Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 05:00:54 AM

Title: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 05:00:54 AM

Hi
I have a weird problem. I use Autonics stepper motors and drivers. The problem is: For example I connect CW wire of driver (step) to pin #2 and CCW wire of driver (dir) to pin #3, and in Ports and Pins configuration, X axis has pin #2 as Step Pin and pin #3 as Dir Pin. Now, in jog tab when I click X++ button, the motor rotates clockwise as it should, but clicking X-- button has no effect (in fact, it sends just one step as ccw and then stops).
It's not a problem only in jog mode, but loading g-codes doesn't resolve this issue and motor only works in clockwise. When I set pin #2 as Step Pin in "X Axis" and pin #3 as Step Pin in "Y Axis", motor rotates cw when clicking X++ in jog mode and ccw when clicking Y++ (X--, Y--, Z--, ... won't work whatever I do).
I must say that I tried mach3 v2.63 and v3.042.040 both in Vista and 7 in 4 different systems, the results are unfortunately all the same.

We've just finished building a 3-axis Router CNC and therefore we are in urgent need to set up mach3 as quickly as possible.
Thanks in advance.

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: Hood on January 06, 2011, 05:46:00 AM

Mach is Step/Dir not CW/CCW in other words a pulse is put out on the step pin and the Direction pin is either high or low depending on direction. So you will need drives capable of Step/Dir, yours may be as a lot of drives are and all that is required is to flip a dip switch to choose..
Hood

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 05:57:08 AM

I may have misunderstood you, but isn't CCW a high/low system just like CW? I mean, when I send high (or '1') pulse to CCW with other softwares, it just keeps rotating clockwise like CW.

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 06:01:55 AM

CCW like CW needs a pulse system (permanent sending of 1's and 0's), and if I'm not mistaken dir isn't like this.

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 06:03:28 AM

Is there a plugin or something for this problem?

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: Hood on January 06, 2011, 06:04:08 AM

No, you need drives that will accept Step and Direction signals.
Hood

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: Hood on January 06, 2011, 06:05:43 AM

What model drives do you have?
Hood

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 06:23:12 AM

Autonics MD5 MF14
http://www.autonics.com/products/products_detail.php?catecode=03/02/02&db_uid=111

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: Hood on January 06, 2011, 06:29:04 AM

You need to set them to what they call 1 pulse Input method.
Hood

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: Hood on January 06, 2011, 06:31:18 AM

Heres the dip switch to set.
Hood

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: scrat on January 06, 2011, 06:50:22 AM

Thanks a lot, you're a life saver!

Title: Re: X-- and Y-- not working (under vista/7)
Post by: Hood on January 06, 2011, 07:04:35 AM

no problem :)

Hood