Messages

5921

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help spindle speed

« on: November 14, 2017, 11:57:04 AM »

Hi,
a few suggestions...don't worry about the encoder feedback to start with.

Your original post showed  a pulse width modulated DC power supply to drive your spindle motor yet here you are showing two pins for Step and Direction.
Which is it?

Craig

5922

General Mach Discussion / Re: Alright fellow campers...a frankenstein moment!!

« on: November 14, 2017, 03:24:41 AM »

Hi,
there are a number of mechanisms that will allow electromagnetic noise in one circuit interfere with another. The radiated 'transmitter/receiver'
idea is reasonably well understood. Another is conducted noise.

If you have a VFD plugged into a 230V socket and have another power supply also plugged into that same socket the noise 'referred to the input' of one
device can propagate to the output of another device.

As an experiment supply your VFD from a remote socket with an extension lead. Does it make any difference?

Craig

5923

General Mach Discussion / Re: converting from PDMX 411 to ESS and using g540

« on: November 14, 2017, 03:03:41 AM »

Hi,
the ESS has no great expectation about what signal is on any of its pins.

Obviously if an input signal like Estop is assigned to an ESS output, that is a clash but Estop could be assigned to any of the ESS input pins.

If your Estop was hooked to the G540, I would leave it there. If the G540 pin was 10 say and you have the G540 plugged into port 1 then assign the ESS pin
<port 1, pin 10> to Estop. If you've plugged the G540 into the ESS port 1 then all of the G540 pins will be available on the same ESS port 1 pins.


If you wish to have more inputs than you have to spare on the G540 then you can use the spare inputs in either ports 2 or 3 in the ESS. You don't have to use
a breakout board but its a good idea. The direct IO pins of the ESS are directly connected to the FPGA chip, the brains of the ESS. They WILL NOT stand
any abuse, if you slip when hooking up a pin and short it to either earth or logic high there is a strong possibility of frying the pin. Plugging in a breakout board
will usually protect the rather more sensitive FPGA IO pins.

Craig

5924

FAQs / Re: Newbie running Mach 3 Software needs help

« on: November 14, 2017, 02:36:47 AM »

Hi,
I'm guessing that your machine is interpreting the Gcode as mm units when the RoadRunner (being a Yankee!) is in inches.

Try on the MDI screen coding G20 <enter> and run the code again. G20/G21 are used to allow the Gcode interpreter to use either inches or mm's as units.

Craig

5925

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: PC ID

« on: November 14, 2017, 02:26:33 AM »

Hi,
the same, the ID is that of the computer that the software product is to be used on.

Craig

5926

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G-Code and Mach3

« on: November 14, 2017, 01:19:56 AM »

Hi,
conventional direction is downwards Z decreases.

At Z=5, say, the Z axis is 5 units above the surface of the material. If the Gcode calls for Z=-0.1, its intent is to cut 0.1 units off the top surface.

Does your Z axis DRO decrease as you lower the spindle? If not you need to change the Z axis direction. Config/Ports and Pins/Motor Outputs check (uncheck)
<Dir Active Low>.

Craig

5927

General Mach Discussion / Re: new setup issues

« on: November 14, 2017, 12:29:35 AM »

Hi,
if the numbers move then Mach should be issuing pulses and therefore the motors move.

Do you have some means, an oscilloscope ideally, to test the outputs of your control board?

I know I've mentioned it before but have you considered getting a board that actually works?

Craig

5928

General Mach Discussion / Re: new setup issues

« on: November 13, 2017, 10:41:46 PM »

Hi,
is keyboard jogging enabled? How about jogging using the flyout screen?

Craig

5929

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: November 13, 2017, 09:23:37 PM »

Hi,
those switches are for limits and/or home switches. Don't worry about them to start with. Concentrate
on the motor axes. I suggest one at a time, your wife can multi-task...not you.

Your PC must have a parallel port and have a 32 bit OS Windows7 or earlier.

You will require a USB cable to plug from the PC to the BoB to provide a power supply for the input side. You will
require a second 12-24V supply for the output side.

This is a simple board but is so Chinese I can smell the chop suey on it from here...if your keen, carry on OR get yourself
a PMDX  BoB or even a Smart-BoB.

Craig

5930

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: November 13, 2017, 06:46:35 PM »

Hi,
welcome. I've heard all sorts of terms but not those ones! Can you take some pictures?

If its Chinese and I suspect it is be prepared for a real battle to get it to work.

If you want something that works really well and easily with excellent backup try PMDX or Warp9,
both American.


Craig