EZ Trak questions

[Stephen]

Hi,

I'm getting an EZ Trak 2 axis Bridgeport mill up and running at a school I teach at. Since the keyboard only has numbers and no letters how are you suppose to type in a alpha file name to retrieve or delete it from the directory? Nothing in the manual unfortunately. I did not find a plug-in for a standard keyboard.

 

Also I'm using a EZ Trak post, but it outputs Z's which is a problem for a two axis machine. Any suggestions?

 

What is standard operating procedure when you have a manual Z axis? Do you put in a program stop for every Z change? I'm use to 3 axis milling only.

 

Thanks!

[tonypitzer1@abxair]

Stephen,

We have an olllllldddddd Ez-Trak mill 2 axis and we got our mastercam dealer to create us a post. The Ez-trak control is very funny on how it handles "Z" moves in the program. As far as alpha, you don't use it for program numbers on our machine. Below is what our machine code looks like.

 

 

O (PROGRAM START) PN10 G20 G90 T3 CR0 ;

N0 G0 X5.2413 Y.5125 Z5.0 ;

N10 (Z RAPID) Z0. ;

N20 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X4.9288 Y.5125 F8.0 ;

N30 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X4.45 Y.0338 XC4.45 YC.5125 F8.0 ;

N40 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X4.425 Y.0356 XC4.45 YC.2 F8.0 ;

N50 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X3.2807 Y.2095 F8.0 ;

N60 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X2.8177 Y.6461 XC3.2946 YC.6881 F8.0 ;

N70 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X1.9573 Y.6461 XC2.3875 YC.8562 F8.0 ;

N80 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X1.4294 Y.2121 XC1.4804 YC.6881 F8.0 ;

N90 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X.4859 Y.2678 F8.0 ;

N100 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X.0338 Y.7458 XC.5125 YC.7458 F8.0 ;

N110 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X-.2788 Y.7458 F8.0 ;

N120 (Z RAPID) Z0. ;

N130 G0 X4.95 Y.5125 Z5.0 ;

N140 (Z RAPID) Z0. ;

N150 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X4.825 Y.5125 F5.0 ;

N160 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X4.45 Y.1375 XC4.45 YC.5125 F5.0 ;

N170 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X4.4406 Y.1382 XC4.45 YC.2 F5.0 ;

N180 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X3.2897 Y.3131 F5.0 ;

N190 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X2.9207 Y.6596 XC3.2946 YC.6881 F5.0 ;

N200 (CIRC MOVE) G3 X2.7264 Y.6956 XC2.8188 YC.6519 F5.0 ;

N210 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X2.0486 Y.6956 XC2.3875 YC.8562 F5.0 ;

N220 (CIRC MOVE) G3 X1.8543 Y.6596 XC1.9562 YC.6519 F5.0 ;

N230 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X1.4381 Y.3155 XC1.4804 YC.6881 F5.0 ;

N240 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X.4918 Y.3714 F5.0 ;

N250 (CIRC MOVE) G2 X.1375 Y.7458 XC.5125 YC.7458 F5.0 ;

N260 (LINEAR MOVE) G1 X.0125 Y.7458 F5.0 ;

N270 (Z RAPID) Z0. ;

(DRILL CYCLE) ;

N280 (CANNED MOVE) G0 X1.4804 Y.6881 Z-.0494 ;

N290 (CANNED MOVE) G0 X2.3875 Y.8562 Z-.0494 ;

N300 (CANNED MOVE) G0 X3.2946 Y.6881 Z-.0494 ;

(CYCLE CANCEL) ;

N310 (Z RAPID) Z0. ;

% ;

(FILE END) ;

[Odell]

If my memory is correct I do believe there are some "F" keys F1 through F9 and some arrow keys. I do believe the F keys change menus and the arrow keys cycle you through options.

 

You will probably have to do some post mods to change the z

 

Yea ...you will have to manually set your z axis.

(M01 between z changes)

 

Good Luck!!

[Sandybar]

We have several ez-traks here and if you program in MasterCam alpha mames will be posted with MasterCam. No need for a keyboard. However you can mount a keyboard and plug it in to back of controller.

 

No need to worry about Z moves. Your ez trak reconizes a Z move and will stop and you can adjust your z and hit cycle start again.

[Stephen]

Thanks for the help. I got it up and running and made a part today. No crashes

 

1)Is there a single block mode?

 

2)Any way to slow down the rapid moves in a setting somewhere?

 

Thanks in advance...

[Sandybar]

Yes you can slow down rapid. Down in the lower right hand corner there is an FD over up and down arrows. Use your up and down arrows to slow rapid down.

 

Single bock is #2 on your Auto screen.