Eagle, pcb to g-code, Mach3 and Autoleveler

[AKG]

Hi to all,

I recently purchased & installed latest Autoleveler (AL) software. I'm using it in combination with eagle > pcb to g-code > AL > Mach3.
CNC is router 6040Z S80 1,5 kW.
I'm new to this cnc stuff so please help me what I'm doing wrong.

First, I'm trying to etch only top board of pcb (one sided board). When I create G code and apply AL, and after that try to upload it to Mach3 I'm getting following error:

"R less tan z in cycle in xy plane" and code won't load.
After some examination on code I figured this error is referred to last part of code where spot drill holes are (G82 command). So I removed "spot drill holes" option from pcb to g-code.

Now without holes g-code will load to Mach3 but it seems weird. Look at the toolpath screen capture:


Everything seems upside down. Seems like probing will try to go in Z+ direction. And If I try to run in it goes up and stop, doesn't even try to probe.

Another screenshot is toolpath for g-code without AL applied. Everything seems fine. And it runs fine, but of course without Z compensation


Please help, what I'm doing wrong?

[AKG]

... and this is how I set up AL. Did I miss sometning?

[daedelus]

Your settings look fine for AL/AE as far as I can make out.

You are receiving the G82 error, i.e. "R less tan z in cycle in xy plane" because Z is not a real number and has instead been calculated based on the #100 parameter, in this case Z[#100+-0.2200]. To use real numbers you should use an RPF instead of Autolevelling directly, This results in a much smaller and neater levelled GCode file as well and means Autoleveller can do the calculations before etching rather than asking mach 3 to do all the calculations.

To do this, you first need to set your Mesh as before and click 'Generate PFG' not 'Autolevel'. The PFG produced is a 'probe only' GCode file which will produce the RPF text file after running you PFG file though Mach 3. Use the AE menu to load the RPF along with your OGF and then 'Autolevel'. AE will use the RPF to generate the levelled GCode and you should no longer see the G82 error and nor should you need to remove G82 lines. This might prevent your 2nd problem with the Mach 3 toolpath viewer but let us know if the problem remains.

This is a video made a while ago with an older version and not everything is in the same place now but it may help with generating a RPF.
https://youtu.be/ZbfS92Zvzz8

Please let us know if something is not clear.

[AKG]

OK, thanks.

Now there's another problem. I did like you told, generated RPF text file, but for some reason it was uncomplete and caused AL to stop responding. I had to kill it. And after restarting AL now I cannot open OGF file. Clicking on Load OGF icon nothing happends.
I tried reinstalling Java but that didn't help.

What to do?
Thanks...

[Country_Bubba]

Hello,
To get back to a starting point, you might first try clicking on the menu bar:

File>Clear RPF

And that should get you back to the OGF file and settings.

If all else fails, you can go into the .AE directory that is in your "User" directory and delete the .XML files(s) and that will get you back to a fresh start with no settings at all.

I can't help you with the incomplete probing file. Sorry,

[daedelus]

Art is correct, that should work. This should not be a problem in the to be released version though, as I have fixed a related issue.

Could you please attach the incomplete RPF and PFG files so we can investigate? Thanks.

[AKG]

After trying several times I got RPF file but it contains repeatly same three numbers.
Every row is repeated. These numbers are, as it seems to me, absolute machine coords at some point.
I repeated this procedure several times and RPF always look the same.

I'm attaching PFG file for you to examine.
The other RPF file have .txt extension and it cannot be attached with your system. It gives me "invalid file extension".
So heres link to download:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B08-W ... k1ka3JULXc

Mabye I didn't set up Mach3 correctly?

Regarding AL not responding I'll try to fix that later afternoon on my home PC.

[daedelus]

Thanks for attaching. The PFG file looks perfectly normal by the way, whereas the RPF should not have repeated values like this as you know.

The problem is not with Autoleveller code because the PFG looks fine and this is what Mach3 is reading. The problem must be in the way Mach3 is interpreting the PFG GCode or some setting in Mach3.

By some coincidence I received an email from someone else yesterday with the exact same problem, i.e. repeated values in the RPF.

I might need to contact Artsoft about this, but first of all... Is your machine connected via USB or parallel port?

[AKG]

Its USB. And this Mach3 I have seems altered by cnc manufacturer. As far as I know Mach3 is for WinXP and Win2000, while I'm running it on Win7 32-bit. So someone altered it to work with USB port and custom made USB stepper& spindle driver in control box.

I guess you'll say AL won't work with USB.
Is there a way to make it work?

[daedelus]

The guy I am emailing uses USB too and many AL users have problems when using USB.

I guess you'll say AL won't work with USB.

Its more that Mach3 doesnt play nice with USB and probing, AL is not directly at fault.

Is there a way to make it work?

I will contact Artsoft later and see if they can provide a fix or plugin or something. Will let you know what they say.