Messages

2071

General Mach Discussion / Re: Macro Pump

« on: May 03, 2007, 04:54:57 PM »

If that doesn't work then put this in your reset button:

code "G28.1", then it will home after any reset also. (Or if you use G30, or G28 or what ever).

Scott

2072

General Mach Discussion / Re: Macro Pump

« on: May 03, 2007, 04:51:30 PM »

How come you dont put a "G28.1" in your intialization script, under the General config?  When you first Intialize Mach in the AM, and reset it, the first thing it will then do is Home.

Scott

2073

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Is it possible to have an elapsed time display for VB code?

« on: April 28, 2007, 07:35:10 AM »

Look at your "G4" settings in your general config, make sure your pauses are set to seconds, not micro seconds.

I meant, after your g-code puts out a m3, the next m code should be this one that you want special stuff, it you want it tied close to your m3.

scott

2074

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Is it possible to have an elapsed time display for VB code?

« on: April 26, 2007, 05:40:40 PM »

get you code, OUT, of the m3 macro, that is for spindle clockwise.

Make a Custom Macro, that you post after you post the M3 if you want them close together.

Scott

2075

General Mach Discussion / Re: Challenge question regarding Homing & Limit Switches

« on: April 25, 2007, 10:40:27 PM »

In that case, I would definatly recommend a PLC, you need some intellegent I/O!!!!  The PLC can handle all of those functions on its on. Mach can tell it to start the process, and the PLC does the 4 axis homing work, then it sends a "done" bit, or home signal to mach.

Scott

2076

General Mach Discussion / Re: Challenge question regarding Homing & Limit Switches

« on: April 25, 2007, 06:04:44 PM »

I thought of another way, if you don't mind doing some VB, and using the macopump.

You can make you a "Sorta-Home" button on your main screen, click this button, it runs a script, that will move each of your 4 motors at a set feed rate to your "Home-limit" switch.
Bring these individual inputs in, and the Macro pump monitors them, as each "Homes" (not a true home....yet), the Macro pump activates an output that cuts the Power to the drive of that motor.
These 4 relays will also be "Anded" together, once all 4 are homed (and power to all 4 motors are cut), then once again the Macro pump picks up that siganl then OEM codes the "Referance" command, (the signal is sent out for you motors to move/home but they wont since the power is off to them). In the Macro pump do a set timer(0) for some small value when it times out at value 1, have it "Activate the home input", then as mach "backs it off the switch" the second value for timer(0), will Turn OFF the "Home input for each motor" Mach thinks
it has moved off the home switch. In General config have Mach auto Zero after homing.
next, have the macro pump re-enable the motor relays, (Perhaps using a 3rd timer zero value, or some other interlock: Led, Dro or other logic that is testable).

Scott

2077

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Possible to have 1 external button that runs previous VB script that was run?

« on: April 24, 2007, 08:43:33 AM »

Yes, look in the Mach OEM buttons codes on the wiki.

To emulate a button, put:

DoOEMButton(*********)    (Some people use "DoButton" also, so if the OEM doesnt work use that one).

There is not a range of codes for "User Buttons", you can only emulate OEM codes. NOTE, this does NOT work on Jogs.

Scott

2078

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Possible to have 1 external button that runs previous VB script that was run?

« on: April 24, 2007, 12:22:15 AM »

Genius, not really, that belongs to Art and Brian, and several others here, but, try the below.

BTW: I dont know of a more effeincet way of turning off those 24 leds, other than what you are doing.

To turn them all off with the macro pump only once your going to have to lock them out.
 
Put this piece in your Macro pump some where at the top. Note you will have to also put a "Renew LED" called (1200, or what ever), some where as well.

'add to top of macro pump

x=GetUserDro(1200)

If X=0 then
'put your turn off all led stuff here
x=x+1   'this adds 1 to x, so this script only runs once (unless see below).
End If

If X>0 and GetuserLED(1200) Then   'you have pushed the renew button this will reset X to 0
SetUserDro(1200,0)
End If

'Note: the above renew/reset is really only meant to re-run the off all 24, or to set the DRO
'back to 0, for persistant dros....... The macro pump will re-hit it while running faster
'than you can reset it. It is really just to reset your DRO to Zero.

2079

General Mach Discussion / Re: Challenge question regarding Homing & Limit Switches

« on: April 23, 2007, 04:27:32 PM »

Well from my understanding, you can set each axis to home count independantly (read that per motor).

If that doesnt work, then you could use a PLC.

i.e.   Put in your ladder that when you get the Homing routine, that it jumps to a homing "Stage", or just standard ladder. As the motors hit the switch, that the PLC picks up, the PLC breaks the power to that motor.  Then you "And" all the motor stopped outputs as an input, when all four have made it home, then the motors are re-enabled (pehaps you can put a timer here also), When the Re-Enable output signal activates, then it could also send this as a "Home" Signal to Mach.
The reason I say use a timer above is that, the moters will not re-enable until mach finishes sending its move off home switch signal, thus you motors will stay put, you can also "Time-out" your home switch, to fool mach into thinking that the motor have moved off the home switch, and Mach will "Zero itself there".

A DL 05 from ADC (approx. $100.00), would do the trick.  If you decide to go that route, but dont want to buy the programming software, then I could program it for you, (for a modest fee).

Scott

2080

General Mach Discussion / Re: Challenge question regarding Homing & Limit Switches

« on: April 23, 2007, 03:52:45 PM »

mhdale:

   The solution, is simple, (If I understand what you want). Goto  "www.cncbuildingblocks.com", order an "Accustep board", this board has 4 axis on it (as a breakout), and it has a CLPD.  You can set the number of encouder counts, off the home/index postion, each axis is independandly adjustable for how far off of home/index it will travel. I can repeat 1-2 Tenths!! off the encouders.  The count per axis, to move off ref is set by a 8bit binary wieghted switch block.

Very easy to use, good price, good documentation. The guy that sells them is:  Ed Gilbert of "Gilbert Engineered systems".

BTW: Ones the various axis home (to what ever count you decide), it then sends the "Home Signal" to mach, Mach thinks it is home, and the lights say so, but the axis doesn't move any further than what you set it for.

Scott