Mach PP and coolant / air blast control

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wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Mach PP and coolant / air blast control

Post by wcarrothers »

Hello..

I have some new jobs which require air blast cooling to the bits. I have fitted my machine with numatic control to turn on and off the air. But, need to add M commands which would insert to turn on the blast when I start a plunge move and then off when I retract to move to the next location.

Idea would be not to just start air at the beginning of the program and stop at the end (like the spindle on off command) but be smarter so the air would not be blasting unless cutting.

Was hoping some one might have already done something like this in a post (I'll admit I'm asking the quesiton before diving back in to making post processor mods, seeing it's been a while since the last time I've made changes.

Thanks for any help.

b./

jam1962
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Posts: 182
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:45 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Self built 36x25x7
Location: Hopewell, Ohio

Re: Mach PP and coolant / air blast control

Post by jam1962 »

Would it not be better or eaiser to add that control to Mach in the form of a script. In essence it would be something like, AIR_OFF if Z=>0 anytime z goes above the work surface it would turn off the air.

Just my thoughts.
Jay Morris...

wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Re: Mach PP and coolant / air blast control

Post by wcarrothers »

That is an interesting idea. Although I really don't have much experience with adding scripts to mach.

I was just thinking to put in Gcode seeing there are M commands for turning coolant on and off which I thought was pretty standard.

b.

ger21
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Re: Mach PP and coolant / air blast control

Post by ger21 »

Might be a little late, but assign the air to mist or flood and add an M7 or M8 to the post after toolchanges.
The default posts already have an M9 to turn them off.
Gerry - http://www.thecncwoodworker.com

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