RFP-file contains the same values repeated over and over again

[ronniej68]

I'm using Mach 3 with an USB controller and AE 0.9.2.
After doing some custom controller settings everything works fine when doing a direct probe and etch.
But when run a PFG for the same etch the produced RFP-file contains:

Code: Select all

0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354 
0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354 
0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354 
0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354 
0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354 
0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354 
0.00000,178.38125,-2.04354
and so on and on and on 

That's totally bonkers of course. Shouldn't the settings in Custom Controller Options work with PFG as well as AL? Or have I missed something?

I'm thankful for every little hint as I'm a newbie to AE

[Country_Bubba]

Dumb question, but what do you have your point spacing set to?? It acts like it is set to 0.

[ronniej68]

Dumb question, but what do you have your point spacing set to?? It acts like it is set to 0.

The spacing is set to 11 mm. I use the same setting on both direct leveling as I try to do and fail with the probing file.

[daedelus]

This seams to be an issue with USB control boards and Mach3. See the thread here: viewtopic.php?p=1128#p1128

There are a few options here, from writing a macro which will get the correct values from Mach3, to just swapping the control board drivers if possible.

[ronniej68]

This seams to be an issue with USB control boards and Mach3. See the thread here: viewtopic.php?p=1128#p1128

There are a few options here, from writing a macro which will get the correct values from Mach3, to just swapping the control board drivers if possible.

Yes I'm aware of the USB-problem even if I'm not fully understand it completely. I have come so far that I can create an AL gcode file that first measures then engraves the object correctly . But I would like to be able to create a rfp so i don't have to do the whole 20 min probing when drilling, cutting etc.
And that's when everything screws up. What's the difference? I'm using the same custom settings I both cases.

But I can live with it if you can explain or direct me to a source on how to the process of probing with one tool and then change it to another for the engraving. I.e. Use a real probe and then change it for a cutting bit and zero that manually. Should I for example, after the probing is done zero the bit against the first measuring point (x0 y0) of the last point of the probing?

Another though is if it should help to have a fixed known zeroing plate beside the pcb or other object to do the first reference to.

Sorry for my not so good english

[daedelus]

Should I for example, after the probing is done zero the bit against the first measuring point (x0 y0) of the last point of the probing?

Yes you should be able to do that. Paste the following code just after the probing part of the GCode but before the milling starts. The M0 will cause the machine to pause while you swap the tool. This code assumes you are using an electrical type probe but it sounds like you are using a real probe so you probably want to do the same thing but manually in the software.

Code: Select all

M0
(Initialize probe routine)
G0 Z25 (Move clear of the board first)
G1 X0 Y0 F600 (Move to bottom left corner)
G0 Z2 (Quick move to probe clearance height)
G31 Z-1 F100 (Probe to a maximum of the specified probe height at the specified feed rate)
G92 Z0 (Touch off Z to 0 once contact is made)
G0 Z2 (Move Z to above the contact point)
G31 Z-1 F50 (Repeat at a more accurate slower rate)
G92 Z0
G0 Z2

Of course, the best solution is to get the PFG working via your USB board as you say. The best information on that is shown in this post by steamer: viewtopic.php?p=1118#p1118.