Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: JAC on April 27, 2013, 09:45:20 PM
-
Hi, My name Jaime from Fresno Ca. Im new to the Mach3 program. I been buying parts for my bench top mill (motors, drives etc.) after 3 months finally I was able to wire it every thing. I download the mach3 program and I did the initial set up with the video all the way to motor tuning and it was suppose to be enough to see the motors runing or move. My problem its that they dont move at all. they get energize (X,Y,Z) but dont move when I press the up or down arrow like the video said. I watched the video 5 times to see if I did something wrong on the set up of pins and ports but they look ok. Also I double check all the wires on drivers and breakout board and they look ok as well . One thing I notice its that one of the motors vibrate Little some times, also when I press the up or down arrow only the Y numbers move . How I make X or Z numbers move as well on mach3 screen.
Thank you in advance for you help
Jaime
-
Hi Jaime - welcome
Can you post your xml please. Same name as your profile at bottom right of the main screen but with a .xml extension. You'll find it in C:\Mach3. Copy it to your desktop, change it's name to Jaime.xml and use the attachments button below your reply.
BTW - to jog X and Z use left/right arrow keys and Page Up/Down.
Ian
-
Just wanted to clarify something for you Jaime, when you're in the motor tuning operation, the up and down arrows are used for all axis for testing (like the video says), but only in the motor tuning operation.
This changes when you get back to the regular mach 3 screen.
As Ian pointed out:
Z axis = page up and down keys.
X axis = left and right arrow buttons.
Y axis = up and down arrow buttons.
Just trying to help,
Dave
-
Thanks Dave - I may have misunderstood the issue there.
Ian
-
Thank you Ian and Dave for you quick responce. I try that tonight when I get home. The other problem I have its that when on motor tuning my motors doesnt move at all when I press the up or down arrow. they get energize (lock up position) but not movement.I check setting and wires about 5 times they look ok. do you have any ideas or can you tell me what else to check or i did wrong causing my motors not to move. I try them again tonight when I get home.
thank you
Jaime
-
Hi, Jaime,
Are you absolutely sure you have the correct ports and pins set up for the motors, and the green checkmarks are showing that they are all enabled?
Dave
-
HI Dave I'l check them again tonight. I going to watch video one more time and go step by step all the way to motor tuning see what happen or see if I can find some thing wrong. so I let you know later.
thank you
Jaime
-
Hi Dave I watch the video again , yes I have the correct ports and pins check with green mark on ports and pins window. So they are enable. I try again and same thing motor not move at all. what I saw on video was that on input signal you have everything check with green mark on Active low, So I check (enable) the ones for X,Y,Z hoping that they work but still nothing. So on input signal ,Active low everything should be mark on (green mark) beside E-stop?. thats how I saw the video . Any other Ideas what might be wrong so my motors dont move? Also Im going to check my cable to make sure Im getting the signal to my drivers and then from my drivers to my motors. I know its going to be a little thing I missing cause i know lot of people using this program (mach3). What i learn now it how to jog with the arrows. the problem I had before I was using the worng arros on key board. now I can see the numbers on DRO move (X,Y,Z) bout motors dont move. Any other ideas what could be wrong let me know.
thank you
Jaime
-
Hi Jamie. Just a couple of things to check. When you downloaded your Mach program from the internet you did download it with a driver, as you have an option to download without a driver for program proving options without it being connected to a machine.
Secondly you have set up a profile for your machine, i.e. Mach3/mill and running your machine from it. I tried to run my machine direct from Mach and my motors didn't move.
If you have a driver present did you check the signal coming from it by going into the Mach folder on your “C” hard drive, select driver test and see what sort of signal you have got. This program will tell you if its good, there are options to improve the signal, special driver etc.
Finally you are using a desktop computer only Mach's not keen on laptops.
That's my suggestions, its bound to be simple very rare for the Mach program system to be wrong. We all like to think it Mach's fault especially when we have pulled all our hair out, threatened it and OD on Coffee. Jim
-
Hi Jim, thank you for all your suggestions. I'l check all that when I get home after work. Yes I think I download the program with drivers but I double check that too.
When you say "profile for your machine" you got me thinking cause I have two icons with mach3 mill. One its just Mach3 mill and the other it ask me to name it when I was downloading the program and I named that mach3 JAC mill something like that, but I been trying to run my motors from the Mach3 mill . Now that you suggest that I going to try run it from the other see what happen.
think I did the driver test as well when i download the program too see how my computer would act and it said it was ok think you talking about that test but I check it again as well. I know its going to be a little think (set up) .
Yes Im using a desk top computer (Win. XP)
thank you again Jim I check all this first and them if motor still not moving I check the cable to make sure I get signal to my drivers then to my motors
Jaime
-
Jaime - this is why I asked you to check the profile name bottom right and post your xml - it's the easiest way for us to check your setup without continually guessing.
Ian
-
Sorry I do that tonight. and I try again. I let you know
-
Hi Ian and Dave I check my system again and everuthing look ok but stillmy mototr no move.
My profile name its MILL_JAC.
I also check my comupter port for signal and this its what I found out.
port #2 .16v pressing the - or +
port#3 3.23v when I press the - and stay like that till i press the + then it goes to 0v and same thing happen to the other Y,Z.
Also I check the drivers and when its done it said Mach1 test complite OK
-
Im trying to atach some pics so you can check my stting but for some reason I cant , its getting late now I try again tomoorow.
Thank you
-
Jaime - I didn't ask for the NAME of your profile and I didn't ask you to post pictures. Please re-read my first reply and post your xml FILE.
Ian
-
OK. you talking about the one on mach3 folder under mach3mill.xml . I attache it tonight. sorry for all this confusion. Think Im trying to do things too fast.
Thank you Ian
Jaime
-
if your profile name is MILL_JAC, your xml file will be named MILL_JAC.xml .
John
-
Hi John, thank you. Think I got it now.
-
Hi Ian, think this is what you been asking for since the begining. If not let me know and I look for it again, sorry for all this trouble and thank you for all your time and help.
-
XML looks fine so...
port #2 .16v pressing the - or +
port#3 3.23v when I press the - and stay like that till i press the + then it goes to 0v and same thing happen to the other Y,Z.
Looks like you have a 3.5V parallel port. If this is the case you'll need to either add a new 5V parallel port card or a BOB that will accept 3.5V in and provide 5V out.
Ian
-
Thank you Ian, I try to see if it something wrong with my parallel card and I try to use a different computer to see if it works.
thank you again for you time and help.
Jaime
-
Hi, Ian and Dave I got my mototr moving now. I was checking all my settings and waires again and I saw that one of the wires on BOB was no connect it right. But one of the motor vibrats little some times when its not moving do you have any ideas why. I post to see if anybody else have any problems with motor vibratting. for now I finish watching the video to finish setting up my computer.
thank you
Jaime
-
Hi, after so much trouble finally I got my motors moving. One of my probles now its that one of the motors vibrate little few seconds and then stop then vibrate again when its no moving, what could be the problem.
My secon question its, do I need to have limit/home switches to be able to make mach3 work and make parts or I can just set the softlimits and thats enough to be eble to start running mach3 and make parts?
thank you
Jaime
EDIT: by Stirling - I've merged this with your existing thread.
-
Have you satisfied yourself that you have 5V now on your PP? If not and your drivers NEED 5V then this may explain the motor vibration.
Ian
-
Hi Jaime,
If accidentally running into the mechanical stops will not cause damage to to your machine then it is probably OK but I would recommend that you fit and use limit switches as soon as practical.
Soft limits will only be of use if they relate to a known position of the cutting tool and the machine is always, initially, set-up with the Mach3 DRO's zeroed with the cutting tool in that position.
You can check job size (program limits) from the Toolpath window after loading the GCode - these extents relate to the GCode origin or starting point so you should know before running a job that the tool-path will be within the working area of your machine.
Not sure about your motor vibrations when stationary but I suspect it is caused by your controller - does it have any adjustments for motor tuning or does the manufacturers instructions give any clues ?
Tweakie.
-
Jaime - As I've indicated above, I've merged your threads as it just leads to having to re-cover old ground.
Anyway - re: your limits question: IMHO If your machine is "small" and uses steppers and is not going to damage itself if it hits the end stops then you don't really need limits. I've run my router for many years without limits, home switches or soft-limits and never had a problem.
Ian
EDIT: I see Tweakie has already covered this whilst I was merging threads - see what I mean about creating confusion ;)
-
As a follow up to Tweekie and Ian’s posts, it is also possible to use the mechanical end stops on a ‘small’ machine (Sherline in my case) without home/limit switches to zero the soft limits. Jog X Y and Z against their zero mechanical stops until the steppers stall. Press ‘Ref All Home’. The mechanical end stops are also very repeatable.
Al
-
it is also possible to use the mechanical end stops on a ‘small’ machine (Sherline in my case) without home/limit switches to zero the soft limits.
I wouldn't recomend doing that.
RICH
-
Hi Ian andTweakie. I have a small table top mill. (table size 8-1/4 X 28-3/4. 2hp motor). For now I just going to be making small Aluminum parts. I dont think it have a chance to get all the way to the ends ( machanical stops) might be on Y axis but I'll be carefull. I am use to run CNC machines they run different programs (EzPath). I just wasnt sure if mach3 needs the limiy/home switches to be eable to run , but now that I know it will work that enough for now. I dont wnat to spend too much time and money on this machine ( it has a round colum) I wan to save some money to buy a square colum machine about the same size.
For what I saw on video about the softlimit . If I move my table (X axis) all the way to one side close to my machanical stop. I can mark that as softmin 0" then if I move it all the way to the other side close to the other mechanical stop an I mark that as softmax lets say 18" . my motor only move on those dimesions 0" to 18", and I do the same for Y axis. this would be my machine cordinates its that correc or I misunderstand the video.
Now I was thinking on move my table X axis to center position and mark my softmin to -9 and my softmax to 9. Can I do that ?
About the motor vibrating Im going to ask the company I got them from.
thank you
Jaime.
-
Jamie,
This should help.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,11409.msg72346.html#msg72346
RICH
-
Thank you Rich. I do that later today. After that just need to take care of my motor vibration when its no moving and I can start trying to run my machine. I already contact the company where I get them from and they told me to try couple things. hopefully my motor stop vibrating when its no moving.
Thank you to everybody for all the help. I let you know later what happen.
Jaime
-
After that just need to take care of my motor vibration when its no moving and I can start trying to run my machine. I already contact the company where I get them from and they told me to try couple things. hopefully my motor stop vibrating when its no moving.
In Reply #19 and Reply #23 I was querying whether your parallel port could be 3.5V rather than the 5V that may be required by your drivers
...but I don't seem to be able to find your reply...
The thing is, if your driver requires 5V logic and your PP is 3.5V, this could be causing the driver to see an indistinct logic level which could be causing it to dither.
Ian
-
Hi Ian. I took care of that problem already. I contact the company where I got my computer from they toll me to check couple things, my parallel port its 5v, and my PCI slots are 5v as well. out of my 3 motors only one vibrates.
thank you
Jaime
-
Hi, RICH . I did the softlimits already on my machine, but when I move the Z axis 1" on Mach3 screen DRO it only moves .127" ( I have a digital calipers set on my Z axis ). Same thing happens on X axis and Y axis. what do I have to change on Mach3 program to make it 1:1 (inches).
thank you
Jaime
-
Are you jogging or using the command line to make a move?
Are your units in inches ?
Is the scale set to 1 for each axis ( scale is located next to the DRO)?
Post the current xml file that you are using.
RICH
-
Hi RICH. yes I jogging the axis. I set my machine for inches, and all the axis has the scale 1. I already post my xml file, its on page 2. I double check everything again when I get home later today . Iam at work now. and I repost my xml file again.
thank you
Jaime
-
Hi, RICH here is my xml file.
-
Your cycle jog step is set at 0.001" and the jog mode is continous in the flyout.
Set the step to 1" and change the jog mode to step.
RICH
-
Hi RICH, I check that, and I see if I can check it, cause Im sending back one of my drives, thats why one of my motors was vibrating. they told me to send it back so its going to take more than a week before i get it back. If I have any problem finding where to change the jog step and modes I let you know.
thank you
Jaime
-
Ok RICH, I already change the jog step to 1 and the mode to step. I'll check it as soon as I get my new driver.
Thank you for all your help.
Jaime