[ekcourter]

Is there a hands off method to program a home position re-set sequence in G code to pick up lost steps? Homing on the fly? Thanks

[awerby]

No, once they're lost, they're gone. You can re-zero the axis and start again, though.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[dcoupar]

What control?

[ekcourter]

Mach 3 .062 Specifically I would like to know if I can write into my code a re-homing routine mid program, probably between the rough and finish cuts. I am just starting with G code and VB but would guess there is a command, command group, or sub routine to do this. I could save a lot of time by speeding up the rough out and losing a few steps and then getting back to Zero for a slower finish cut. At the current speed I can only do 4 parts per day. Thanks

[ger21]

Look at G28 and G28.1

[awerby]

"I could save a lot of time by speeding up the rough out and losing a few steps and then getting back to Zero for a slower finish cut."

I'm not sure this is a great idea. Once you start losing steps, which can be a little or a lot, you don't really know what the machine's going to do. It could easily cut into the material that's supposed to be saved, and even start chewing away at the machine itself. Rather than letting your machine lose steps, see what you can do to optimize the toolpath, perhaps using a different and more efficient strategy, a bigger or more effective tool, a deeper cut, or a larger step-over. It might be that by increasing your spindle speed, you can complete the same roughing pass with a faster feedrate and not lose steps. Re-homing between operations is okay to do, but it's not necessarily going to compensate for lost steps.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[ekcourter]

Thanks, I got it to work with G28.1 z0 ...G28.1 Y0.....G28.1 X0. three lines. Just to check, I unpluged a motor and pushed the head around and re-homed. I still can not get the X home (two motors) to work the soft limits (mach3) turned on. I can run with it off without problem but wonder if this indicates a slave problem? Works OK for Z and Y (one motor)