[ihavenofish]

No, you don't have that, what you have is a rate number which is no real path error value, it is just a rate which only indirectly influances the path error, but the path error will still depends on the acceleration settings of the axes.
You can't define the max.error in millimeters or inches, you can only guess about the error it will create on different paths.
Both Linuxcnc and UCCNC has real path deviation control, you can define the tolerances in length units and the software will obey that setting, will not create a larger path error than what you setup.

um...are you looking in the right spot? it has an angle and a distance setting in units.... actually i always found this setting a bit more useful and useful than the gcode deviation settings in linuxcnc. only drawback to the mach way is its not gcode accessible, and sometimes you want to be able to choose different settings per program or even in 1 program.

[ger21]

But I heard new fangled solutions let go of their original programmers and hence why it's not finished and hasn't been since I last posted this years ago which kind of suggests was I heard was correct. So wouldn't keep your hopes up for a finished version anytime soon or likely ever.

Simply not true. As far as I know, there have really only been two programmers working on Mach4. The owner of Artsoft and one other, and they are still both working on it.
The delays have more to do with the choices they've made, and the direction they want to take Mach4.

I don't believe uccnc just runs smoother, it's more accurate imo.

Yes, it is, especially when doing 3D work at high speeds, like 400+ipm.

[Jon.N.CNC]

Ger you hit nail on the head with accuracy, it's 3D work where it seems to lack.

Not just that, I wonder if they will fix or have fixed the various setup gui's of Mach 3 generating duplicate settings in the setup xml. Even more interesting when it does so, Infact you or Mach 3 itself can enter/corrupt by adding multiple duplicate settings into setup xml with different values and watch your machine take on a mind of its own.. One velocity/acceleration for one direction and another for opposite direction was great fun except when it lost the slave setting. Seemed to do this randomly by itself. Reinstalls regularily seemed to help, but it was very much not an if but a when would it graunch my machine again.

[109jb]

So much misinformation...

You don't need Mesa cards, Ethernet, FPGA, or anything like that for a simple 3 axis machine like the g0704. I run LinuxCNC on a free salvaged pentium 4 desktop, running 3 axes, limit switches, and a probe input. The interface from the CPU to the stepper drivers is a parallel port and a $10 Chinese breakout board, and it runs fine at 200IPM.

I have never had this setup crash. Never had it botch a job. Never had a real problem. The ONLY thing it has ever done is throw an occasional real-time warning, but just a warning. Never created a problem.

The setup for this type of setup is very simple. If you can burn a DVD, or create a bootable usb, you can get the Linux OS running with the live CD download from the LinuxCNC website. There are instructions there for doing both of these options.

Setting up the machine in LinuxCNC is simple as there is a setup wizard for those running a parallel port setup.

The OP asked about options for aG0704 and things have taken a side trip into Mesa cards, Ethernet, etc. None of which is necessary for a simple machine.

As for using LinuxCNC vs mach3, I have tried both, and felt that the Mach 3 setup was more convoluted than the step by step LinuxCNC wizard. When I initially set up my g0704 in LinuxCNC it took me about an hour for software setup. Trying the trial version of Mach 3 I spent many hours changing settings and never got it to run as good as LinuxCNC, so i abandoned it.

Once setup, LinuxCNC is as easy to run as any of them. They are all basically the same in this regard. Set up the stock and set zero, load the G code, insert a tool, and hit cycle start.

Much of the popularity of Mach 3 is undoubtedly that it has a familiar windows interface, and runs on top of the familiar windows OS. However, you don't really need to know anything about Linux to run LinuxCNC, and LinuxCNC is runs in a similar looking window anyway.

Give it a try. It costs nothing.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[ihavenofish]

As for using LinuxCNC vs mach3, I have tried both, and felt that the Mach 3 setup was more convoluted than the step by step LinuxCNC wizard. When I initially set up my g0704 in LinuxCNC it took me about an hour for software setup. Trying the trial version of Mach 3 I spent many hours changing settings and never got it to run as good as LinuxCNC, so i abandoned it.

what level of computer expertise do you have? what seems simple to you, may not be for others. the typical mach3 customer is an entry level machine user, not a machine integrator or programmer. telling someone to open a hal file and edit it is far beyond most people here. the wizards are only partially workable usually and laid out in not the most intuitive manner (somethings actually busted in the most recent one forcing you to edit the text files). mach3 could certainly be called restrictive, but its pretty point and shoot to set up i find, especially when supplied with preconfigured xml files by the break out card makers.

[RCaffin]

UCCNC has path deviation control, you have control over your job tolerances, you just don't have that with Mach3/4.

Only older systems NEED 'path deviation control'. Mach3 does not need it: it follows the path you have specified to within the limits of resolution of your drivers. Step pulses are sent out on a strict methematical basis, unlike older systems. With one exception: if you WANT Constant Velocity, you have to accept a slight rounding of the corners - but that is due to the mathematics of motions and applies to ANY CNC system. You can of course turn that off for exact corners.

I am sure that other systems are very good (and one day I might even try one of them), but this constant harping over 'path deviation control' amuses me as it is such an antique concept.

Let the storm rage.

Cheers
Roger

[Jon.N.CNC]

Only older systems NEED 'path deviation control'. Mach3 does not need it: it follows the path you have specified to within the limits of resolution of your drivers. Step pulses are sent out on a strict methematical basis, unlike older systems. With one exception: if you WANT Constant Velocity, you have to accept a slight rounding of the corners - but that is due to the mathematics of motions and applies to ANY CNC system. You can of course turn that off for exact corners.

I am sure that other systems are very good (and one day I might even try one of them), but this constant harping over 'path deviation control' amuses me as it is such an antique concept.

Cheers
Roger

I agree roger, I don't believe that the path deviation control has much to say about why I find uccnc more accurate in cv mode. i have it set at 0.003 well below my machines accuracy so I would imagine it has next to zero effect when the tolerances differ by much larger dimensions between software.

[ihavenofish]

With one exception: if you WANT Constant Velocity, you have to accept a slight rounding of the corners - but that is due to the mathematics of motions and applies to ANY CNC system.

thats what hes talking about. in linuxcnc for example you put in your program:

g64 p 0.001

this means it will try to maintain velocity while staying within 0.001" of any end point. thi is how alot of controls do it.

with mach3 you just enter g64 with no qualifiers. BUT you do have a global distance tolerance, as well and an angle threshold in one of the setup pages. the angle threshold turns g64 OFF, and the distance threshold behaves the same as the p qualifier in linuxcnc. the REASON its global is so you dont have to manually enter these things in your code, especially if using a very simplistic cam package. just leave G64 on all the time and for the most part, it all just works.

[ger21]

Only older systems NEED 'path deviation control'. Mach3 does not need it: it follows the path you have specified to within the limits of resolution of your drivers

No, it doesn't, if you're in CV mode.

if you WANT Constant Velocity, you have to accept a slight rounding of the corners

No, you don't, if you have a path deviation setting.
A good control will maintain constant velocity when the moves are tangent to each other, and will slow down as required when they aren't.

[daniellyall]

OP just stay with M3 see how it goes if it's **** try something else.
Linuxcnc is easy to set up if you have one of the boards in the drop down yes I had it running in an hour with a G540, if the board is not there it is hard unless you find a non Linux a hole to help, some of the people on the Linux forum are well they need a attitude adjustment, what stop people from using it.
the other type of controllers out there are depending on what you wont to do are better than Mach 3 in some ways, are they better than Mach4 can't say it's not finished.

I use a program that has a 6th order planner built into it, is it better than the rest of the hobby controls don't know, but it's better than Mach3.

ihavenofish nail driven in on that point

[G59]

Let the storm rage.

LOL

[Jon.N.CNC]

If anyone has Mach 4 installed, try typing a duplicate volicity acceleration entry with different values to original for one axis into the xml and see if it runs, which it shouldn't it should recognise the duplication and error report, also see if try using both settings simultaneously. This will give a you A fairly good idea of the direction Mach 4 will be heading in.

[ihavenofish]

ive never seen this duplicate entry thing before in mach3.

my only real issue in mach3 (besides lacking a few nice features) is the cv bug. if it didnt have that issue, id still be running it.

[OlfCNC]

g64 p 0.001

this means it will try to maintain velocity while staying within 0.001" of any end point. thi is how alot of controls do it.

with mach3 you just enter g64 with no qualifiers. BUT you do have a global distance tolerance, as well and an angle threshold in one of the setup pages. the angle threshold turns g64 OFF, and the distance threshold behaves the same as the p qualifier in linuxcnc. the REASON its global is so you dont have to manually enter these things in your code, especially if using a very simplistic cam package. just leave G64 on all the time and for the most part, it all just works.

Basicly every advanced controller has path deviation control. Mach3 does not. It does not have a miracle algorithm which just works.
Try to set your axes accelerations low and then try to control your tolerances. You will be surprised that you can't.
That "miracle parameter" will still not directly control your tolerances, just indirectly, you still will not know how precise your workpiece will be.
The Mach3 trajectory planner is very basic, even a GRBL on a 8-bit microcontroller Arduino can do better.

[RCaffin]

The Mach3 trajectory planner is very basic, even a GRBL on a 8-bit microcontroller Arduino can do better.

A statement like that suggests you have read the source code.
Is this so?

Cheers
Roger

[OlfCNC]

I read it's documentation and it is clear how it works, it is still too simple IMO, but simple is better than a broken one.

[Jon.N.CNC]

ive never seen this duplicate entry thing before in mach3.

my only real issue in mach3 (besides lacking a few nice features) is the cv bug. if it didnt have that issue, id still be running it.

Might depend on how often you make changes. I alter motor tuning to suit each particular job. If you set it just once you would likely not have seen it. I had to make a practice of manually opening xml in notepad each time and correcting duplications which were frequent, more frequent if I hadn't reinstalled in a while.

What was interesting however is how mach3 had no error checking of xml. I wonder if Mach 4 does or is going to. Pretty simple test for anyone that has it installed.

[ihavenofish]

Might depend on how often you make changes. I alter motor tuning to suit each particular job. If you set it just once you would likely not have seen it. I had to make a practice of manually opening xml in notepad each time and correcting duplications which were frequent, more frequent if I hadn't reinstalled in a while.

What was interesting however is how mach3 had no error checking of xml. I wonder if Mach 4 does or is going to. Pretty simple test for anyone that has it installed.

i change my velocity and acceleration alot, at least in the early days of the machine. (not sure why youd want to change it per job)

for error checking, it should just be able to find the first or last entry and just use that. although that could cause some of your changes to not be recognised if you get it in the wrong order. using both at random in one session is quite bad (creating them is quite bad to begin with of course)

[ihavenofish]

Basicly every advanced controller has path deviation control. Mach3 does not. It does not have a miracle algorithm which just works.
Try to set your axes accelerations low and then try to control your tolerances. You will be surprised that you can't.
That "miracle parameter" will still not directly control your tolerances, just indirectly, you still will not know how precise your workpiece will be.
The Mach3 trajectory planner is very basic, even a GRBL on a 8-bit microcontroller Arduino can do better.

i set my accelerations to what the machine works at, usually 0.1 to 0.5G. never had any issue with precision within the mechanical abilities of the machines i ran it on, even on the slowest ones. ive never seen a rounded corner on anything that wasnt meant to be rounded ( i set the tolerance usually to 1-5 thou and 89 degrees)

with linuxcnc you also have a q qualifier i should add, and if you forget about it, it can suuuuck. this is the code compressor. it takes lines that are nearly colinear and makes them one. by default its set to something like 2 degrees which is idiotic and makes everything out f square. so you have to add q 0 to ever program after the g64.


and on the arduino grbl.. no. just no. i know its fun to slam mach3, but short of the cv bug which makes it unreliable, it has some of the best high speed contouring ive seen... better than what ive seen from the lower end vmc's

[daniellyall]

you know if you tune the acc and val in Mach3 to a big 3D file you only have to do it one time, do you do a restart after changing settings.

Mach4 does not have a .xml and changing settings in Mach 4 is fine it builds a new .ini backup on every restart, so if it's out you just go back one back up and I have never had to do that even when I was tuning it what was changing the acc and vel a lot. and if you change major settings in Mach 4 you can just delete the built files and on restart it rebuilds them to what you changed to, every new ESS plug I do this and I don't have and problem with files going bad at all.

the GRBL trajectory planer is a lot different to the one Mach use's it's bananas to tomatoes. snap, crackle and pop.