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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    938

    changing units in mach3

    In the first mach3 video we learned how to set the units and then were told not to change units or all kinds of hell would break loose. We were then told that in a later video we would learn how to change units for a particular piece of work. Well, I watched all the videos and searched through the PDF manual and I'm still mystified as to how this is done, or if it is actually important.

    lets say I set up Mach3 in millimeters (which is the way mine is set up) and most of my work is in millimeters. Then one day some engineer comes to me and gives me a cad file in inches (or better yet gives me a g-code from a CAD file in inches). Is there a soft reset on mach3 to change to inches for this one job or is that in the g-code? if it is in the g-code, is it automatically taked care of by the CAM software that generated the g-code (RhinoCAM in particular)?

    Thanks,
    Steven

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35494
    The best way to do it would be to set up 2 profiles, one in inches and one in mm. Then just set up an icon to start each one.

    If you have the CAD file, it's just a matter of scaling it to convert. Multiply by 25.4 to convert inches to mm, divide by 25.4 to convert mm to inches.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    938
    Thanks Gerry,

    I just tested that out and setting up a second profile works great.

    Steven

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