Messages

541

General Mach Discussion / Re: Smoothstepper and probing, home and THC

« on: September 04, 2010, 10:11:34 AM »

99% of the Smoothstepper install is actually that driver

I don't know much about THC, and I don't know much about smoothstepper either at this point

Interesting to claim that you don't know very much about something right after making several huge assumptions about how something works  Actually about 99% of the SmoothStepper functionality is the plug-in. The FTDI driver provides a 'translator' between the USB hardware and an application.

542

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Vista - Motors wont move - even during initial setup

« on: September 02, 2010, 02:37:48 PM »

We still don't have enough information to help diagnose the problem. Do you have the correct settings in Ports&Pins? Do you have power to your Driver board? Are you getting the step/direction signals at the driver board. Do you have the correct address set up for your parallel port? Are you using a 'parallel cable' that has all 25 wires run straight through (not a serial cable)? These are just suggestions as I can't be more specific at this point. If you have power to your driver board than it is likely a wiring or configuration issue. Is your parallel port built into the PC or is it an add-on?

543

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Vista - Motors wont move - even during initial setup

« on: September 01, 2010, 09:13:51 PM »

Have you configured your ports&pins? What kind of driver are you using?

544

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash comp help

« on: August 30, 2010, 09:58:47 PM »

That is a huge amount of backlash (if your measuring things right), I suspect you have other problems though as backlash is repeatable. If you are getting readings all over the place then you have problems with something flexing, lots of slop, etc. Backlash comp won't do a thing to help a loosey goosy machine. I'm not trying to sound negative, or like an ass, but I hate seeing people get off on the wrong track. Take care of the mechanical things first, make things consistent and then worry about backlash.

545

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Newbee needs help

« on: August 30, 2010, 08:10:35 PM »

You'll use the XML that Zenbot provides but you'll need to change the motion control device to the SmoothStepper. I've detailed how to do this in the PDF called: Installation Tips , that you can get here: http://www.soigeneris.com/Documentation-content.aspx#SmoothStepper The manual and driver/plug-in can be downloaded from the same page. Normally I email this information but thought I would post it here in case someone was reading this thread in the future looking for the same information.

546

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Newbee needs help

« on: August 30, 2010, 02:43:52 PM »

I installed a NetMos PCI parallel card and the most recent Vista driver for it.

This is the key sentence. If you had to install a driver than the card is emulating a printer port, it is not a 'real' hardware parallel port. In other words you can use it for a printer but you can't twiddle individual bits on it like Mach does. You can either find a PCI parallel port card that says 'no driver required' or go with something like a SmoothStepper: http://www.soigeneris.com/SmoothStepper-details.aspx (my website)

547

SmoothStepper USB / Re: ESTOP on SS

« on: August 29, 2010, 09:29:14 AM »

Go into Settings->Ports&Pins->Inputs Tab scroll down to the Estop row, click on the active low column. If what I just said made no sense I would make the friendly suggestion to download the Mach manual from the documentation section of this website. It will be a big help in figuring out where certain settings are and what they do.

548

SmoothStepper USB / Re: ESTOP on SS

« on: August 20, 2010, 09:54:28 AM »

To add to the good advice Hood has offered: The EStop input is just there to the the SmoothStepper and Mach that A EStop has occurred and that they should stop sending out commands to the motors and such. This input by itself does not make an EStop system. I harped about proper EStops so much that a lot of folks are probably sick of hearing about it. No doubt you can find out more information about setting up a proper EStop on your machine with a quick search of this forum.

549

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buying a laptop for Mach 3

« on: August 18, 2010, 03:43:46 PM »

Most laptops will work is you are using a SmoothStepper instead of the parallel port. Even though I use/recommend the SS and use my laptop quite often when testing things, I also recommend a dedicated PC for the CNC control as it prevents problems with other software form interfering with Mach. I do have customers that use the laptop and SS as their only means to control machine(s) but they know to be careful about what they install on the laptop to avoid problems.

550

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running other things at the same time as Mach3

« on: July 31, 2010, 11:23:45 AM »

Scott, I think you'll probably be OK. The big issue is with things interfering with the parallel port drivers need for speed. I have an old PC in my shop (1.3 Ghz single core) that I have for virus protection running on and it is connected to the network with a USB wireless dongle. I can get by with this because I use an external motion control board. I've had customers give themselves fits by streaming the Gcode from a network drive, while surfing the Internet, while cutting parts. Even with an external motion control card that is asking a lot. Let us know how it works.