Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Roberto Ramírez on July 28, 2018, 12:59:49 AM
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Good evening, I wanted to automatically adjust the z-axis with a plate that I read that served to have more precision when working, then I got one.
I made the connection as it comes in the manual for a controller board, This board is called RNR Universal USB Card Motion Control Mach3 Special Ed. V2.0. Which I show in an attachment in figure 1.
The connection is shown in figure 2, which comes as an attachment.
Then I did the configuration in Ports and Pins as it comes in the manual in figure 3
Then enter in Auto Tool Zero this code that also came in the manual:
PlateOffset = 10
Zup = 25
MaxZPlus = 250
Sleep 100
CurrentFeed = GetOemDro(818)
Code "F300"
ZNew = GetDro(2) - MaxZPlus
Code "G31Z" &ZNew
While IsMoving()
Wend
ZNew = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" &ZNew + 3
While IsMoving()
Wend
Code "F50"
ZNew = GetDro(2) - 6
Code "G31Z" &ZNew
While IsMoving()
Wend
If PlateOffset <> 0 Then
Call SetDro (2,PlateOffset)
Code "G4 P0.25"
ZNew = PlateOffset + Zup
Code "G0 Z" &ZNew
While IsMoving
Wend
Code "(Z axis is now zero !)"
End If
Code "F" &CurrentFeed
Sleep 100
But nothing happens, when I enter this code in the VBScript the tool goes down and when touching the plate does not stop if it keeps going down, the Mach3 does not detect the board to automatically adjust the tool of a Dremmel 3000.
But the power source that I am using if it shows a difference when the tool touches the automatic adjustment plate and when it does not touch it.
When there is no contact between the tool and the plate, the power source dials 0 Ampere, when there is contact between the tool and the plate, the power source dials 0.01 Ampere as shown in figure 4.
I would be very grateful if someone has an idea of why this happens, because it is because the power source detects something and in Mach3 it does not detect anything. I have even seen in some videos already when they place the plate to calibrate the Z axis and configure the ports and pins in the diagnostics screen the Digitize box is lit.
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Hi,
when the probe touches and the current flows the phototransistor will conduct, going low.
You need to set your Probe input to Active Low.
Craig
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Hello joeaverage, I have it established in Active Low in the configuration of ports and pins and nothing happened.
I also clicked on Active Low to see if it worked but nothing happened either.
Of the two forms at the moment that the tool touches the plate of the probe the Z axis continues lowering. I can not know what is the reason why this happens.
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Hi,
does the Digitize LED light up on the Machine Diagnostic Tab when the probe strikes? Your description sounds like
Mach is not seeing the probe event.
Craig
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The simple answer is that most chinese boards do not handle probing properly.
You may have better luck with a different version of Mach3. What version are you using?
Also, check with the manufacturer for an updated plugin.
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Hi Ger21 I think the controller board is Russian, the version I'm using is R3.043.062 and I'm using it with USB port Windows 10 64 Bits with a patch I found in a forum.
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I think that if it should be the controller board, I have researched on this board and I have not seen a video where they place a probe for an auto tool zero, the controller board is Russian.
Where if I have seen that it works what I am trying to do is with the 5 axis control board like the one I put in the link. Have you used that controller board?
https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-596231603-tarjeta-controlador-brackout-mach3-emc2etc-db25-5-ejes-_JM
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Hi,
that looks like a parallel port breakout board, the USB cable is just for a power supply from
the PC.
Do you have a parallel port driver installed on your PC? What does the DriverTest.exe tell you?,
a screen shot of it is preferred, an 'excellent' report is not enough.
Craig
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Hi Joeaverage for the controller board that I am using RNR RNR Universal USB Card Motion Control Mach3 Special Ed. V2.0. I'm not using even a driver just copy an RnRMotion.dll file
And the other 5-axis controller board read that installing a driver and connecting a parallel port adapter cable to usb works fine, I'll get the cable to be able to do that test
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Hi,
so whats the deal with the last link you posted? Is that the board you are using or not?
Its an entirely different beast to the pic that you first posted.
That is a USB EXTERNAL MOTION CONTROLLER for which you need to use the manufacturers plugin.
The second link is a PARALLEL PORT BREAKOUT BOARD for which you use Machs parallel port driver
on a 32Bit Windows 7 or earlier PC.
You cant mix the two. If your original board doesn't accept a probe you may be required to use the
parallel port although most would consider it a backward step.
Craig
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The first RNR controller board is the one I am using and does not recognize the automatic probe for automatic adjustment on the z axis. In the manual that I read on that plate says that if you can adjust an automatic adjustment probe for the z axis.
The second 5-axis controller card only asks if it is advisable to work with it. I have not used it, but I have seen videos on that controller board if the probe works for automatic z-axis adjustment and it works by means of a controller with a parallel to usb converter cable that uses Windows 10 64 bits.
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Hi,
I'm not familiar with your RNR board. What I can tell from the pic is that it is a USB connected motion control board. That multi-pinned square
IC in the center of the board is a microcontroller/DSP/FPGA. Its job is to decode the numeric data sent to it by your PC via Mach and the .dll
plugin over the USB and turn that data into pulse streams for your motors. That makes it way WAY smart....even if it doesn't support a probe.
The second board you linked to is a parallel breakout board, its got no microcontroller/DSP/FPGA. The PC produces the pulse streams
by virtue of Machs parallel port driver and communicates to the board over the parallel port cable. The breakout board is just an amplifier,
it doesn't do anything smart. The USB port on the board is just a way of powering the board from the PC's power supply, here is no communication
on it. In fact if you used a separate power supply for the board you could disconnect the USB and the board would still work.
Mach's parallel port CAN handle a probe, that's the good news. Mach's parallel port works on Desktop PC's (no laptops) with XP or Windows 7 32bit.
No 64 bit Windows will run Mach's parallel port driver. No USB to parallel converter will work either. Even if you have a 32bit Win7/XP PC you must be really
careful not to load ANY other software on it because it will interfere with Mach and stop it. In short there are quite a few limitations with a parallel port,
it has a slow pulse rate and is inclined to stall/stop/stutter depending on the PC. It is free and its how Mach got going in the first place. A lot of people
still use it but many have gone to an external motion controller.
The problem is there are a lot of crap external controllers out there which don't support all Machs features, you have one.
If you bought a good one like a SmoothStepper, UC300ETH or a PoKeys 57CNC you would never look back. Don't buy s*********t Chinese or Russian or Martian...
buy US or European and don't buy off EBay or AliExpress they are full of ripoffs, buy direct from the manufacturer or their nominated distributor.
You have three choices:
1) Stick with your existing board BUT WITHOUT a probe
2) Buy a parallel port breakout board and use an old XP clunker PC, even a cheap ($30-$60) breakout board is adequate
3) Buy a decent, well supported external motion controller, anticipate such a device will cost from as low as $120 up to about $250 for a more capable
board with more inputs and outputs.
Craig
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joeaverage thank you very much for the advice and give you the time to answer my questions, after several days of studying and doing trial and error I already managed to get Mach3 to recognize me the test probe for the automatic adjustment of the z axis and with the VBScript program that came in the manual I was able to adjust the zero to work.
I will continue studying because I have some doubts in the VBScript programming part, I do not know what GetDro (2), Getvar (2002) and others mean. joeaverage, Ger21 thank you very much for taking the time to help me.