Messages

6501

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: September 30, 2017, 02:53:28 PM »

Hi,
first you need to add the two signals into the signal library, its a table called SigLib in the screen load script, add the following:

Code: [Select]

[mc.ISIG_SPINDLE_AT_SPEED] = function (state)
    if (state==1) then
        AtSpeed=1
    else
        AtSpeed=0
    end
end,
[mc.ISIG_SPINDLE_AT_ZERO]= function (state)
    if (state==1) then
        IsStopped=1
    else
        IsStopped=0
    end
end,
This allows you to use AtSpeed and IsStopped global variables throughout Mach. If you have a look at the bottom of page 9 and the top of page
10 of the LUA Scripting Guide in your Mach4 Help Docs you will see that Mach4 has built-in m3, m4 and m5 which cannot in fact be altered. What
you can do is write your own m3, m4 or m5 and Mach will execute your script instead. Any functionality in Machs internal script will have to be duplicated
in your external script in addition to whatever extra 'fruity bits' you want to happen.

Next little trap is that you should name your scripts with lowercase m and the script number without leading zeros. Thus M03 is likely to result in error
whereas m3 will be fine. Remember if Mach doesn't find your script it will use its own, if you name your script badly it may miss the fact that its there.

I will gather some more info and comeback with some suggestions.

Craig

6502

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: September 30, 2017, 01:36:53 PM »

Hi,
the desired behaviour is that the machine wait until the spindle is up to speed before setting off on its moves.

The machine must therefore measure the spindle speed and compare it against its programmed speed, that is the meaning and use of
'Wait on Spindle to Stabilise' and 'Percentage' entries on Configure/Mach/Spindle page.

If you don't want to use that functionality then use Spindle Up To Speed signal. It is as it stands just a predefined signal, it doesn't do anything.
If you wish it to do something then YOU must program that something.

It certainly is possible to modify the existing m3,m4 and m5 scripts.

I think it will be necessary to add the two signals to the Signal script.
Then have a delay in m3,4,5 until the signal state is true.

If you haven't done any programming in LUA then I suggest
https://www.lua.org/pil/contents.html

Craig

6503

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: September 30, 2017, 05:54:45 AM »

Hi Hakan,
I don't know for sure but I believe Mach4 is expecting some sort of feedback pulse and it uses that pulse stream to calculate the
actual spindle speed and display it.

droTrueSpindle

the name of the DRO in the upper lefthand corner of the Spindle block of controls.
I've yet to find any code that describes how the DRO is updated, I think its part of Machs core nor have I worked out how a pulse input is directed
to the module.

Without some sort of pulse feedback how could Mach ever know the actual spindle speed, it's almost sure that it will differ from the programmed speed.
Exactlty how the signal is assigned and the calculations done I don't know yet.

My understanding is this is the primary method Mach uses to monitor the spindle. I imagine it could be modified to reflect the available input data,
so it could accommodate an index pulse once per rev or an encoder of hundreds of pulses per rev. I note that many VFDs have programmable outputs
to simulate an encoder. Further I note that VFDs can output an analogue voltage equivalent to spindle speed. While direct monitoring of spindle speed
may be the primary method there are alternatives.

The input signals Spindle at Speed and Spindle at Zero are inputs which have been predefined in Mach. The Probe signal is another predefined signal
but it maybe your machine doesn't use it and therefore has no input pin assigned to it. Because Probe is such a widely if not universally used input
it makes sense to have a signal name defined. It analogous fashion the two signals you're talking about are available on just about every VFD and so
make useful candidates as predefined signals.

In your case given that you have wired the controller inputs with these two signals you can assign Mach predefined signals and then use those signals to
effect behaviours you wish, for instance triggering delays in the m3/m4 and m5 scripts. You are already half way to achieving the behaviour you want or
you could abandon that approach and use the more conventional pulse monitoring approach above. May I suggest that you complete the control solution
you've already started. It will require some code additions to m3,m4 and m5. Once you have that operational then you might consider the other approach.
I think that a lot of the required functionality required to make the pulse approach work are already included in Mach and really only requires
settings to be made for it to work. You could then compare the two ideas to see which is best and learn a bunch about Mach/LUA as you do so.

Craig

6504

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: probing problems

« on: September 29, 2017, 06:57:25 PM »

Hi Chaoticone,
always forget that the most active contributors to the forum actually develop Mach 'in their spare time' like.

You wrote the probing module, kool, very kool, but don't you have other and better things to do? You poor sick little puppy! LOL

Craig

6505

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: September 29, 2017, 06:51:55 PM »

Hi Hakan,
can you confirm that the spindle setup tab you are looking at is Configure/Mach/Spindle?

If so I think you are misinterpreting the setup you are making. If as you say you've checked the 'wait to stabilise' setting then Mach will be looking
for some spindle feedback to determine whether the speed has in fact stabilised. I expect that Mach is looking for an index pulse or encoder pulse stream.

You have signals from the VFD to indicate whether its up to speed or when stopping that it is stopped. Could you not take the m3/m4 macros and add code
to delay until your upto speed signal comes true? Likewise your m5 script could wait until your stopped signal comes true before returning to the calling
program.

Craig

6506

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration CONSTANTLY Changing

« on: September 29, 2017, 06:30:49 PM »

Hi,
last thing....at the moment anyway...is 'don't keep changing the calibration'. You said you calibrated the machine and then cut a 6x12 rectangle
and it came out right, then the calibration must be correct. If subsequently you cut a shape and its comes out at the wrong size it could be that
Mach and the PC have forgotten what the hell its supposed to be doing...extremely unlikely or something else is happening. By changing the
calibration you've added another variable, I understand your desire to have a shape come out the right size but continually changing the machine
settings is masking the real problem.

Try cutting the same shape several times, they should all be the same right? If there not you have something to investigate.

Craig

6507

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration CONSTANTLY Changing

« on: September 29, 2017, 06:21:55 PM »

Hi,
second question...how is the motor rotation converted to linear motion? I noted that you said that your machine

rail system with rollers (no belts).

Does that mean that one or more of the rollers is hooked to the axis motor and the roller engages the rail and moves the axis backwards
and forwards? If that is the case then I would be investigating slippage between the roller and rail, it must be pretty dramatic to give you
the variations you've described.

Craig

6508

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration CONSTANTLY Changing

« on: September 29, 2017, 05:57:59 PM »

Hi,
can you try cutting a few different shapes, without re-calibration in between, but without the plasma running?

I just wonder if electrical noise could be causing what you describe.

Craig

6509

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: probing problems

« on: September 29, 2017, 05:35:25 PM »

Hi Chaoticone,
very clever bit of guessing...would explain symptoms to a tee.

Craig

6510

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: System Requirements for Mach4

« on: September 29, 2017, 03:05:45 PM »

Hi,
yep, should do nicely and at a good price too.

Craig