584,849 active members*
4,322 visitors online*
Register for free
Login

Thread: Mach 4

Page 2 of 2 12
Results 21 to 40 of 40
  1. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    Quote Originally Posted by daniellyall View Post
    if one machine is the same as another machine, a config file will work on another machine with the same set up so if someone had the same set up as op they can use his config.

    what above means if same will work only if the same
    Yes, what you say is true, I am not disputing that. What I am saying is that, in this case, simply buying an ess, smartbob, or pokeys and trying to use his config will not work. The reason: To ensure an easy and stress free install, the software is preconfigured to, and licensed thru the hardware in the box. So it is as painless as installing software and plugging in the box.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    1195

    Re: Mach 4

    How about post processor? They M4 and M3 are the same?

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    Quote Originally Posted by asuratman View Post
    How about post processor? They M4 and M3 are the same?
    Yes, your programs from Mach3 will run in Mach4. A lot of work has gone into making Mach4 far more compatible with industry standards, and keeping compatibility with 3.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1856

    Re: Mach 4

    Quote Originally Posted by TomL21 View Post
    Yes, what you say is true, I am not disputing that. What I am saying is that, in this case, simply buying an ess, smartbob, or pokeys and trying to use his config will not work. The reason: To ensure an easy and stress free install, the software is preconfigured to, and licensed thru the hardware in the box. So it is as painless as installing software and plugging in the box.
    what does if mean
    http://danielscnc.webs.com/

    being disabled is not a hindrance it gives you attitude
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    18
    Quote Originally Posted by TomL21 View Post
    Yes, your programs from Mach3 will run in Mach4. A lot of work has gone into making Mach4 far more compatible with industry standards, and keeping compatibility with 3.
    I am running the same programs on mach4 that I used to run on mach three
    with cutter comp working

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    237

    Re: Mach 4

    Quote Originally Posted by RonGinger View Post
    Mach3 and Mach4 can both be on the PC at the same time, they do not interfere in any way. So you can load M4 and try it out and still go back to your old M3 simply by clicking the right icon to start up.

    There is a parallel port driver for M4, but frankly I would switch to a hardware motion device. There are several available now, the Ethernet smoothstepper, a usbSmartBOB from PMDX.com and one from Poscope.com There are also a couple high end devices, like galil (sp?). These are out of my price range so I dont follow them.

    The Pokey device has the advantage of lots of input/output pins to hook up things like MPGs and other pendants.

    We were running a mini mill at the NAMES show this past weekend using the usbSmartBOB from PMDX.com This is a neat device, the entire motion control is in a slightly enlarged db25 connector hood, so you just plug it in to the back of the Tormach where the parallel port cable goes now and run a usb cable to the PC. Very simple to install, just download M4 from machsupport.com and the plugin form PMDX. To use the smoothstepper or pokey you will need an external 5v supply. There is work being done n a single box to hold a pokey which should be available in a week or two.

    M4 is a big improvement over M3- smoother, faster. Feedhold is instant, toolpath updates are fast and dont hurt running gcode. Things like cutter comp now work to industry standards.
    Thanks for this input RonGinger!

    To summarize, I was able to find the PMDX-411 USB SmartBOB at PMDX.COM - Products for CNC and motion control applications. It looks really nice and seems like the simplest option.

    Then I checked the Ethernet SmoothStepper and it is my impression you would need to wire the parallel connection from the IDC connectors, right?

    Same would apply to the Polabs.com device which I am assuming is the PoKeys57CNC PoKeys57CNC Or is it the PoKeys56U or PoKeys57E?

    Not certain that I will change my Tormach to M4, but my plasma cutter seems like it will eventually migrate to this venue.
    I document my CNC Experience at CNC Dude's Youtube channel. Check it out!

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    The SmartBOB is very cool, and very simple to set up.

    The ESS, yes each IDC connector is basically a parallel port. So you are exactly right.

    The pokeys, seems confusing at first. The 56U/57E are great devices, but for machine control really need a motherboard to give them a bit of a processor boost, see the CNC Addon board. CNC4PC also makes a couple good ones. Recently Polabs launched the 57CNC, which is basically a USB/Ethernet Pokeys and CNC Addon board all in one board.

    If you are running Mach3 still, I would urge you to atleast download and try 4. It is soo much better, not even the same software...

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1856

    Re: Mach 4

    I have set up a big router running a ESS and a MB06 v2 bob it runs 10 x better than M3 with the added of macro b there's a hell of a lot of thing you can do with M4 that M3 cant do.

    and it`s so much more smooth than M3 and some thing happen in a instant unlike the delays that happen with M3 freehold, softlimits and tool change are something that you don't have to worry about anymore

    I also have done a small router with darwin and a G540 its so so much better
    http://danielscnc.webs.com/

    being disabled is not a hindrance it gives you attitude
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    302

    Re: Mach 4

    Duracoat,

    How did you do the config? I can't even find the .XML file for my Tormach M3
    Entropy Sucks

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1856

    Re: Mach 4

    write down all the port and pins and speed and feeds, Axis set up that sort of stuff the .xml should be in c/tormach
    http://danielscnc.webs.com/

    being disabled is not a hindrance it gives you attitude
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  11. #31
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    The XML is in the mach3 root folder. The name can change depending on the version of the Tormach software you are running. You can sort that folder by file type and it should show up near the bottom.

  12. #32
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    As an update, we've been running the Op's machine for a while now, nailing down some instabilities. The tool changer was causing some problems. Hoping to have that locked up very soon.

  13. #33
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    302

    Re: Mach 4

    Thanks guys,

    No tool changer here, just the PDB, so that's one less problem. I'd wanted to go with the box that Element has on their website, (Tormach Mach4 Conversion Kit — Element), but when I went to buy it the unit was unavailable. Tonight I'll go searching for the .xml file. One more question, will M4 run in Linux? I don't want to mess with my Tormach controller b/c it's functional, albeit with a few quirks, and my only other available computer has Path Pilot installed. I'd be willing to run Pilot if it weren't for it's propensity to get confused when G54,55,& 56 are in the same program. Tormach's M3 has no issue there. I could, of course, re-write my programs with all the "Z" dimensions referenced from a common level. That would be a PITA, but doable and probably less of a PITA than messing about with a Kludge to run M4. I have an order for ten pieces that have to go out NLT tomorrow a.m., and they run in about one hour each.
    Entropy Sucks

  14. #34
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    Yes, our box will be available soon. We want to make sure it is as reliable and easy to install as possible. The screen has a couple bugs in the probing and tool/work offset tabs. And like I said, the tool changer has some reliability problems. We want to release the box as soon as possible and are working hard to do so. We have boxes ready to go, just making sure the software to go with them is good as well.

    Mach4 is designed to be run cross platform, so eventually it should be able to run on linux, but currently there is not a release for that.

    You can install and run Mach4 on your Mach3 Tormach controller, it will not affect the Mach3 install at all. Our test machine has a Tormach computer with both Mach3 and 4 installed, both work fine.

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    51

    Re: Mach 4

    Love tight deadlines! Sorry we can't help you with your parts now, hopefully in the future!

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    1538

    Re: Mach 4

    Now that the bugs seems to be thinning out on Pathpilot. Have any of you used Mach4 and Pathpilot and can offer a comparison?

    Keen

  17. #37
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    113

    Re: Mach 4

    Hello, can I use the pokeys57cnc for plasma CNC ?! Can I wire the THC (miniTHC from Russia) to the DB-25 connection on pokeys57cnc ?!

    Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

  18. #38
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    1424

    Re: Mach 4

    Quote Originally Posted by assadi View Post
    Hello, can I use the pokeys57cnc for plasma CNC ?!
    Recommend you post this to the plasma cnc group. Won't get as much help here.

    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/plasma...e-project-log/
    Tim
    Tormach 1100-3, Grizzly G0709 lathe, Clausing 8520 mill, SolidWorks, HSMWorks.

  19. #39
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    5

    Re: Mach 4

    I recently switched my CSMIO from Mach 3 to Mach 4 on the Bridgeport Apollo I retroed.
    Much better motion profiles on corners and bores.
    And best of all no more crashes. Mach 3 would occasionally crash for no particular reason.

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    1863
    Quote Originally Posted by yourout View Post
    I recently switched my CSMIO from Mach 3 to Mach 4 on the Bridgeport Apollo I retroed.
    Much better motion profiles on corners and bores.
    And best of all no more crashes. Mach 3 would occasionally crash for no particular reason.
    Dang, I have run my 1100 with Mach III for 6 1/2 years and “never” had a glitch. And I get into some pretty technical stuff. I don’t cut steel on my machine but I cut a lot of 718 Inconel and 6AL-4V titanium.

    When I had my shop I used to solicit exotic material jobs because no one wanted to do it.

    I spent the time and the money to learn how to cut the exotics and I actually did pretty well with it.

Page 2 of 2 12

Similar Threads

  1. Mach 3 parts counter and hour meter mach...
    By [email protected] in forum Mach Software (ArtSoft software)
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-31-2015, 04:18 AM
  2. Mach 3 - Driver Test results VMWare player (XP -> Mach 3)
    By itolond in forum Machines running Mach Software
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-07-2014, 01:32 PM
  3. Mach 3 + G540 + UC100 + WJ200 = Can't run spindle from Mach 3?
    By zer0fighter in forum Benchtop Machines
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 09-08-2013, 10:54 PM
  4. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-14-2010, 09:16 AM
  5. Confused: Mach Turn, Mach Mill, Mach 2/3 ?
    By CanSir in forum Mach Software (ArtSoft software)
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 02-16-2007, 11:41 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •