Teaching from encoders?

[thedoctor]

I have hooked up a pair of encoders to my table that will show the outline of a part as I manually move the torch around the part in the toolpath screen of Mach3. So far, so good. Now I want to save this input so that I might keep it as a part file in G-code. I suppose there is a teach function that will do this but I am clueless as to how it works. Any assistance or input would be welcomed!

[Al_The_Man]

I am not sure how Mach would be able to record the path, as the loop is not closed back to the controller (Mach).
Al.

[ger21]

Try the J-code plugin. look under plugins, under downloads on the Machsupport web site.

[thedoctor]

Thanks, Gerry! Don't know how I overlooked that! Hope it has some ability to pick the sample rate or points. I'll try it this afternoon.
Al, the input from the encoders is all there is; no loop at all. I move the machine by hand (physically) and the encoders send the position info back to Mach. This is useful for entering old steel or hardboard templates or just tracing around some random part. If this works, I can even plug the encoders from my old SW optical tracing system in and trace line drawings. Not elegant but useful.

[PoppaBear10]

the doctor,

NOT trying to rain on your parade, but the J Code plug in is for recording Axis movements.

There is a work around: You can do a "Teach" with VB, you can bring in your encouders and set up there positions as vectors, and as each of the 3d Vectors change, you can record the new point to your Teach file, with an Append, you would have to put this in a "While" loop that watches a "Record" user LED, when your finished you would push the "Stop Record" button, that would close and load your Teach file in your G code window.

Or, you could do it in a Plug in, like above but it would be done in C++.

NOTE: Max resoulution would be no greater than 1/10th of a second since that is the update loop time of Mach3

scott

[thedoctor]

Well, if I can get J-code to record jogs (I thought that was the J in J-code) I can get the encoders to do the jogs as two MPGs. So far, I can't get the J-code plugin to record jogs at all. It shows it is recording in the status box but the file is empty but for an M30 command. I guess I need more help in using J-code before I can progress on. The toolpath screen shows all the jogs but the file I told J-code to save it in remains empty. Maybe someone has used J-code and can get me that far? Thanks!

[ger21]

Check the record jogs checkbox, then click rec point before you start. Then click in the toolpath window, and start jogging. When done jogging, click OK in the Jcode window, and you should see the g-code.

I don't have a machine hooked up, but just tried the plugin and it seemed to work OK.

[thedoctor]

The recording portion is amazing! Now I just need to play with it and find out what all affects the recording process, such as speed, 2-axis jogs, etc. Do you know if it matters where I clink on the toolpath screen? Is that where it places the beginning of the record or just a random "control" click? I guess I will find out as I play. Thanks for the help, Gerry!

[ger21]

I just did a random click to return focus back to Mach to allow you to jog.

[thedoctor]

I have successfully "digitized" 3 parts and this is SO COOL! It really spits out the G-code! A 42" oval part with notches burned up about 300 lines of code! I can even reverse G-code it and get a DXF file to adjust with in CAD! That is just what I was looking for. Thanks again, Gerry!