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Thread: Feedback on PCNC 1100

  1. #21
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by brianbonedoc View Post
    Yes and no. This will require hardware and software mods to the machine and pathpilot. I think it's doable. But not for the faint of heart.

    The reason is that pathpilot uses the mesa card which interfaces with the pc to deliver the signals to the breakout board which connects to the stepper motors.

    The mesa card has firmware which to my knowledge isn't flashed to support another axis. It can be flashed but the firmware has robbed written. Peter Wallace the owner of mesa will do it for you as he has done for me on a difffeent machine.

    Then Of course add another stepper driver to the cabinet.

    Then you have to add some code to the pathpilot ini and Hal files.

    I think the hard part will be if U want to actually see the B axis dro in the pathpilot screen. If you are ok not seeing it - then i think that's it.
    Thanks for that info...sounds doable but a bit more complicated than I'd hoped...In any case...the four axis as a start will be plenty for me to start learning with and will actually do about 95 percent of what I need...

    I'm wondering also about that little lathe add-on...RapidTurn...anyone have one of these...?...I guess the previous version was called the Duality...

    Regards, Flanker...



  2. #22
    Member kstrauss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    I and perhaps a hundred or more others have a RapidTurn. What would you like to know? Also, please start as a new thread!



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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by kstrauss View Post
    I and perhaps a hundred or more others have a RapidTurn. What would you like to know? Also, please start as a new thread!
    I'm just wondering if you can spin sheet metal on these and if there are tools for that...?



  4. #24
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    I would never say you can't do it, that's just an invitation for someone to prove you wrong. LoL
    But I don't believe it's practical, for a couple of reasons. First I would say the RapidTurn is under powered for anything except the very thinnest sheet metal forming. Second, the tooling for the RapidTurn mounts to the spindle, either directly by Tormach's setup or to an auxillary plate as in Keen's videos. I think it would be difficult to manipulate the tools, even if you designed the proper posts to do it by hand as in traditional spinning. Having the tool above the work with the close quarters involved would worry me.
    I suppose you could do it directly thru g code with a fixed tool, but I haven't seen that tried anywhere.
    Having no experience with it, but watching a few videos of spinning leaves me with the impression it's more art than mechanics, I think you wouldn't have the feel for the work with cnc that manual tooling provides for the skilled operator, which allows for knowing when to relax the pressure to keep the work under control.

    Having said all that, it would be way cool if someone could pull it off!
    Terry



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    Gold Member daniellyall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    flankerbandit you will need to get some changes done to the HSM or Fusion post for it to do 5th axis, The latest post for the Tormach the pathpilot one Needs a change done to it so it will do 4th It will need the 5th axis info added to it.

    <img src="https://ivxo1q-dm2305.files.1drv.com/y4mENMmTr_Cabc7pR0FUdB6gtbADq2JbuG4_rGy0eBQvLJx19pTi6TqMUIJN0xgOyDIc0gWoxYhS38HpbSTFGdfaK-o42IOU6jczrhDpfpCOTNGL1X6hvZCbgj0y35gqmq1YGTrWwShYGV-C7lXA2esy0Pi_WfnBSyroDLSGXwce4uSr1U7op7srdi78rispHCa_K4aFlTlJPVkkNWMfgh_Tg?width=60&height=60&cropmode=none" width="60" height="60" />

    Being Disabled is OK CNC is For fuN


  6. #26
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by MFchief View Post
    I would never say you can't do it, that's just an invitation for someone to prove you wrong. LoL
    But I don't believe it's practical, for a couple of reasons. First I would say the RapidTurn is under powered for anything except the very thinnest sheet metal forming. Second, the tooling for the RapidTurn mounts to the spindle, either directly by Tormach's setup or to an auxillary plate as in Keen's videos. I think it would be difficult to manipulate the tools, even if you designed the proper posts to do it by hand as in traditional spinning. Having the tool above the work with the close quarters involved would worry me.
    I suppose you could do it directly thru g code with a fixed tool, but I haven't seen that tried anywhere.
    Having no experience with it, but watching a few videos of spinning leaves me with the impression it's more art than mechanics, I think you wouldn't have the feel for the work with cnc that manual tooling provides for the skilled operator, which allows for knowing when to relax the pressure to keep the work under control.

    Having said all that, it would be way cool if someone could pull it off!
    Terry
    Thanks Terry...that's what I was thinking...

    I have seen videos of cnc spinning...



    That machine in the video looks about the size of the little Tormach lathe module...but the key is that rolller tool...

    Regards,

    Flanker...



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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by daniellyall View Post
    flankerbandit you will need to get some changes done to the HSM or Fusion post for it to do 5th axis, The latest post for the Tormach the pathpilot one Needs a change done to it so it will do 4th It will need the 5th axis info added to it.
    From what I can see...HSM Pro supports 5'th axis...it was introduced in 2015 and I have the 2017 now...

    Regards, Gordon.



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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by flankerbandit View Post
    Zetopan says that there is space in the cabinet for a fifth driver box in the series 3...so I think it should all work out...
    Uhhh, NO I DID NOT. I have a late Series 1 PCNC1100 and it has space for a 5th axis driver, etc. I have never seen the insides of a Series 3 electrical cabinet so I don't know what space is available in that version. My late Series 1 also has room on the floor and the left side inside the electrical cabinet. My mill has been upgraded to a Series 3 by purchasing the replacement parts, but the electrical cabinet is still the late Series 1. These "upgrade" details are what may have confused flankerbandit.

    And yes, that Tormach 5 axis demo was done long ago and it used Mach 3 since Tormach did not even have PathPilot at that time.
    As far as SprutCAM supporting 5 axes goes, you simply copy a 5 axis machine setup and merge it into a Tormach setup to get the correct geometry. The ALL POSTS version of SprutCAM does allow you to define your own machine geometry.

    If continuous 5 Axes control could be added to PathPilot I would be very interested in switching from Mach 3 to PathPilot. Thus far Tormach has not been willing to provide the sufficient details for performing that modification. Of course such a customized version of PathPilot would also expose the end user to potential bug fix problems since they could not simply install the latest version of PathPilot without overwriting their custom version.

    Last edited by Zetopan; 01-14-2017 at 12:23 AM.


  9. #29
    Gold Member daniellyall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    flankerbandit the post possessor needs edited, I have a copy of it, it's the same one fusion use's and there is no b axis output in it, and there is a problem with it doing 4th axis work. A tormach user reported it the other day.

    <img src="https://ivxo1q-dm2305.files.1drv.com/y4mENMmTr_Cabc7pR0FUdB6gtbADq2JbuG4_rGy0eBQvLJx19pTi6TqMUIJN0xgOyDIc0gWoxYhS38HpbSTFGdfaK-o42IOU6jczrhDpfpCOTNGL1X6hvZCbgj0y35gqmq1YGTrWwShYGV-C7lXA2esy0Pi_WfnBSyroDLSGXwce4uSr1U7op7srdi78rispHCa_K4aFlTlJPVkkNWMfgh_Tg?width=60&height=60&cropmode=none" width="60" height="60" />

    Being Disabled is OK CNC is For fuN


  10. #30
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by flankerbandit View Post
    Ok...



    [
    I know lots of people are using Fusion 360 with the Tormach and that is fine...but I think that supports only up to 3 axis...I do have Fusion as well but haven't really explored it much...
    Fusion 360 now supports up to 5 axis now.

    Dave.



  11. #31
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Flanker, thanks for the video link, that is pretty neat.
    Terry



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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by MFchief View Post
    Flanker, thanks for the video link, that is pretty neat.
    Terry
    Yeah...I thought it was pretty cool...

    I checked out the company site and they sell it as a kit for any lathe...will contact them to see what they say about the Tormach...

    I agree with you and others that spinning is something of an art...and which I have zero experience with...so a CNC solution would be great...since my shop will need to have some items spun...mainly soft aluminum...but also some light gauge stainless...which is pretty stretchy too...

    Regards,

    Flanker...



  13. #33
    Member mountaindew's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feedback on PCNC 1100

    Quote Originally Posted by Zetopan View Post

    As far as SprutCAM supporting 5 axes goes, you simply copy a 5 axis machine setup and merge it into a Tormach setup to get the correct geometry. The ALL POSTS version of SprutCAM does allow you to define your own machine geometry.


    Your sprutcam skills must be killer!
    I am an avid user of Sprutcam, to the point of obsessive. I must only have half of that program. My version has no machine editor. If it did I would create a superspacer 4th axis to go on my tormach mill table.


    Guess I need to upgrade. to have access to the entire program and documents. worth it just so I can have a super spacer on my tormach.



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