[SPEEDRE]

Since I will use Mach 3, I think I need some help with this.
Someone said that, limit switches aren't needed. I can grasp that, just don't try to machine a profile that's bigger than your envelope. So, as I get my machine ready to test and tune I am confused and struggling to understated these things so far.
One, How do I start and stop a machine session in the same place?. Let me illuminate.
I want to be able to, start the tool movement at a point, off and away, from the material piece I wish to cut, and then when the machine is done cutting
I want to stop the tool movement at that same place.
Two, What is a Zero Setter and how do I make one and connect it to Mach 3?.
If I want to use the position of the Zero Setter as my start and stop position how can I accomplish this?

[ger21]

Mach3 will start from wherever position it's currently at. When you press Cycle Start, Mach3 moves where the g-code instructs it to move.
If you want it to stop in a certain place, the end of your g-code needs to tell it to go to that place.

Normally, you'd do a G0 move up to the rapid plane, then do a G0 to your end position. You probably want to specify the finish position in Machine Coordinates, so you'd use "G53 G0 Xxx Yxx". Without the G53, the position would change based on your X and Y zero position "offsets".

In the simplest form, a tool setter or auto zero plate is just a piece of metal wired to an input pin in Mach3. When the tool touches the plate, the circuit is closed (provided the spindle is grounded), and Mach3 sets Z zero at that point. This is controlled by an autozero macro running in Mach3.

See these threads:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc-wo...ro-setter.html


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/mach-w...x-version.html

[SPEEDRE]

So, I have to write code for it to do what I want !. Oh, Oh, Not to happy about that. When I'm ready I'll need lots of coaching. Thanks

[Jmhx2]

Just spend $20 for mach3 2010 screen set. Ger21 took care of the coding

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[SPEEDRE]

O.K. Because I haven't even opened Mach 3 on my computer in years, frankly, I've been afraid to start a voyage I can't finish, what will a screen set do ?.
When I first ran Mach, it totally freaked out on me. It took many, many months and some pestering posts to finally find out I made a mistake, in my English grammar.
After that overload of frustration, and, the inability to find proper help solving those simple issues, I quit using my machine all together.
So now I have a mindset that says, I must have these things in place before I start up again.
I must have a dedicated zero, zero, zero point at which to begin every session and I must learn how to do zero height setting and tool changing!. So back to the original thought, will a screen set accomplish all that??

[ger21]

A screenset by itself will just make Mach3 look different. However, my 2010 Screenset includes auto zero macros, that will have mach3 automatically measure the tool after a tool change. After installing it, you only need to copy some files from one folder to another.

However, there are some things that YOU need to do before it will all work.
1) You'll need anauto zero plate wired to the Mach3 Probe input that activates the input when the tool touches the plate.
To measure tools during a tool change, you'll need a second plate, at a fixed location, also wired to the Probe input.
2) You'll need Home switches installed and working so that Mach3 has a repeatable coordinate system, which allows it to know where the toolchange position and fixed plate are.

[SPEEDRE]

Aha !, there's another question, home switches. I've read the Mach 3 manual about ten time on those, I still don't get it. I've even wired some up, and they didn't work right. Is there an easier way to explain it so that a twelve year old can do it? That would be me, by the way. Really, 64 yrs old. While I'm at it let me also ask, when they are tripped do they allow the machine to stop and then advance a few steps so it can be active again?.

[Jmhx2]

In most cases home switches and limit switches are two different things. Only one home switch per axis and it only trips during homing routine it allows your machine to repeatedly have a home position. There are two limit switches power axis that trip before you run into the end of the machine (they are located on sch end of the axis). I know it is possible to jog off of a limit switch but my machine will not (I suspect it is due to the control board I use.- galil). I would love to find the solution, but since I haven't so far, I just try to not run into the limit switch.

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[SPEEDRE]

I'm not trying to be rude, or disrespectful, in any way, but.I must be stupid, I do not understand why someone can't show me a picture or a diagram of how a zero touch off plate is made. Most of the replies deal with screens and scripts and configs and set up files. Before I even deal with all that other stuff I have to make a plate. That's all I'm asking for now. When I'm ready to install the scripts, screens, pages and all the other things I ,at this time, find incomprehensible, I'll pester you guys then. But, for now, I need to build a plate, just the plate wires and whatever else is needed to have a working touch off plate,savvy? I have downloaded the latest Mach 3 manual and after two hours of scouring the text found nothing about touch off plates, did I miss it, is it under another descriptor name?. Now let's seee, what you have

[ger21]

In most cases, a touch off plate is just a piece of metal with a wire attached. Mine is 1/8"x1" aluminum bar. Some people use copper clad circuit board material with the wire soldered to it.

The wire goes to an input pin on your breakout board or parallel port. You may need to add a pullup resistor. In Mach3, you assign this input pin # to the Probe input, in Ports and Pins > Input Pins

When the tool touches the plate, it must complete the circuit. If the tool is not tied to ground, yuo may need to use an alligator clip on the tool wired to the breakout board ground terminal. You can test to see if it's working by touching the plate to the tool and looking at the Digitize input LED on the Mach3 diagnostics screen.

[SPEEDRE]

O.K. Now that's all I needed to know for now. I will make one that has two wire connected to it. One for the BOB and one for the alligator clip, just in case. Thank you so much Gerry.

[ger21]

No, it only has one wire. The plate is wired to the input on the breakout board, and the alligator clip is wired to the ground of the breakout board. The plate does NOT have 2 wires on it.

[SPEEDRE]

Wait now, if the wire, that is soldered to the plate, goes to the breakout board, then how does the clip get into the picture? I have seen the ones with the alligator clip pictured, and it's clipped to the cutter. I am still confused !

[ger21]

Read my previous post again.

[Brian@Premier]

Speedre, Gerry's screen set rocks! Best $20 I ever spent in the CNC world. He has a wonderful auto zero macro that works flawlessly. If you want to see a pic of how I set my zero plate up (works great with 2010 screen set) PM me.


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[SPEEDRE]

(No, it only has one wire.) So ,if I decode what you said, the one wire also has the alligator clip, correct ?. So then, an explanation would read like this; plate, wire soldered to it then the alligator clip, then a continuation of the wire to the breakout board Is this correct?

[ger21]

No. One wire to the plate, wired to an input on the breakout board.
Another wire with the clip on one end, and the other end connected to a ground terminal on the breakout board.

There are two wires, but only one on the plate.

[SPEEDRE]

O.K. The plate itself is wired to the bob pin for probe input, and another wire with the clip on it is connected to the ground pin. What does the alligator clip do and where does that go when touching off?

[Brian@Premier]

Check continuity between your table and the router bit- if you have continuity then just ground your table. If no continuity, alligator clip to your router bit when touching off. Ger, if that doesn't sound right, please correct me :-)
B


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[ger21]

Yes, the clip goes on the bit. Depending on the type of spindle and how your machine is wired, you may not need the clip, as often the bit is already grounded through the spindle power cable's ground.