal spindle stop (and I use this signal to move up the punch)but what happen if the hydraulic cylinder don't move to the "top" position???...
To avoid the movement of the plate if the cylinder isn't in top position maybe be good idea to re-start the program using a LS in top position...
I'm very happy for your help...

There are many ways to do this.

If you control  X and Y and move to the position. Control the cylinder movement with a Z axis to bring down the hydraulic cyclinder. STOP. Manually punch the hole. START. Move the cylinder back up. Move to the next position - the code will look like this -

G0 X10Y10 - move to position 10,10
G0 Z0         - move the hydraulic cylinder down to the punching position.
M1             - wait for the hole to be punched
Z10             - move the cylinder up, out of the way
G0 X35Y35   - move to position 35,35
G0 Z0          - move the hydraulic cylinder down to the punching position
M1              - wait for the hole to be punched.

The computer will not move the table until it has moved the cylinder up out of the way.

If you only do X and Y then you only need
G0 X35Y35   - move to 35,35
M1              - wait for cylinder to be moved down and the hole to be punched.
G0 X47Y53  - move to the next hole
M1              - wait for cylinder to be moved down and the hole to be punched.

Here the "Resume" button can be in series with a switch on your punch, so that you cannot move the table if the cylinder is not fully "up" out of the way.

If you do the whole thing -
G0 X35Y35    - move to the next hole
G0 X0            - bring the cylinder down
M3                - punch the hole
M5                - if needed to retract the punch
G0 X10          - move the cylinder up, out of the way
G0 X25Y50    - move to the next hole
Here M3 operates a relay to start the pumps on the hydraulic cylinder. M5 stops it, or releases a pressure valve retracting the punch.
The table WILL NOT move until each line is completed. You can put a "pause" in to delay, say 10 seconds, to allow the cylinder to fully retract. You could have a safety switch connected, so that the computer would not advance until the cylinder was fully "home"

Fabulous, I very much appreciate your help, yesterday had no idea whether it was possible to do and now I have several options ... thank you very much. All those who are new to the CNC's  world highly appreciate the assistance of experts like you.
Thanks and Regards