Messages

2971

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: UC300ETH HELP

« on: March 03, 2019, 04:26:51 PM »

Hi,
if the current MDI move or jog move requires that the Dir output be high (LED on) to go in the required direction
it will stay on at the end of the move. In fact it will stay on until there is a subsequent move that requires the axis go the
other way. The Step LED should however blink very rapidly, so fast that it appears just somewhat dimmer than full intensity
while the move is in progress. Once the move is complete the LED should extinguish and not relight until another move
is made.

Craig

2972

General Mach Discussion / Re: USB Inputs Not Working

« on: March 03, 2019, 02:45:54 PM »

Hi,
a lot of people have had the trouble that you are experiencing.

Those boards are pretty cheap and nasty, no one seems to know who makes them and any documentation is sketchy
at best. There is a thread where a guy seemed to get them to work, he liked them so much he bought four!
You might try emailing him to find out how he did it.

https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=38954.0

Craig

2973

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: PLUGIN CONTROL NOT THERE PROMO THC SETUP

« on: March 03, 2019, 02:37:41 PM »

Hi,
THC control is a realtime function, that is,  in order to be an effective THC solution the machine needs to respond instantly,
or at least with a few microseconds. As a consequence it is enacted by the motion controller, not Mach.

Machs parallel port driver is a motion controller. Given it runs on the same PC as Mach the application its not clear
that they are separate, but they are. Machs parallel port driver does support THC. Many of the best and well known
external motion controllers like the Ethernet SmoothStepper or the UC300, for instance also support THC.

The vast majority of Chinese made external motion controllers don't support probing let alone THC.

There are two solutions to your problem:
1) Install Windows 7 32 bit or earlier and a parallel port and use Mach3's parallel port driver as your motion controller.
2) Buy an external motion controller that does support THC, while that does not exclude Chinese controllers, most
Chinese controllers do not support it.

Craig

2974

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Auto tool zero...Z-probing

« on: March 03, 2019, 11:32:18 AM »

Hi,
which one? A screen shot ....something?

I am asking questions and you are not answering.
Have you got the axes moving accurately?
What happens when you MDI g31's?

Craig

2975

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Auto tool zero...Z-probing

« on: March 03, 2019, 11:28:06 AM »

Hi,
yes the script......if that's what you are using or one of the buttons.

Craig

2976

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: 3d Probing on Granite slabs

« on: March 03, 2019, 11:25:52 AM »

Hi,
you will have to decide whether you use a Windows PC at all. Windows PCs are not realtime so the motion controller
has to handle all the realtime activities. As a consequence the abilities of the motion controller have a great deal of
influence over the machine behavior.

LinuxCNC is very  capable alternative, and is predicated on several distros of Linux that have Real Time Extensions,
meaning your PC (no longer Windows) becomes a realtime machine. You can use a parallel port rather like Mach3
or you can use Mesa cards which extend  the parallel port. LinuxCNC is open source and is ultimately very flexible
but that requires some programming ability.

Mach3 was always one of the go-to Windows based software solutions and that was predicated on the use of Mach's
parallel port driver. It was cheap and capable and generated a huge user base.

Nowadays the parallel port, while still free, is looking increasingly like an antique and external motion controllers are
the norm.

This has bought Mach into competition with UCCNC, another capable software solution.

Reluctance of users to take up Mach4 has resulted in many previous Mach3 users going to UCCNC.
It would pay to do your own research.

If you still favour Mach then for a new machine I would go for Mach4. As I have posted before Mach4 all but requires an
external motion controller. Budget $500-$600 for Mach4Hobby and an external motion controller and BoB(s).

Craig

2977

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Auto tool zero...Z-probing

« on: March 03, 2019, 10:59:49 AM »

Hi,
no, it is strictly your preference.

Mach4 being a US product has preloaded parameters in inch units however they can be changed.
I use mm units and probe no problem.

Fill in some of the gaps....what touch/probe routine are you using?
Have you got the axes set u correctly?
What happens I you MDI a G31 move?

Craig

2978

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Auto tool zero...Z-probing

« on: March 03, 2019, 02:47:47 AM »

Hi,
sorry, disregard:

Are you using inch units?

you did answer it in your reply.

Craig

2979

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Auto tool zero...Z-probing

« on: March 03, 2019, 02:43:04 AM »

Hi,
have you got the axes setup correctly ie the 'steps per unit' value?
Are you using inch units?
Which button or function, there are several.....perhaps a screen shot of it?
You tried MDIing what.....a G31?

Craig

2980

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Auto tool zero...Z-probing

« on: March 03, 2019, 02:17:15 AM »

Hi,
we need more information before we can help. Probing is enacted by the motion controller, being realtime, under
Machs supervision.

What motion controller are you using?
Do you have it setup correctly, that is can you issue MDI commands like G0's and G1's?
Do you have the steps per unit value correctly programmed in each of the axes? That is if you command G0 X4,
does it travel exactly 4 inches.  I am assuming you are using inch units?
How are you probing, that is which button or Mach function are you using?
Have you tried to MDI a G31?

Craig