New Build Questions

[Imacman]

Hello all, being new to the world of CNC, I am purchacing a Machine from zenbot... but I will also be building one for the experience. I have a few questions I'm hoping someone can answer.
A.) Can a machine use a lead screw type rod to control the Axis with the router attached... but use a belt drive for the cutting bed drive? can a machine use three diffrents types of liner motion setup?

B.) Of all the available types... - direct, Belt looped, belt open flat, lead screws... is there one that is better than the others?

Any information regarding this is appreciated. The reason I ask is I've seen a flat belt drive system that looks interesting... but I'd like to use the threaded screw for the up and down motion ? I'm trying to attach a pic.... not sure id it will go up.

Thanks

Imacman

[ger21]

A. Yes, they can all be different if you like.

B. Each has pluses and minuses.

[Imacman]

Thanks Ger... I was hoping you could mix them up, I assume that there is some sort of calibration done for each axis in the software set up. Any Idea where I can find out the pluses & minuses... My build machine will be about 24" X 24" I mention this as I assume... diffrent lineer motion setups are related to machine size.

Thanks

Imacman

[Imacman]

Greetings All... It's been a while since my last post, heres' an updaye, and a request. I have gotten lots of experience with my milling machine, and have since purchased a Metal Lathe , Craftex from Busy Bee tools... and the best part is My CNC build is actually finished.... been a long road... bought some parts, built others etc. I'm running the Gecko Controller Pkg from Fineline, and have downloaded MACH3 to learn..... at present I have hooked everything up, set up Mach3 using the XML file for the Gecko G540, and it all seems to work fine... I am able to manually jog all of the axis, and have played around with the motor config to see how fast / slow my machine is... all so good so far. I have bought some limit switches, but haven't installed them yet. So...now I'm looking for what I need to do next, I'm anxious to cut something or engrave some text maybe? I'm kind of cautious right now... I know nothing about MACH 3 I think I need to find out the following...

A.) How to set soft limits in the software so I don't crash the machine.

B.) How can I set up my limit switches to work, and act as home switches as well?

C.) How do I set up the software to use say a 1/4" end mill ( I'm using a router right now as a cutter.) ie cutter diamtere & length etc

D.) is there a Basics/ Getting started site I can go to to move forward from here?

Any and all help is much appreciated... this has been a long long road, over 2 years now, and I've learned lots about everything... now I need to learn the basics about Mach3 & Lazy Cam... ( if it helps I am a professional graphics person, using Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop CS4... graphics and animation programs are second nature for me, as well I've started using Google sketchup as a primer to a CAD program.

Thanks for any and all help.


Paul ( Imacman )

Newfoundland

[ger21]

Accidentally bumped my mouse and lost 30 minutes of typing SO now you're going to get a condensed version.

A) Before you can setup your softlimits, you need to "home" your machine. Typically this is done with by homing to home switches, but if you don't have them installed, you can jog to a repeatable "home" position and click the ref all button, to set your home position. You'll need to do this each time you start the machine, as the softlimit positions are referenced from this "home" position.

Once you have your home position set, go to config > Homing/Limits, and set up your min and max positions, which are based on the"home" position.

Once set up, you need to turn softlimits on with the softlimits button on the program run screen.

B) Config>Ports and Pins>Input Signals
Assign the port and pin number for the each switch here.

To use them as Home switches, enter the same port and pin numbers you used for the limit for the home switches.

C) at this point, I'd say that you don't. Diameter offset (actually radius offset) should be handles in your CAM program, or by offsetting the drawing by the tool radius to account for tool diameter.

D) I don't know of any off hand.
Basically, you load your drawing into your CAM package, and create your g-code.
Then load your g-code into Mach3, and zero the axis relative to your workpiece by jogging into position and clicking the zero buttons. Once you do that, your ready to cut.


I'd seriously recommend getting a real CAM program and don't bother trying to learn LazyCAM, which is buggy, and not very intuitive. Vectric's Cut2D is much easier to use, and I believe it can load .ai files natively. Download the demo and try it out.

[louieatienza]

Ditto on the Cut2D... one of the fastest and easiest ways to go from drawing to part, and yes, it will import .eps and .ai files; though I believe there has to be vector data in the file. If you're a SketchUp guy, check out PhlatScript.

You could try running the RoadRunner file that comes with Mach3, though you'll only run the first 500 lines in Demo mode.

[Imacman]

Thanks Guys for the quick replies..... Really appreciate Ger21 taking the time to address my individual questions ( would have loved to see the long version, this version was great!!! thanks ), I'm going to take this one step at a time.

Ger21 ...From Your response to A.) I did a manual jog to one of the corners as you mentioned... I left about an inch and a half of play in each axis just incase the motors took off. Good thing I might add.... when I had the carriage in place I clicked the ref all button ( I was expecting no movement, and for the software to set this as the home position. However, the X & Y Axis remained static... BUT the Z AXIS began to move up at a fairly slow speed.... luckily I did have my E-Stop button installed so I hit that and it stopped the motion... Whew...lol

So... I'm not sure what I do now. This after noon I'd like to install my Limit Switches... So I have a few questions about that. The swithches are Min Lever Type SPDT. they have three terminals C, NC, NO..... I'm assuming that I use the NC & C terminals, so the circuit is Normally Closed? A few things are confusing me...

a.) If the actual switches are NC ( Normally Closed ) how is it that The GeckoG540 is working with no limit switches hooked up...ie that circuit i open? : ) No biggie.... as long as it works when its all wired in th end.

b.) My Gecko Controller only has 4 inputs for limit switches... but the machine has 4 limits?... my little bit of common sense says put the switches in the center of each axis so the switches move and are activated at either end by a fixed piece of material at each actual limit? this is where it gets confusing.... how will that help me use the limits as Home switches? And is there a better way to wire up th limit & homes switches? ( Thanks for your explanation of how to config the home switches to the limit coordinates, that makes sense to me : )

My Estop has it's own input so it's fine... I have heard of people wiring all the limit switches to act as 'OR' Logic switches using the E'stop Input.... this would stop everything no matter which switch is tripped and leave the 4 inputs available..... I'm not sure what to do at this point, so I'm hoping you can get me going again.... while I wait I'm going to solder some long lengths of wire to all six limit switches.... as I'm going to have to do that at some point...lol

THNKS for the advice on LazyCam & Cut 2D, I am going to down load Cut 2 D and check it out. I do have a program called G-Simple.... I'm not sure but I think it creates G-Gode that can be imported into Mach 3? Not sure if its any good or recommended.


Thanks Again.


Paul

Imacman, Newfoundland


PS; Thoughts & Prayers to the crew & Familys at Burns Lake BC, there was a huge mill explosion late friday, I have a Nephew that was hurt in the explosion.

[ger21]

Ger21 ...From Your response to A.) I did a manual jog to one of the corners as you mentioned... I left about an inch and a half of play in each axis just incase the motors took off. Good thing I might add.... when I had the carriage in place I clicked the ref all button ( I was expecting no movement, and for the software to set this as the home position. However, the X & Y Axis remained static... BUT the Z AXIS began to move up at a fairly slow speed.... luckily I did have my E-Stop button installed so I hit that and it stopped the motion... Whew...lol

I'm guessing that you had a Z home switch enabled in ports and pins, which is why the Z started moving. Disable it for now, and it should stop the movement.

a.) If the actual switches are NC ( Normally Closed ) how is it that The GeckoG540 is working with no limit switches hooked up...ie that circuit i open? : ) No biggie.... as long as it works when its all wired in the end.

I think the active low setting might be the issue here.

b.) My Gecko Controller only has 4 inputs for limit switches... but the machine has 4 limits?

Run each limit that will double as a home switch to their own inputs. All the remaining limits can be wired in series to one input.

If you don't mind homing the axis one at a time, you can wire all the switches in series and use one input.

[Imacman]

Hi Again, Gerry, I went to the ports & pins... but couldn't find anywhere /anything for enabling or disabling a z-home... the only thing I saw was that PORT 1 was enabled PORT 2 Disabled... so I disabled the active Port Port 1... but this disabled everything... so I'm assuming that that was the entire serial Port, so I re-inabled that.....

Next I reset my E-stop etc, and was again able to manually jog all three axis.... I found a safe position.. then Zeroed all the axis..... I manually jogged all three axis away from this position / coordinate... then I hit the "Goto Zero" and the macchine moved all three axis to Zero ( I actualy drew a dot on a piece of tape at the 0,0,0,coordinates and put a laser pointer in the tool holder, and the machine moved the laser exactly to that orignal spot ).... however, when I pres the reff all home button, again the Z- Axis begins to head north again... I think I'm missing the Zhome Disable setup that you mentioned. Suggestions?


Thanks

Paul

[ger21]

Try here:

[Imacman]

Perfect... thanks Gerry got it.... so now in that window and column, the only thing that is enabled is the E-stop. So here;s my update ( and thanks again for everything so far... it's a huge huge help.]! : )


• I have all the Axes Zeroed, and can jog anywhere on the table with no problem, now when I am at 0,0,0 and I press the ref button nothing happens which is good... so does this mean that is how we set the zero?

• When I jog around on all three Axes, and I press the goto zero... the machine goes perfectly back to the 0,0,0 position, so good so far.

• I have set up the soft limits and have pressed the soft limits buttton on the run screen, when I try to jog beyond any set soft limit the machine slows down and plays a lovely little robot like song on each axis, So far so good.

• I have chosed the best places to enstall the hard switches and I'm pretty confident I can get thme hooked up and assign the Home switches to them as well Thanks to your avice.

NOW INTO THe UNKNOWN.........


I Jogged the X Axis 12 " and had a yard stick set up for a quick test,,,, the Axis moved about 14.56 inches rather than the 12, so this seems to be that point where I have to calibrate my machice to let it know what my drive system actually is. My specs are X Axis is Single Start 5/8" 8 TPi ACME Screw with a preloaded antibacklash screw,

MY Y & Z Axis are 1/2: 10TPI ACME Screws wth Single starts.

My Controller is A Gecko G540 with I think 27Oz Stepper motors ( Finelin Automation's Plug & Play set with their recommended XML file for MACH 3


I am obvioulsly very new to all of this, I am buying Mach 3 for sure.... but I'm sckeptical bout Lazy cam.... I think it come free with it. I also have a package calle GSimple, and a CNC Emulator program for running parts from gcode virtually on screen...not sure if thats part of the process. Our what the process and software needs are



MY NEXT MOVE IS...

I need to calibtarate the Machine to understand what mechanisims are driving it, so how do I go about doing that? It sounds tricky? I also read somewhere that I can load the machine with a Dial Test indicator or simply a pen and run setup / calibration file and compare it's resulting measurement with the one I entered it to be?.... tryin both methods sounds logical.


So whats my next more? here I wouds like to put a router or dremel with a small bit in it to try running a file. IF you could send me on my next step, that would be great..... some point during this someone should point out to me how to let the Z Axis know where the Tip of the cutter is.


Im hoping that my diving in approach is acceptable.... I have printed a hard copy of the MAC3 Manual and am reading throught it..... not a real easy read for a comploete noob.... but... I do learn fast.


FINALY My understanding is this.... Draw object in CAD or graphic program...... then use a cam program to convert the drawing to Gcode and or toolpathes...... Thden load this file in to Mach3, and print, ( I'm confused as to the setting up of the tools etc.... not sure where it is done. I think If I could get a file that will run, with an explanatin of whats happening would be a huge benefit.


ALMOST FORGOT.... the X, Y & Z options that I disabled way in the beginning in the config when the ref key was causing the Z axis to start running away on me
so I turned them all off. these seem to be input from the motors?... what is the purpose of them?,,, and should I be turning them all back on now or ever?


Thanks In advance


PAul, Newfoundland Imacman

[Imacman]

Hi, thanks for the help so far.. Sorry for asking so much at one time, I thi nk I should slow down,.... Here is where I am.


• Have successfully set Zero's for each axis, and the machine returns to zero no problems.

• I Have soft limits set successfully and have the basics of how they work.

• I have calibrated all three axis' using the setup ( where you move then enter the actual result.) Tested the moves and they are great.

• I have installed a Dremel in my tool holder, I have put a round nosed bit in the dremel, it has 2 flutes? and is 1/4" wide, ( 15/64ths actually) and it is about 1 and 1/2"s long ( ie that much is the installed useable height )


I would like to try cutting something... anything... maybe some text or a graphic? I need to know what my next step is....

a.) I'm thinking I have to enter some information about the tool bit that is in the Dremel? ( The dremel is not hooked to Mach 3, I'll just turn it on when ready )

b.) I'm thinking I have to move the Z-Axis ( the actual bit ) down to touch the MDF board I intend on carving into.


c.) I'm thinking I have to load a file into Mach 3 and run it

So there... that's what I'm thinking has to happen... now I just need to know if I'm missing anything to run this sort of test..... and how to go about it.

I really appreciate the help, I'm finding the manual has too much information and I find myself unsure of what is relvent to me and what isn't ( at this point, as I'm sure it's all relevent?)


Thanks in advance

Paul, Imacman

Newfoundland