What i are the latest version of:
mach4 for avid
warps ess stepper motor for mach
fusion 360 post processor for Avid?
Avid’s Mach4 package is in version 2.5.5, which includes Mach4 v4.2.0.4809 and ESS plugin v298.
Avid’s Fusion post processor is still v1.0.
Some people have had issues upgrading the ESS plugin version beyond Avid’s release.
Those are the versions I have. The developers @ autodesk are frequently updating fusion and introducing new/updated features. I am wondering, are the new features implementable in CAM/gcode or are they just useful for make better models and or animations?
Question for someone who knows the gcode base far better than I. How would a new feature be mapped into the gcode primitives?
I.e : fusion 360 → avid post processor → mach 4 → warp ess software → machine move xyz and rotary to cut product.
Would this be implemented in a code block/function using existing primitives or a new gcode instruction i.e
Gxx.43 whatever it would be called. This of would course have to output by the post-processor which would be called by the new function/feature from fusion outputting the new feature. The rabbit hole gets deeper to implement this new feature on a particular machine and produce product.
Fusion could introduce many new features that wouldn’t require a new post-processor. For example, a new type of toolpath generation will still generate a toolpath, which is most likely handled by the existing post-processor and almost certainly using existing G-code commands.
Avid’s post-processor doesn’t support some things. For example, see this thread on simultaneous 4-axis machining. You might have to make post-processor changes to get a specific ATC setup fully working. There are certainly other examples I don’t know about.
If there is a feature you need in Mach4, you can write custom Lua scripts and run them in a modified screenset or map them to M commands and include them in your G-code. If someone needs to change how G-code itself is interpreted, then Mach4 is probably not the right controller for them, as it is closed source.
I’ve not heard of anyone tweaking ESS except to change how signals are mapped. If you’re that far down, again, you’re probably interested in using something other than Avid’s standard control setup.
All that said, if you have an example of a new feature that requires a change to one of these elements, some of us on the forum might be interested.
Thats about what I thought, LUA scripts (functions).
This thought was sparked by Corbins fine video on “working with offsets”
Apparently several vendors have invented/add additional origin points besides
g54-59. Will these additional origin points work with stock mach4?
i like other would like to see origin points mapped on the Mach4 screen. An additional bonus would be a Mach 4 stub function that would run the gcode on the screen without activating the machine to ensure accuracy of the gcode from fusion.
You probably saw in Corbin’s video (at 13:14) that Mach4 has offsets for G54-G59 and also G54.1 P1 through G54.1 P248. You can already access these in the Avid Mach4 screenset in the Offsets tab by clicking the button for the full offsets table. Or you can select an extended work offset by typing its command in the MDI window and then interact with the zeroing buttons as usual.
You can also set the extended work offsets via MDI or in G-code using the G10 command with the L20 P# argument. For example, set the X & Y values of work offset G54.1 P5 like this:
G10 L20 P5 X2.0 Y20.0
This also works for the standard work offsets, except use G10 L2:
G10 L2 P2 X2.0 Y20.0
This sets the X & Y values for G55, the second standard work offset.
The Mach4 Mill Gcode Manual is available at the Mach4 product manuals page. See page 26 for the G54.1 P# command and pages 11 & 12 for the G10 command.
Looks like Avid’s Fusion post-processor uses the legacy Mach3 work offsets. For example, setting WCS Offset to 7 in a Fusion stock setup will command G59 P7, which corresponds to G54.1 P1 in the newer numbering system.
On their website, Mach4 lists a plugin called 3D Cutting Simulator by ModuleWorks, which is an external vendor. Looks like it’s in beta.