Giant 20' x 3' x 2' router build

[Clive S]

The way I see it (and I am not an expert) is if you stop the machine and it was running on a curve it might not return to the same place. I would think you have to re start from a line number where it had been running a bit of G1 code .
I would try and experiment with some simple shapes like triangles and squares not circles.
and then try a feed hold and resume and then a stop then start ( I am not sure if pressing stop will lose steps)

If you have hit the E-stop button you would have to re home the machine ..Clive

[charlieuk]

Many thanks will keep on playing.

Any by idea why offline does not work? Does it normally ?

Cheers charlie

[JAZZCNC]

Many thanks will keep on playing.

Any by idea why offline does not work? Does it normally ?

Cheers charlie

Charlie Offline is a (Mostly) parallel port driver related function and the Csmio plug-in doesn't use it.! . . . .To be honest I've never used it EVER so don't see the point and wouldn't worry about it.

If you give me a ring then I'll walk you thru using Mach. To be honest Mach doesn't do much of anything other than move the machine and monitor inputs/outputs so when you have got it setup correctly and the basics covered you shouldn't have any trouble working it.
Think some of your trouble may be your not exactly setup right regards steps per and motor tuning. When this is correct then the rest will be easy with a little explanation.


I'm compleltely snowed under(Actually it's pissing down with rain not snow. . Lol) with work at minute otherwise would come down and spend some time with you.! Next time I'm down your way I'll let you know and call in for few hours.

[charlieuk]

Cheers I was wondering if that was the case again with it, it's just not knowing these things and being my first time ect.

I will give give you a call but I will just wait until this new PC is here I'm hoping today or Monday and it's set up on that.
Many thanks

[JAZZCNC]

Charlie just read your earlier post about not returning back to where it started from.? This could be the Step pulse edge is set on the wrong side in the drives so it drops a step with each direction change. This is easy checked and corrected.

To check just knock up some G-code for each axis that goes back and forth many times. Like Below.
G0 X75
x0
Copy and paste few dozen times into a file then Zero the Axis and make a mark to check if comes back to same spot then run the G-code.
Using Notepad then just do replace search and replace X with Y and repeat for each axis.

If it doesn't come back to the same spot then go into Ports and pins and toggle the Active Hi/low setting for the STEP to opposite state for which ever axis is wrong. This and the ENABLE setting are the only functions the ports n pins for motor outputs have on the Cslabs controller so ignore the rest.

EDIT: Other way to do it is thru the EM806 Drive software and changing the Active edge state but this is easier option.!

[Blackrat]

when i started with mach3 i also found this rather unusual , that the machine wouldnt return to the point where i stopped it

but when you start to read G code and start to understand what i means, then it all starts to make sense

for example , when cutting an arc ( as mentioned ) and you stop the machine lets say 1/4 of the way thru the arc , when you restart , it will not resume from that 1/4 point thru the arc ... it will either start at the beginning of the arc , or the next line of G-code

the same with height, z - axis ... if im doing a cut , stop mid way thru and then RAISE the machine ... when i restart , the machine doesnt know that it been raised , and will only change the height when a line of gcode tells it to , so you may do an air cut for a few lines of code depending on what you cutting ....

if i stop and want to continue , i rewind a couple lines of code ...

and yes , you need to start the spindle manually ( again g code tells spindle to start right at the beginning of the code )

keep at it and it all starts to make sense .... :)

[JAZZCNC]

for example , when cutting an arc ( as mentioned ) and you stop the machine lets say 1/4 of the way thru the arc , when you restart , it will not resume from that 1/4 point thru the arc ... it will either start at the beginning of the arc , or the next line of G-code

If machine is moving and you hit STOP then you really should presume the machine as lost position and Re-home. If you want to pause the machine and resume then you should use FEEDHOLD.
If machined is STOPPED and you want to resume from point in the G-code then use the RUN from HERE command. This will do a move back into position then pause with message asking for CYCLE START it will also give you option to start the spindle.
If using RUN from HERE then it's best done from the begining of Cycle or some position move in the code rather than half way thru canned drill cycle for instance.
RUN form HERE as saved my arse so many times I've lost count and use it all the time.

[charlieuk]

If machine is moving and you hit STOP then you really should presume the machine as lost position and Re-home. If you want to pause the machine and resume then you should use FEEDHOLD.
If machined is STOPPED and you want to resume from point in the G-code then use the RUN from HERE command. This will do a move back into position then pause with message asking for CYCLE START it will also give you option to start the spindle.
If using RUN from HERE then it's best done from the begining of Cycle or some position move in the code rather than half way thru canned drill cycle for instance.
RUN form HERE as saved my arse so many times I've lost count and use it all the time.

Cheers guys yes blackrat sounds like the same thing I will re read this and try and process it.

are there any other learning tutorials that would help me learn this stuff? Cheers