FIXED


Hi there, this is my first post. I have been using these forums to learn an awful lot about CNC in general. I have come up against a problem I have not been able to solve or find info on yet.

I am a begginer and I have been teaching myself CNC out of my good friends work shop where there are many types of CNC machines.
My experience so far -

I can use Solidworks to make general not too complicated parts

I am beggining to use mastercam x4 and I have created some working gcode for a handfull of tooling operations for some small parts.

I have successfully cut out a couple parts on a hobby size k2 cnc router 3axis. Using Mach3 and Mastercam

I don't have much experience yet with troubleshooting Gcode or Mach 3


So far I have been making good progress but, I have run into an issue related to actual cutting.

Here it is.

When using mastercam, I have setup Toolpaths for "Surface Finish Contour"
I used this to cut rounded sides and corners of a part.
In mastercam the simulation runs fine and I have no problems.

But, when it comes to cutting it with mach3 it will run all of my operations until it gets to the "suface finish" toolpath.

It looks like it will do 2 passes then it just seems to give up and the Gcode seems to reset to the beggining and the tool will just sit there.

(after it has removed itself from the toolpath and moves to another location on the part)


I used all the same tooling settings (since I'm using only one router bit)
It runs all of the standard toolpaths just fine.

When I tried different types of "surface finish" toolpaths, such as parallel it makes a similar attempt and then proceeds to fail in the same ways.

(accept it tends to try and jog the bit thru my part to a location where it eventually comes to rest then restarts Gcode)

It "seems" to be happening with only "surface Rough" or "surface finish" toolpath types.

My standard contour paths come out fine as do pocket toolpaths and drilling operations. As I stated up at the top, the point of the operations for surface were to get a rounded edges and corners on the back side of the part I am using.

Does anyone have any insight they can lend me on this issue? My friend who owns the shop isn't around this time of year and I don't have any other resources for this problem.

Any help is greatly appreciated and I hope one day, when I understand more about what I am doing, I can contribute back to this forum.

Thanks in advance!
Josh

:cheers:

So I don't know exactly what the deal was but the owner of the shop I'm learning in told suggested I update Mach3 since it was a super old version that he never saw need to update.

Updated and now it works like a champ! Go figure