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  1. #41
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    You don't have to be an engineer to caclulate steps for Mach3. Its just a series of ratios from the stepper at 200 steps per rev, the drive which is 16 microsteps per step, the pulleys are ratioed just like gears in a gear train. you also use C = Pi * D to convert the rev is steps per rev to a linear distance. Just check what ever you come up with by confirming that it jogs the correct distance.

    For speeds and acceleration I just use what ever seems smooth. On a printer you can tell when its too fast because the print will shift.

    In my opinion I would configure the machine in metric. All prints that you might download on line are in metric. Its a metric world, force yourself to design in metric.



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    Dean, Why do you believe this? Is there a purpose to using the metric system over another option? Is one superior? I would think whatever is native to the creator would be fine. Also doesnt the Mach3 and or GCode convert it to the units the machine is configured in? It might be a metric world. On the other hand only 2-5% of the people control most of the wealth, maybe I dont want to run with the masses? ;-) I was not implying one group has more money based on their units of measure.



  3. #43
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    Home 3D printing started pretty much with the reprap series which was developed out of the UK. I built the orginal mendel from all metric plans. Although your local hardware store sells very little metric, McMaster Carr is pretty good at supplying anything metric, at least to the east coast. I found over the years that most of the 3D models on the web are also in metric. I'm not saying that inch isn't out there, it just isn't as popular.

    Thats the home printer world. US manufacturing in my opinon has realized the advantages of using metrics for the design an components. There may be some things that are still imperial like gear design but most of it is full metric. Why? The avaliability of componts from around the world, at a lower cost makes metrics a better choice. I'm sure some industries hang on to the inches for good reason but most have recognized the advantage of using metric designs and componts.

    its odd you mention this because I have a coworker in europe right now who is purchasing a 3m all metric tape measure for me. Since tape measures are all linked to housing and housing will never be metric you just can't find a metric tape in the US.

    Since you brought it up, why not metric? You have to admit that it make the math associated with the design a lot easier.



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    I didn't say no metric. I just don't see one as superior to the other. The GCode specifies whether metric or imperial and can work either way. I have access to any and all the metric I want here in the Houston area. I can work in either but I think in inches.

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    For Mach3, especially for use in 3d printing, I found it best to set everything up in metric. If I recall the issue was around jogging. if set up in inches you jog in inches, then run a program in metric it tends to mess up the jogging. Or mess up the program when when jogging in inches. I found it best to fully configer Mach3 to metric when running metric. Also have another configuration in inches if you like. I think you could find a lot of posts on this site about metric an imperial configurations in Mach3.

    I can also estiamate the size of objects far better in inches, but am forcing myself to do the same in mm. Having a metric tape measure will help.



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    That is a much better argument to support a standardized set up. If it does cause oddities in operation. I too think in inches and see excellent work done regardless of measurement system. The argument over which is better has long been debated and serves no point. Both are fine. My thought was that GCode told the machine which measurement system was used and it moves accordingly. Which way it was drawn shouldn't have any effect on the outcome.

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    If you don't have lead screws or gear ratios to deal with it's quite easy
    Do you have two pulleys and a belt like on my printer build here?
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/genera...ter_build.html

    The motor has a direct drive pulley and there is an idler pulley at the other end

    My Nema 17 motors are set up this way
    1/16th steps set on my drivers
    20 tooth GT2 pulley on the motor
    In Mach 3 motor tunings, enter 1027 for the motor as a rough starting point

    Once you get a rough setup, you have to calibrate all the axis in Mach3
    One of the Mach3 screens has a calibration button

    It works like this
    Choose an axis
    Tell mach3 to move the axis one inch or whatever and then tell mach3 how far it actually went

    You need an instrument that can measure that movement accurately like a dial indicator



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    I see no problems in axis calibration in metric or imperial.

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    "In my opinion I would configure the machine in metric"

    Mach3 does not care if you use metric or imperial
    I run metric stuff, but mostly imperial

    G21 in the G code will run as metric

    The DRO's and what they display is about the only difference
    If you are used to seeing imperial numbers and figures, set Mach3 for inches

    I keep my CNC machine and my 3D printer set in inches in Mach3



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    Hey I have a few questions to ask regarding a 3d printing setup I currently have a homebuilt plasma table 10' x5' and I want to attach an extruder for 3d printing my table is 3 axis with c axis slaved to x so I am running 4axis on my breakout board, the breakout board is a gecko g540 please could anyone advise me as to what I need to to get up and running I am using mach3 I have 0 knowledge with this but have just recently began to take a real interest. Any help will be much appreciated

    Scot



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    That would probably be 5 axis with the extruder.

    Lee


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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    Quote Originally Posted by po63343v View Post
    Hey I have a few questions to ask regarding a 3d printing setup I currently have a homebuilt plasma table 10' x5' and I want to attach an extruder for 3d printing my table is 3 axis with c axis slaved to x so I am running 4axis on my breakout board, the breakout board is a gecko g540 please could anyone advise me as to what I need to to get up and running I am using mach3 I have 0 knowledge with this but have just recently began to take a real interest. Any help will be much appreciated

    Scot
    I don't know, I only run 3 axis machines
    4th axis once in a great while for turning small custom gears



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    If you have a slaved axis you need 5 outputs from your controller. Also a machine that large might not make a good printer


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    Honestly I would just buy one of the little kits. They really are pretty cheap and come with software etc. That is how I tried it out a few years back. It was fun. Don't mess up a money maker. My complete kit back then was 6 or 7 hundred. I'll bet they have some much cheaper now. Maybe.


    http://www.walmart.com/ip/43825421?w...272448&veh=sem

    Lee


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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    Quote Originally Posted by Dean448 View Post
    If you have a slaved axis you need 5 outputs from your controller. Also a machine that large might not make a good printer


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I would agree with that.
    I only used my CNC router as a test unit
    I then built a 3D printer from scratch after the initial print head test

    The two machines are completely different
    CNC machines are rigid and heavy so you can cut materials

    3D printers light and quick



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    I have built quite a few 5 axis with the G540 and still using the parallel port or the Ethernet smooth stepper. The first thing you need to do is figure out is if your power supply can handle an additional extruder stepper motor. The next thing you need is a G251. Wiring up a G251 is pretty simple use the two outputs in Mach3 using pins 1 and 17 for step and direction. For the parallel port you would need a small breakout board that one side plugs into the G540 and the other side plugs into the PP cable. Last the adapter breaks out pins 1 and 17 which them run to the G251.
    Dan Mauch
    dmauch@camtronics-cnc.com


    Quote Originally Posted by po63343v View Post
    Hey I have a few questions to ask regarding a 3d printing setup I currently have a homebuilt plasma table 10' x5' and I want to attach an extruder for 3d printing my table is 3 axis with c axis slaved to x so I am running 4axis on my breakout board, the breakout board is a gecko g540 please could anyone advise me as to what I need to to get up and running I am using mach3 I have 0 knowledge with this but have just recently began to take a real interest. Any help will be much appreciated

    Scot




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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    This project is still alive !!! and more boards are on the way!!!
    Here are the new links.
    The blog for community of people who have their own desktop CNC machine and wish to use it as a 3D printer.
    Web store of electronic boards for your convertion from CNC to 3D Printer.

    Regards,
    Nuri Erginer
    MakerStorage LLC.



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    " Now the board uses the MAX31855K instead of the MAX6675, so it can measure a wider temperature measurement range."
    is this a joke? the extra bit is a sign bit and nobody needs to print at liquid nitrogen temperatures. wtf?



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    gcz, nowadays people are looking for a way to print with high-temperature engineering plastics like PEEK. And the MAX6675 is obsolete, the replacement part is the MAX31855



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    Default Re: Mach3 as 3d Printer Software

    obsolete in name only because there is no shortage at all.
    https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...max6675+module
    how many thousand would you like tomorrow?

    but my question was why somebody would try to imply that negative temperatures doubling the range is some kind of useful feature- it is not. that was misleading, wouldn't you say?


    there's a whole playlist of that stuff cuz garcad had their lunch years ago.
    want moar? chat on youtube. maybe something good for you.



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