[s2jesse]

Ok ive got a new problem now. With this g code im having issues between tool changes. I have to hit the estop so i dont get a crash.

Instead of tool change moving to the proper height it moves up slow makes a jerk and starts to move down with a wierd rate of speed.

Here is a vid. I learned obviously that you must home the machine before an m998 will work. In this vid it was not homed properly but does show the exact thing happening when it is homed properly as well.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5OYJgnZh68&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL]m998problem - YouTube[/ame]

Again to be clear that vid is not from this code but it shows the exact issue i get when i run this code. Right after the first operation when it does the m998 to switch to the 1/2 ball end it has the same issue.

Process was...

-load G code
-reference machine
-regenerate tool path.
-set workoffsets with a zero master.. and zero them

run it and it moves properly for a the tool change for the center drill. completes teh center drill operation and then messes up between the roughing plane.

N10 (Postprocessor: )
N20 G90 G54 G64 G50 G17 G40 G80 G49
N30 G20 (Inch)
(spot drilling)
N40 G54
N50 M998
N60 T25 G43 H25 M6
(1/2 DrillMill Carbide)
N70 S3000 M3
N80 G0 G94
N90 X0. Y0. Z0.2
N100 G0 M8
N110 G98 G81 Z-0.23 R0.0394 F5
N120 X0.803 Y-0.464
N130 X1.928 Y-0.689
N140 X2.771 Y-0.375
N150 X3.291 Y-0.5625
N160 X6.375 Y0.
N170 G80
N180 G0 M5 M9
N190  (Inch)
N200  (Inch)

(Roughing plane)
N6610 M998                          <----- messup here
N6620 T20 G43 H20 M6
(1/2 Round HSS TICN)
N6630 S3631 M3
N6640 G0
N6650 X-1.3781 Y1.4893 Z0.2

[VaderSpade]

I hate to say it but that's how my problem started, and I think we got our machines about the same time.

The following line is from the first post in a thread I started a month ago, and things have only gotten worse;

"The mill always seems to cut the first part just fine, BUT there is no telling what will happen after a tool change"

My mill is SN 2014

Hopefully yours is a quick fix.

[s2jesse]

This has to be software / controller / g-code. Related for sure. At least what mine is doing because its repeatable and it happens doing it at the m998.

HRMMM

[s2jesse]

I'll check my serial tonight..

[beanbag]

My guess is a Mach problem as well. Are there updates available?

[s2jesse]

good q I hope to get time to mess tommorow. I wanna make sure its very repeatble with this exact bit of code and then if there are updates ill apply them and try again.

[ger21]

What does the M998 do? Is it a custom macro supplied with the machine?

[s2jesse]

yep custom macro that moves to tool chage position but i dont know much about g code yet and macros

[300sniper]

where did you specify the tool change take place?

[rowbare]

I had a problem some time ago with offsets not being applied after a tool change. From my research at the time I recall finding that here used to be a Mach 2 issue where if you didn't do a Z move after the tool change things would get nasty. Supposedly this is no longer an issue in Mach 3 but if you want to try an experiment, do your tool change, go to safe Z then to X0 Y0 (two separate lines)

so this block:
N60 T25 G43 H25 M6
(1/2 DrillMill Carbide)
N70 S3000 M3
N80 G0 G94
N90 X0. Y0. Z0.2

becomes:
N60 T25 G43 H25 M6
(1/2 DrillMill Carbide)
N70 S3000 M3
N75 G0 Z0.2
N80 G0 G94
N90 X0. Y0.

bob

[shred]

yep custom macro that moves to tool chage position but i dont know much about g code yet and macros

M998 is not required for most things and a quick search shows previous MACH issues with it.

I set my POST to output a G53 machine-coordinate z-move instead, which is all the Tormach needs unless you have an ATC that isn't the Tormach ATC-- it doesn't use M998 either.

[s2jesse]

where did you specify the tool change take place?

default tormach settings up top of near 10ish. But it doesnt sounds like a coord issue becasue its not moving correctly even. it moves up toward the change position then clunks then starts moving down. Im guessing has to still be somethign with mach...

[zephyr9900]

M998 is not required for most things and a quick search shows previous MACH issues with it.

M998 is just a G0 Z move up to a specific point in machine coordinates (the same as your posted G53 move) and then waits for a start button press to continue. The nice thing about it is that it is valid no matter what your work cooridinate system is set to. I have mine set so the spindle door just clears my full enclosure so I can open it for (fully manual, wrench-on-the-drawbar) tool changes. If a machine can't handle M998 then its motion parameters are set too agressively, and it won't reliably handle any upwards G0 Z moves...

Randy

[s2jesse]

im sure my machine can handle it however again ill try more testing tonight. I can manualy jog with pgup and pgdown rapidly back and forth and its fine.

It really seems like a software glitch.

[ger21]

Is the M998 some proprietary code, or can you post it?

[s2jesse]

Ill have to check tonight. Im at work and not sure wherethe macros are stored even. im guessing they are a mach3 thing correct?

[mactec54]

s2jesse

On line 180 you have a G0 M5 M9 remove the G0

All your comments should be at the end of a code line, I know Mach is very forgiving, but comments placed like you have them can cause problems

The M998 will not work unless you have homed the machine, So if you have hit the Estop
it will not work, unless you have rehomed the machine

N180 M5 M9
N190
N200
N6610 M998 (Roughing plane)
N6620 T20 G43 H20 M6
N6630 S3631 M3 (1/2 Round HSS TICN)

Do it like this & it should run

[s2jesse]

yep its def homed when it has the problem. THat G code is basicaly what is spit out of sprut cam using the tormach post processor 1.5

[mactec54]

s2jesse

Well you need to have the postprocessor changed to output good clean code

what you have would not run on most other controls,as I said Mach is very forgiving

Change were you put your comments & remove the G0's that are doing nothing & everything may run I not sure about the
M998 though If it fails at the M998 just do a G0Z.3 & see if that works

[zephyr9900]

Is the M998 some proprietary code, or can you post it?

I misspoke from memory above, Gerry. "Stop Spindle. Wait for cycle start" is the Tool Change mode set in General Config.

M998 does a G53 G0 Z move to the toolchange Z coordinate set in the user DRO on the Settings screen (these DRO's are present on stock Mach3...), followed optionally by G53 G0 X and G53 G0 Y moves to the respectively set DRO's. If you have set X and/or Y to 9999 then M998 ignores them.

John Prentice wrote the macro for Tormach and, although there is no copyright notice, I don't feel right posting it verbatim here. But there is really nothing more to it than I described above.

Randy