[darylk0208]

Hi,
I am building a machine similar to a router table. It will not have a stepper motor on Z axis it will be controlled with an air cylinder. Z axis has air drill on on it. I have the air solenoid controlled with the spindle relay on the breakout board and am using m3 to engage the solenoid which works. My roadblock is I need x and y to stay until z hits a limit switch telling it is completely retracted.I can use M1 to halt the program to drill the screw but how do I start it again. I am using Mach 3. I think it I simple but I am new to this and cant seem to wrap my mind around it.

Thanks

[Hirudin]

This thread on the Mach3 forum might be helpful...
Using VB script to wait for an external event and then execute G code

I didn't actually read it, sorry. :/ The title sounds like something that would be helpful.

Another (bad) idea is to make the cylinder trigger a switch that sends a cycle start command to Mach3. It's probably not safe, so do so at your own risk.

A (probably better) idea: perhaps you could use G31, which is normally used for probing. Basically, you could send something like G31 Z-10000. F0.001, in other words: send it to a phantom location. At the same time the air cylinder is doing its thing, the machine is waiting for the "probe" to trigger. Of course, you'd make your switch at the top of the cylinder the "probe switch".

[darylk0208]

Thanks I will try these suggestions and see hat I can get to work. I will let you know.

[byellin]

Use an air cylinder with a magnetic piston, and a reed switch at the end you want to sense. These are standard air cylinder components. Map the reed switch to a Mach input pin on your break out board. Then write a simple VB script in Mach to loop and wait until the switch closes as a user M code. Or simply code a G4 after the air solenoid switches to wait a safe time period to allow the actuator to retract. Crude but effective. Or do the probe method suggested, mapping the reed switch to the probe input if you are uncomfortable with VB.

[tmarks11]

You would probably get more responses if you put this question in the BENCHTOP MACHINES forum instead of a forum dedicated to one particular brand.

[darylk0208]

Good idea. I really appreciate that.

[darylk0208]

I thought I had it in a mach 3 forum. No wonder I didn't get may responses.