[Kreftmoto]

Hi all. I recently setup a Tormach tilting 4th Axis on my series 3 PCNC 1100, and the axis is not indexing correctly. When I rotate the table one full revolution, Path Pilot indicates it has rotated only 290°! Any ideas as to what might be the problem?

[brianbonedoc]

Did you zero the A axis? Also you may need to be in incremental mode (G91) ? Otherwise it goes to the absolute position e.g. Starting at 70deg, a G90 A360 command will move it too 360. A G91 will move an A360 command a full revolution.

Forgive me if you know this already.

[Kreftmoto]

Thanks for your response Brian. I just found the problem. The new drive that controls the A-axis has a series of switches and one was in the wrong position. It's working fine now!

[brianbonedoc]

10-4
Glad you fixed it!

[oneineight]

Did you zero the A axis? Also you may need to be in incremental mode (G91) ? Otherwise it goes to the absolute position e.g. Starting at 70deg, a G90 A360 command will move it too 360. A G91 will move an A360 command a full revolution.

Forgive me if you know this already.

Brian, Thank you! Answers like this are a great resource for those of us who did not know this already.

[instructor37]

Brian, Thank you! Answers like this are a great resource for those of us who did not know this already.

Another little info- most CNC programs running a rotary table have a "shortest way" built in, so if you are at 20 degrees and ask it to move to 340 degrees, it will run 40 degrees backwards past zero to 340 rather than running the long way 320 degrees forward from 20 to 340

[MFchief]

Hi,

Is it possible to override that shortest way thing? Being a geared table, I would think it might be better to go the long way around because of backlash.

Terry

[instructor37]

Hi,

Is it possible to override that shortest way thing? Being a geared table, I would think it might be better to go the long way around because of backlash.

Terry

In Mach 3 under GENERAL CONFIGURATION you will find a box where you can check full rotation in G0 commands or short rotation ( finding the shortest distance)

[MFchief]

Thanks Instructor37,

Does anyone know if PathPilot offers a similar option?

Terry