Config Question

[twehr]

Good points on both the M5 and the spin up/down config.

I am currently using a DSP controller for my laser and am planning on building a new laser this winter. When that is done and the DSP is in its new home, I may go back to the old Mach3 controller in the original box and will try both those ideas.

Thanks!

tim

[Tweakie.CNC]

Hi LuAn,

I managed to get a chance to try your suggestion, first thing this morning, but unfortunately the M5 introduces turn-off delay.

If you run Tim's code (earlier posting) with the laser set to very low power and drawing on paper or card the result will be like Fig.1 but if you replace the 'M10P1' with 'M5' the result will be like Fig.2. This is a good indication of the turn-off delay without actually resorting to setting up equipment to measure it. Repeating the same test with clear acrylic using M5 shows a deep penetration at the end of each line whereas M10P1 does not.

My tests were carried out with Mach versions 042.020 and 043.022 - other versions may behave differently. (As an example I was using the control pair E1P0/E1P1 but this stopped working correctly following one revision).

Tweakie.

[LuAn]

I'm using 3.042.020 so maybe that accounts for the difference.  It was working for me.  I was cutting paper and cereal packet card so it really doesn't take much to make a hole if there's any delay.

Will get myself into the habit of using M11P1 with a move in case I upgrade at some point.


@rrc1962: I looked under ports and pins but can't find a place to change that delay.  Again, this is probably to do with the fact that I'm running an old versions.

Hmm, maybe I should do that upgrade sooner rather than later.

[twehr]

[quote author=Tweakie.CNC link=topic=12
I managed to get a chance to try your suggestion, first thing this morning, but unfortunately the M5 introduces turn-off delay.

If you run Tim's code (earlier posting) with the laser set to very low power and drawing on paper or card the result will be like Fig.1 but if you replace the 'M10P1' with 'M5' the result will be like Fig.2. This is a good indication of the turn-off delay without actually resorting to setting up equipment to measure it. Repeating the same test with clear acrylic using M5 shows a deep penetration at the end of each line whereas M10P1 does not.
[/quote]

Thanks for checking this out Tweakie. We can always count on you to jump on anything new and report your findings. It's the reporting that makes it all useful for the rest of us.

tim

[rrc1962]

I'm not sure when it became available, but I'm using 3.042.036.

[Hood]

Its been there for a long time, almost since the beginning of Mach3 but there will still be the delay that, the laser guys see, even when set to zero. I am not sure but I think the delay may be because when you call a M3/M4/M5 Mach will look at the macro so you get a slight delay, this is not a problem for machine tool spindles but for lasers the small delay is a problem.
 M11/M10 was I believe the way Art made to get round this short delay issue.
Hood

[LuAn]

I'm not sure when it became available, but I'm using 3.042.036.

They are there in mine.  I think part of the reason I didn't notice them before is that they are already set to 0... so they don't make any difference with a laser (as others have now said).