Messages

6931

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 w/ new UC100 No Limit switches recognized

« on: June 08, 2017, 07:37:28 AM »

Hi,
the UC100 is a 5V device, how is it that your getting 9v? From the manual:

 On the fly configurable 5 pieces of 5V (TTL level) schmitt triggered and filtered
inputs. The input internal pullup resistance to 5Volts is 4.7kOhms.

That suggests that you must be feeding in excess of 5V into your inputs, have you seen smoke?

Craig

6932

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: EtherCat Pulgin...co-operative venture?

« on: June 07, 2017, 02:51:59 PM »

Hi All,
have been talking to Todd at NF and quite supportive of the idea but its not as simple as it sounds. EtherCat is a realtime system
and while there are technologies to make a realtime system out of Windows they are expensive.

In this case its not the cost of the licence of EtherCat that's the stumbling block but the proprietary technology required to implement it.
Todd also assures me that NF are keen to produce a plugin, a relatively simple task, if an economically sensible solution can be found
to the problem of realtime determinism.

As such I will shelve this idea, RTX, a realtime solution is beyond my means.

Craig

6933

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC 8060Z

« on: June 07, 2017, 02:40:14 PM »

Hi,
I would consider a BoB if the motion controller requires one, the ESS does for instance. Thereafter I would attempt to use what has been
supplied. Can you post a couple of pics of your stepper drivers etc?

Craig

6934

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC 8060Z

« on: June 07, 2017, 11:19:02 AM »

Hi,
if using Mach3 then the following companies have solutions that work:
CNCdrive
PMDX
Warp9
PoKeys
VitalSystems
CSlabs
Dynamotion
Galill

The first four all have useful products for under $200 whereas the other are more expensive but are 'industrial' strength.
If using Mach4 the list thins down a bit, I don't think Galill, Dynamotion or CSlabs have Mach4 ready plugins yet. That is
subject to change, they are working on it!

I personally use an Ethernet connected SmoothStepper made by Warp9, largely because of their commitment to Mach4.

Craig

6935

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 w/ new UC100 No Limit switches recognized

« on: June 07, 2017, 10:58:26 AM »

Hi,
yes it sounds like your sensors are open collector or similar but your BoB has a pull-down resistor. You need to sort it with a multimeter.

Craig

6936

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC 8060Z

« on: June 07, 2017, 10:54:29 AM »

Hi,
no offence but why waste your time with that outfit? I don't know whether Chinese suppliers are intent on 'ripping you off' by virtue of lack
of support or that the communication barrier is such that try to support English speaking customers is impossible. What is certainly true
that nearly every last pirate copy of Mach comes from China and even where a Chinese controller does work there are parts like probing or
THC or threading that don't.

There are several US manufacturers, and a couple of English/European ones offering products that WORK and the have BACKUP. Don't piss
around with Chinese junk.... get a decent controller.

Craig

6937

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC 8060Z

« on: June 07, 2017, 02:53:40 AM »

Hi Nicolas,
Mach3 or Mach4 will run on 32 OR 64 bit. Its the parallel port which is picky, it will ONLY run on 32 bit OS.

If you consider Mach3 in its entirety, that is to say the GUI/trajectory planner AND its 'native' parallel port, then by virtue of the PP
then you can ONLY use 32 bit. If, like me, you consider Mach3 as two components, the GUI/Planner and the separate pulse engine/parallel
port and you only want the GUI/Planner then you can use either 32 or 64 bit. This of course requires a substitute for the PP usually called an
external motion controller, the UC100 and the SmoothStepper being popular examples.

When Mach3 power up a window should open that allows you to choose your motion controller for this session. If you have a PP installed (ie a 32 bit OS)
and say a USB connected motion controller like the UC100 you could choose between the two. In fact you could have more, you might have an EtherNet
connected SmoothStepper as well, it will be in the list, just select the one you want. For them to be on the list the plugin for the device (PP or UC100 or ESS)
must be in the Plugins folder of Machs Directory.

Usually once you've selected your motion device you will just leave Mach that way in future sessions. There is a check box which allows you to hide the select
window at startup and speed things up. Its common to check it. In order then to see the window go to Function Cfg's/Reset Device Sel...and you will then
have access to the window and your choice will be enacted on restart of Mach.

Craig

6938

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC 8060Z

« on: June 06, 2017, 11:32:46 PM »

Hi,
Mach will work on 32 or 64 bit OS's but the parallel port will work ONLY on 32 bit.

An external motion controller would be fine, there are some which are USB into the PC but DB25
out. They are way WAY smarter than a converter. It may be, from your description, what has been
supplied. Note the Chinese made controllers have given a lot of grief over the years. CNCdrive or
PMDX do USB to Parallel  external controllers with the right plugin and they have a great rep for
backup.

My suggestion is don't waste money on another PC just get a decent controller.

Craig

6939

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 w/ new UC100 No Limit switches recognized

« on: June 06, 2017, 11:06:22 PM »

Hi,
Mach does work on 32 and 64 bit OS's but the LPT works ONLY on 32 bit. Your UC100 should work
fine. Sounds like the setup is not quite right yet. If you haven't already RTFM.

Craig

6940

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool plunges into project too deep

« on: June 06, 2017, 08:32:38 PM »

Hi,
yeah CNC is a great hobby for extending your knowledge horizons.

The book is available online, probably free if you scout about. Its a BIG read...
and if your not advanced when you start you will be by the end!

Some of the tutorials are rather more 'accessible' and considerably quicker to get a basic grasp.
Look at the Gcode produced by some of the wizards, rectangular pocketing, circular drill pattern
for instance produce usually fairly simple readable code and worth studying if you wish to write
and therefore read your own code.

Craig