Programming Mach3 screens

[Smiler]

Hi everyone,

Here is my problem.

I'm adding a camera to my router for edge and centre finding. The traditional way of mounting the camera is in a custom made holder which you insert into collet. For me it is just too much messing about. I can mount a tiny laptop camera behind my Z axis permanently and I could then calculate the offset in the Y direction (X offset would be zero) and input it to the DRO directly.

What i'd like to do is to just click a button onscreen and it work out the offset automatically.

Anyone have experience of programming Mach screens who would be willing to give me some pointers?

Jeff.

[Smiler]

Hi Kip,

It's all built into Mach3. The video window has a cross hair and you can superimpose the desired tool size on the display. The traditional way seems to be to mount the camera in the spindle but I'd like a more permanent setup.

I've been following a thread on CNCZONE which links to this site (http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=27425) with details of how to use the camera to edge and centre find. Works a treat!

Oh well, looks like another learning curve to climb :)

Regards, Jeff.

[Lee Roberts]

Oh well, looks like another learning curve to climb

Did you ever get anywhere with programming your own mach3 screen Jeff?

I also found a guy showing how to make touch plates and i'm postive he also provides his own custom mach3 screens you can download and install.

Just wondering if they would help you as you could open them up and look at how he has made his?

[Smiler]

Did you ever get anywhere with programming your own mach3 screen Jeff?



Well, yes and no. I haven't done anything more on the video zero'ing, I think I can modify the code for my touch probe to do what I need. However, I have been dabbling in modifying the default Mach screens and it is quite easy to do if not without glitches.

When my program calls for a tool change, the router could be in a very inconvenient place to actually change the tool so I wanted to have the router retract to Z0 (machine coords), move to a default point, wait for a tool change, return to where the M6 was called and then continue on. It turned out to be fairly easy to accomplish and I also added a manual button on the program run screen to change the tool manually if the machine is in a stop or idle condition. Mach needs a better screen designer desperately, Many times I had written code into a button, saved it, only to find it hadn't saved and the old code was still there or worse, nothing at all.

I'm having lots of fun getting further into Mach, it's a very powerful and flexible program.

Jeff.

[Robin Hewitt]

I have one of those cheap digital microscopes, the one with the focus ring. It has a very positive clip mount which I could put on as a permanent attachment.

It will superimpose a 640x480 24 bit colour windows bitmap but I'm having trouble making the background transparent. Cross hairs aren't a lot of good if you can't make the background transparent :rolleyes:

The image pops up in a seperate window which would work fine positioning with the pendant.

This is the date off a 5p coin taken from a safe distance...

[Smiler]

That's a very crisp image Robin, never thought of using one of those microsopes:o

Mach superimposes the crosshairs on your video, you can also superimpose the tool diameter you will use too so you can calculate the offset. It's quite a clever system and would benefit from automating like the touch probe edge/centre-finder.

How much did you pay for the microscope if you don't mind me asking?

Jeff.

[irving2008]

How much did you pay for the microscope if you don't mind me asking?

Jeff.

Maplin's (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=226754) have them on offer til 20/1/09 for £49.95 (£30 off)

[Robin Hewitt]

Maplin's (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=226754) have them on offer til 20/1/09 for £49.95 (£30 off)


I beat that by a tenner on ebay :beer:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=190269458299