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MachPro Mill/Router Operating Manual

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Introduction

Overview

This manual gives an overview for the basic operation of the MachPro Mill and Router software. The screen is shown below, followed by a brief summary of the different features of the screen. The numbers shown in the screenshot refers to a brief description below the image.


Control Startup

To open the control software, double-click on the profile icon on the desktop.

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Gcode Tab

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Toolpath Screen

Below are the controls to manipulate the tool path screen:

  • Zoom – Right click with the mouse and move mouse up/down or using the scroll wheel on the mouse
  • Rotate – Left click with the mouse and rotate the part by moving the mouse
  • Pan – Press and hold [Ctrl] on the keyboard and left click with the mouse, then pan by moving the mouse (one-hand control option is to use left and right mouse click and move the mouse. No [Ctrl] press needed)
  1. Tool Path
    • Regen ToolPath - Refresh the toolpath of the gcode
    • View Top - Top view of the part
    • View ISO - Side view of the part
  2. File
    • Recent - Load a recently loaded gcode program
    • Load - Load a program from the computer or flash drive
    • Edit - Edit the code that is loaded into the software
    • Close - Close the gcode that is currently loaded in the software
  3. Control
    • Cycle Start - Starts the gcode from from the beginning of the part
    • Feed Hold - Pauses the gcode program and keeps the spindle running
    • Cycle Stop - Stops the gcode program from running
    • Reset - Resets the alarm and also enables the machine
    • Disable - Disables the control for software configuration changes
  4. Status
    • Status - Displays any current messages (Home All Pressed, Cycle Start Pressed, etc.)
    • State - Displays the current state of the machine (Run, Feedhold, etc)
    • Cycle Time - Displays how long the gcode has been running
    • Date - Date and time of the timezone of the control
  5. DROs (Axis Digital Readouts)
    • MDI - Opens up a window that allows for gcode commands
    • Viewing Part - Shows the part coordinates or machine coordinates of the machine
  6. Active Modals
    • Active Offset - Shows the current active fixture offset (G54, G55, etc)
  7. Tool Display
    • T - The current tool number selected
    • Next Tool - The next tool that the gcode will need
    • Diameter - Diameter of the tool 
    • Length - Length of the tool
  8. Feedrate Display
    • F - The current feedrate commanded
    • Feed OV - The current Feedrate Override utilizing the Feedrate Override knob on the operating panel (0-200%)
    • Rapid OV - The current Rapid Override utilizing the Rapid Override knob on the operating panel (0-200%)
  9. Spindle Display
    • S - The current spindle speed
    • TSpeed - The current spindle speed feedback
    • FWD - Turns on if the spindle is moving Forward, yellow initially and green when commanded RPM is reached
    • REV - Turns on if the spindle is moving in Reverse, yellow initially and green when commanded RPM is reached
    • Spindle OV - The current spindle override utilizing the spindle override (0-200%)
    • Spindle Load - The current spindle load utilizing the spindle speed feedback
    • Range - Displays the current spindle range (spindle pulley) 
  10. Advanced
    • Single Block - If active the software will go line by line through the gcode when you press the cycle start button
    • Block Delete - Deletes the block of gcode that is selected with / or /0-9 at the beginning of the line. Filter for "block" in the MachPro settings to turn on the /0-9 levels option. 
    • Part Counter - Displays the number of parts that the machine has produced
    • M1 OPT Stop - If active the software will stop at any M1 commands in the gcode program and waits for cycle start
    • Alexsys - Opens up the conversational assistant Alexsys in another window
    • Dry Run - If active the software will ignore all mist or flood commands
    • M-S-T Lock - If active the software will ignore all Macro codes, Spindle codes and Tool commands
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    • Collapse v - If selected this will minimize the Advanced buttons
  11. Dashboard 

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Tools Tab

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  1. Edit
    • Edit Offsets - No offset changes can be made unless this value is yellow. It also displays or hides the zero buttons near the DROs to the right. 
  2. Tools
  3. Pockets
    • Register Tools - Register and save tools 
  4. Setters
  5. Park Tool - Park the currently loaded tool and leave the spindle empty
  6. Jump to Tool Number
    • 1,2,3,4 etc. -  Tool number (Tool change). Just press the button and the tool will change. 

For 7-13 see the [Gcode Tab] above for more details

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Fixtures Tab

Manual Setup

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  1. Edit
    • Edit Offsets - View and edit fixture offsets, hide and reveal DRO zero buttons to the right
  2. Fixtures
    • Fixtures Table - View and edit fixture table (G54, G55, G56, etc.)
  3. X/Y Edge Finder Offset
    • X+ - Zeros the X + offset
    • X- - Zeros the X - offset
    • Y+ - Zeros the X+ offset
    • Y- - Zeros the Y- offset
    • Edge Finder Diameter - This is the diameter of the edge finder used to calculate the new offset based on the zero button pressed above. 
  4. Fixture Offsets
    • X, Y, Z, etc. - Shows the currently loaded offsets
  5. Rotary Axis Tool Path
    • X,Y, Z - 

For 6-13 see the [Gcode Tab] above for more details

Probe

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Service Tab

Maintenance Tab

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  1. Limits
    • Soft Limits - Toggles software limits on or off
    • Limit Override - Toggles to allow for the machine to move off a limit switch
  2. PLC
    • Reset Pocket - Only used for tool changers. 
    • PLC Sequence - 
  3. Control
    • Cycle Start - Starts the gcode from from the beginning of the part
    • Feed Hold - Pauses the gcode program and keeps the spindle running
    • Cycle Stop - Stops the gcode program from running
    • Reset - Resets the alarm and also enables the machine
    • Disable - Disables the control for software configuration changes
  4. Settings
    • Interface Config - 
    • Motion Controller - Opens the plugin for the Motion Controller
    • Screen Config - Edit the screen layout
    • Industrial Theme -
    • Toggle Menu - Turns the menu on or off 
    • Compile Scripts - Refreshes (recompiles) programming scripts
  5. Homing
    • Home X - Homes the X axis
    • Home Y - Homes the Y axis
    • Home Z - Homes the Z axis
    • Home All - Homes all axes
  6. Support
    • Remote Support - Starts a remote support session with MachMotion Technical Support
    • Support - Opens up the online MachMotion Support Library
    • Updates - Checks for updates for MachMotion Software
    • History - Views status history and alarms
  7. User
    • Logout - Logs out of the Windows username
    • Power - Closes the MachPro software properly, and runs the Windows shutdown procedure.

For 7-13 see the [Gcode Tab] above for more details

Dashboard Tab

Dashboard.JPG

The Dashboard is used to make the control just the way you want it! For more information, see this link:the https://support.machmotion.com/books/mach4-control-features/page/2000-series-commands-function-buttons-and-dashboardDashboard .documentation under the GCode tab above. 

Machine I/O Tab

Machine-IO.jpg

This tab is used for diagnostics and shows all your machine IO. 

Homing

To home the machine, begin by pressing the [Reset] button. Then navigate to the [Service/Maintenance] tab and press [Home All]. There is an optional parameter to prompt the user to home the machine on startup. If your system is configured with absolute encoders you do not need to home it after the initial configuration. 

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Programmed Movement

MDI

To command a movement using the MDI feature, press the [MDI] button.

Enter the desired gcode command into the field and press [Cycle Start] to execute the command(s). The up/down arrow buttons will scroll through the history of cycled commands. Click the [X] or the [MDI] button to close the MDI window.

Example-MDI-Command.JPG

Gcode

The primary method of commanding motion is using gcode files. Gcode files can be hand written, generated by a wizard, or generated from CAD files using a CAM program.

Tools and Tool Offsets

See the Offset tab above.

Spindle Control

Gcode Spindle Control

The spindle is controlled through gcode using the M-Codes M3 (Clockwise), M4 (Counterclockwise), and M5 (Off). To control the spindle speed in RPMs an S word is added.

For example, M3 S2000 would turn the spindle on in the clockwise direction at 2000 RPM.

Manual Spindle Control

To control the spindle separately from gcode use the spindle control on the operating panel. The [Spindle FWD] turns the spindle on clockwise and the [Spindle REV] turns the spindle on counterclockwise.

O0qSpindle-Control-Operating-Panel.jpg

The following spindle settings are also shown on the Spindle tab located in Configure -> Control -> Spindle:

  1. G50 Speed Limit – the maximum RPM the spindle can move with the current G50 setting
  2. Range – Pulley number selected and speed range
Spindle Display

The current spindle settings are shown in the main Spindle Display.

 Spindle-Control.JPG

  1. S – Commanded Speed
  2. Spindle OV – Spindle Override Percentage
  3. Spindle Load – % of the load of the spindle. 
  4. Range – Current Pulley Selected
Spindle Warm Up

Mach4 has the ability to setup a Spindle Warm Up procedure for machines.

To be able to configure this pull down Configure -> Control -> Settings tab and search for Spindle Warm Up.

Below is an example screen for the Spindle Warm Up settings.

Spindle-Warm-Up.PNG

Spindle Warm Up Off Time Trigger How long do want the spindle to be off before the spindle will need to do the Warm Up cycle
Spindle Warm Up Enabled Warm Up Cycle On or Off
Spindle Warm Up Idle Speed Speed the spindle will idle at after the warm up is complete. Some spindles will not go very slow and may idle at 1500 RPM
Spindle War Up Max RPM Max (finishing) speed for the warm up cycle
Spindle Warm Up Min RPM Minimum (starting) speed for the warm up cycle (see note below)
Spindle Warm Up Steps How many steps will it take to get the spindle up to Warmed Up status - from Minimum to Maximum RPM
Spindle Warm Up Time Per Step How long it will stay in each Spindle Warm Up Step
Spindle Type VFD or Other Spindle Control Type

As of Dec 2023:

  1. Do your research to get the manufacturer's warm up instructions
  2. Do your math to plug in the correct parameters
  3. For the Spindle Warm Up Min RPM, enter 1. It will start at the correct minimum RPM and do the steps and time as you specified.

Machine Input / Output Control

For setting up machine specific IO, see this link: https://support.machmotion.com/books/mach4-control-features/page/2000-series-commands-function-buttons-and-dashboard . 

Fixture Offsets

All gcode files have their own coordinate system. In order to allow parts to be located on the table at any desired location, the part offset can be defined to adjust the actual location of the part on the table.

Part offsets can be defined and saved using G54-G59P120. The functionality is designed to allow different tooling setups to have predefined zero points to allow for streamlined setup.

You can view the fixture table and change the values directly by clicking the [Fixtures] tab. The values can also be set by using the MDI command to select the gcode number for the fixture offsets to be stored in. Once the machine is at the desired zero position, zero Z by pressing the [Zero Z] button.

Fixtures-Tab.JPG

Appendix

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Start-Up Procedure

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The MachLabs Team
http://www.mach-labs.com
14518 County Road 7240, Newburg, MO 65550
support@machsupport.com 

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