External E stop

[moonrunner87]

i think we are getting off on a tangent here. this machine is just being set up, hasnt even been jogged yet (part of my frustration!!). in fact, the set up instructions recommended i unplug my driver from my pc, so the machine isnt even hooked up. yet still the program will not run. it passed the driver test with excellent results...my pc is used, and has other ppls garbage on it, should i labotomize it completely clean and re install mach?

[Jeff_Birt]

my pc is used, and has other ppls garbage on it, should i labotomize it completely clean and re install mach?

YES! Reinstall Windows and start from scratch. I had a customer try installing Mach on a second hand PC without starting from scratch and he had all sorts of strange issues. Just heard back from him yesterday that things are running fine now that he started from scratch with a fresh install of Windows.

[CheddarChunk]

noexternal buttons or switches have been fitted. i dont believe the controller has one. it has two switches only, a power switch and a green switch. its a gecko g540

Hey moonrunner,

if you dont have an e-stop yet you can just use a wire to jump from terminal 10 to 12 on your G540. Otherwise mach will always think you have the E-stop active. I do recommend getting a real e-stop ASAP for safety though.

From the G540 Manual:

"The G540 is designed to fault unless there is a normally closed switch (functionally identical to a jumper wire) between TERMINAL 10 and TERMINAL 12 on the 12-PIN TERMINAL BLOCK. Without TERMINAL 10 shorted to ground the G540 will remain disengaged to the motors and will not respond to commands. The red LED will be illuminated if there is no jumper connecting these two terminals."

[moonrunner87]

OK my helpful friends, by following the instructions on the gecko support page i have successfully cleared the e stop condition!! on to the next issue now lol      i succeeded in jogging the machine, but the motors would only jog one direction, any ideas?

[Hood]

Sounds like your dir pin  is not set correctly in Mach or your wiring to the Gecko is wrong.
Hood

[Sargon]

Perhaps a limit switch is active. That would result in only being able to move in one direction.

[moonrunner87]

set up all my ports and im bangin on all cylinders now, jogging both directions, motors reversed so + - are all working properly. just trammed my head with my Indic-all (took some thinking, took it apart and put one of the rods in the 1/4" collet). if anyone is curious how to indicate the head on a taig mill (cnc or manual) i have an easy way!

for tonight or tomorrow i plan on mounting and indicating my vice, setting machine home and limits, and then setting up the vice as a fixture within my mach3 profile. if this is simple enough i will set up my second vice as well.  i believe the manual (which i wisely printed) should cover the vice aspect well enough. u have all been incredibly helpful. many thanks again

[moonrunner87]

im having a new problem....trying to import dxf files, and generate g code off them. problem is, the instructions say to go to "file, import" but when i open the drop down menu, import is not there. except import g code. any suggestions?

[RICH]

What version of Mach are you using?
RICH

[moonrunner87]

the download version available now