[dongo13]

This message is to be deleted

[mactec54]

HI...NEWBIE HERE
AM EMBOSSING A SIMPLE IMAGE ON 3X3 SQUARE WOOD STOCK WITH MACH3.
AFTER ABOUT 50 ZIGZAGS THE Z AXIS HAS CLIMBED FROM
ZERO TO ABOUT plus .080 THOUSANDTHS.
IF I LET THE PROGRAM FINISH... ABOUT 15 MIN.... THE Z AXIS WILL BE ABOUT
1/4" ABOVE THE STOCK.
I SENT THE SPINDLE BACK TO ZERO AND THE X AND Y ARE BOTH AT ZERO BUT
THE Z IS AT PLUS .080
A DOZEN DIFFERENT IMAGES REACT THE SAME.
I HAVE UPDATED MACH3, UPDATED POST PROCESSOR, USED DIFFERENT CAM PROGRAMS,
MOTORS HAVE BEEN TUNED.
CAN SOMEONE TELL ME IN WHAT AREA TO LOOK IN TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.
SUCH AS IN MACH3 CONFIGURATION OR POST PROCESSOR OR THE STEPPER MOTOR OR
MOTOR DRIVER OR ???.
I HAVE BEEN AT THIS OFF AND ON FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS.
thanx...Don

Yes we can see that turn the caps off

It is doing this because it is how you have programed it

Or how you have setup the tool offsets

Post part of your program

[machinejack]

Cause is loss of steps on the Z. Lower the velocity setting. Using stepper motors the controller tells them to move but being an open loop system it has no way of knowing where it is. If you have to more more mass it takes longer to accelerate. If you try to move it to fast it looses steps. The Z axis is generally the culprit accelerating and decelerating that vertical weigh. Just experiment with the tuning on the Z. I use to think I had to set everything to max settings my self and found where I was having problems. I have a big Bridgeport series 1 Boss 5. That is a lot of mass to contend with.
Jack

[dongo13]

Hi Jack... I think we need to discuss your statement of 'Cause is loss of steps on the Z'.

Have I been looking at this all wrong and the Z axis is not really advancing by a couple thousandths on every zig zag pass causing Z to end up an 1/8" above the stock.

Instead the Z axis is losing steps during plunging.

So...every time the z plunges and loses a step it is actually backing up. Now when it returns to home all those lost steps combined will show as an 1/8" above stock.

So...again...due to the losing steps the z axis climbed up an 1/8" above zero.

Also...another way of putting it would be to say that the ball mill didn't cut deep enough on every plunge and that resulted in an 1/8" total loss of a depth which is also the reason for the stair stepping of Y axis from start to finish.

ps...today I am going to change the Dip Switch settings on the drivers.

Also any movement of the velocity and acceleration up or down made no difference.

Also this is a small aluminum machine with very little load on the spindle.

Also now I am sure I have been looking at this problem wrong. I am sure it is an electronic problem and not a mechanical problem. The problem must be from a single setting ( like Dip setting or config setting ).


thanx …… Don

[dongo13]

Hi...sorry about the caps but typing is easier that way with fingers that are 80 yrs old.

I program different things different ways with other programs but nothing ever changes.

I have been only doing 2D for the last 15 yrs. Now I am doing 3D embossing and that is

when this problem showed up. It is not a problem with 2D.

I never use offsets with what I do.

No need to post a program now since I have just realized I have been looking at the problem wrong.

I thought I was adding steps to the x axis but I was actually losing steps which seem like adding
when going to Z Home.

I will have to check out a few things and remove my question from the forum.....then if needed

I will edit my question and post again.

thanx for the reply …… Don