Messages

3811

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Machine continues to run after MPG stop

« on: August 18, 2018, 11:21:03 PM »

Hi,
I'm sorry I have to go with garylucas on this......its doing exactly what I expect it to do.

I can turn my MPG faster than the axle can drive, if I stop turning it still runs "until" she has caught up all the steps

I have a VistaCNC pendant and it behaves exactly the same. If I'm concerned about overrun I slow down.

Craig

3812

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: input output

« on: August 18, 2018, 10:56:57 PM »

Hi,
OK, that's easy......put a blinking LED on screen, and connect the LED to an input to activate it and connect to an output
so that you can wire the light in your physical button.

Note that if you don't want the LED on screen you can just make it invisible, but its still there. Using the LED code built into the GUI
means that you don't have to write any LUA code.

Craig

3813

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Shuttle config file location.

« on: August 18, 2018, 08:13:30 PM »

Hi,
if you've restored your profile then why did the settings not get applied to the plugin?

Can you double check that the plugin is installed and enabled?

Craig

3814

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: input output

« on: August 18, 2018, 07:40:01 PM »

Hi,
there is two parts to your question.

Lets take one part.....the blinking button.

If you go to Screen Edit mode along the top you will find the Toggle Button. It allows you to put a toggling button on your screen in a position
of your liking.

I have attached I picuture of the properties of the Enable button, which is just an example of the Toggle Button, and you can see how to assign colors,
blink rate and also that you can attach the button to an input to Mach.

We can worry about attaching an input a bit later. May I suggest that you experiment by adding a toggle button to your screen and setting its features.

Are you using one of the standard screensets? If you are by adding a button you are modifying the standard issue screeset. That's fine but in a months
or twos time you'll download the newest, latest and greatest Mach4 build that standard screenset will be overwritten, along with your button. You'll have to redo
all those tweaks and additions you made. A real PITA.

To avoid that go to the screenset folder of Mach4 and make a personalized copy of your favorite standard screenset. Use that screenset in your profile and
then any tweaks and modifications you make will not be overwritten when you update Mach.

If this doesn't make sense then don't worry about it. I promise you it will make sense when you update only to find that your screen doesn't work as it used
to.

Craig

3815

General Mach Discussion / Re: “New” computer (windows 10) won’t turn motors

« on: August 18, 2018, 07:13:57 PM »

Hi,
I now use an Ethernet SmoothStepper and won't be  going back to a parallel port or even a USB connected controller either.

I understand not wishing to spend money on an external controller. Having said that I wonder if the reluctance to spend say $190 on a ESS
for instance may cost you more in the long run.

Your original post is about a Windows 2000 machine.....you might get it to work. Its highly likely that you will have to replace it and probably
in fairly short order. That's dollars that you might have spent on an ESS.

You last post suggests that the machine you are hoping to control is experimental?  What sort of money has it consumed in terms of parts and materials?
If its a reasonable sum then the price of an ESS is not out of the way, and remember an ESS doesn't wear out exactly, you'll have it for years.
The ESS and its competitors like the PoKeys 57CNC and the UC300 all have plenty of inputs and outputs, the 57CNC and the UC300 have a few
analogue inputs as well. Any or all are suited to experimental machinery.

As far as USB connected controllers the simplest one port devices from reputable manufacturers are:
http://cncdrive.com/UC100.html
https://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-411
https://www.poscope.com/product/pokeys57cncd25/

They are all about  $100 -$120.

Don't get ripped off by Chinese UC100 copies on Ebay and Amazon, they don't work like the real thing. Buy direct from the manufacturer or their nominated
distributor or you'll get ripped off every time.

Craig

3816

General Mach Discussion / Re: “New” computer (windows 10) won’t turn motors

« on: August 18, 2018, 06:35:57 PM »

Hi,
is there a particular reason that you wish to use such an old PC?

Even if you can get it to work the long or even medium term reliability is suspect. You'll no sooner get it to work before it craps
out totally and then you have to repeat the process.

A second hand XP is likewise pretty old and chancy as far as reliability goes. Windows 7 machines however are plentiful and cheap.
Most of the components used in Windows 7 machines have been superseded by later designs but are still available. Thus even if a Windows 7
machine craps out you are still well placed to get replacement parts required to get it going.

Even a new PC is not that out of the way. I use a dual core Atom mini-ITX single board PC much like this:

https://www.mini-itx.com/store/~D2550HN

Or if you want something more up to date have a look at:

https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1585.html

That $209 with memory and HD equiv with Windows 10 Enterprise.....hard to beat that value. Note that with Windows 10 you would require
an external motion controller like a SmoothStepper or UC 100 to run Mach.

Craig

3817

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 18, 2018, 06:12:26 PM »

Hi,
I' guessing hat if you have the setup software installed on a PC you can not only program the drive but you can run it, that is to say
have it move to indexed positions or accelerate to a given speed without the need for the CSMIO. Certainly the Allen Bradley software allows
such use. You can use the built in software scope to tune the servo. In your case you really only need to tune the velocity loop and the chances
are that the default tuning is going to be that close to perfect as is, you could make it worse but unlikely you could improve it.

Either way it is a fun way to use your servos and get familiar with them without having an external controller.

Craig

3818

General Mach Discussion / Re: no go on 2nd port

« on: August 17, 2018, 10:07:52 PM »

Hi,
PCI cards do work as a second port. I recently gave my PCI card to a friend but we couldn't get it to work despite knowing that it had previously
worked for me. I am still of the opinion that we did not have the correct driver for it despite the several promising ones we tried.
I certainly recall some frustration and hair pulling when I first used it myself.

I think the PMDX card will be your most assured means to getting a second port.

The other alternative is an external motion controller like a SmoothStepper or a UC300.

Craig

3819

General Mach Discussion / Re: switched PC now the motors stutter

« on: August 17, 2018, 06:59:08 PM »

Hi Brian,
I think you'll come to regard this as an excellent move. I think it might be a bit ambitious to install an ESS to continue a job already in the machine.
I think you might find it necessary to remove it....I presume that you are considering it the piece of work is valuable? In which case I would be
removing from the machine for safe keeping no matter what other complications may arise therefrom.

Amongst the things that you will benefit from is with the ESS there are three 'parallel port' equivalents. With another (or even two) BoBs
you can have as many Inputs and Outputs as yo can shake a stick at!

Most people combine home and limit switches, and due to the shortage of inputs with a single parallel port, it was required. With all those extra
inputs you don't have to bother with that rubbish any more. Now you can have the X++ limit switch say, trigger and Mach can intelligently apply
restrictions on jogging that you can't accidentally make the situation worse by jogging the wrong way. Also with home switches separated from limit
switches means that you Mach it not required to 'ignore limits' while homing. When you are homing is just exactly the situation where you are likely to have
a cockup and yet Mach ignores the limit switches because they are doing duty as home switches at the moment!

Another benefit is the ESS max pulse rate is 4MHz, rather better than the norm for a parallel port of 25kHz! Now you can take advantage of high resolution
MGPs and/or servos. Admittedly 4MHz is that fast its almost academic but most servo drives are rated to 500kHz with differential signaling, the ESS can do that
easy.

Craig

3820

General Mach Discussion / Re: What kind of bit/end mill should I be using?

« on: August 17, 2018, 06:36:28 PM »

Hi,
I came across this when I was making my mill.

I went to the scrap yard and got some big cast iron weights that had been used in a lift. It was a cheap source of big cast iron lumps.
What I did not know was that the cast iron was pretty rubbishy, I mean all they have to be is heavy, they don't have to be that good.

When I started milling them in the Bridgeport at work I found that the iron had quite a few inclusions which were very hard on the HSS tools
I was using. In my inexperience I tried to take light and shallow cuts to make the tools last. That was a mistake, it means that the tip of the
tool does all the work and the flanks of the tool do nothing. Re-spharpening is possible but as I was paying a company to do it it was dubious that
I was saving any money.

I found instead the best way to proceed was to take deep cuts, 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep but only 20-50 thousandths laterally. The old mill has HEAPS
of backlash, nearly 0.2 inch, the yoke must just about be worn right through, and so after my one mistake, I had to use conventional milling
sometimes called down milling. At least when the tool was worn out I'd got the best out of it.

If you are unsure about climb/conventional milling get yourself to the controls of an old Bridgeport with plenty of backlash. Put in a 1/2 endmill and some
steel in the vice and try climb milling. Make sure you are wearing a face shield!. When the mill 'climbs' into the cutzone and shatters the tool and/or dislodges
the steel in the vice you will understand the difference and what that can mean. You can read 100 books or look at 10 videos but 5 minutes at the controls
of a mill will teach in a manner that you'll never forget!

Craig