Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => SmoothStepper USB => Topic started by: bjm323 on August 17, 2009, 08:06:55 PM
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I'm having a bit of a problem. In parallel port mode my spindle motor comes on manually and when instructed to in the gcode. Now with the smoothstepper I can manually turn the spindle on but it won't work when instructed in the gcode. All settings in the pin and ports config are set the same. Am I missing a setting somewhere? ???
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When you say 'manually' what do you mean? Your can click on the 'Spindle' on button or hit 'F5' and you can turn it on/off? In the SS configuration how do you have the Spindle set up (Relay/none) how is your spindle configured in the Ports&Pins 'Spindle' Tab?
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Hi Jeff. Yes, I can click the spindle button on the Mach screen and the motor will turn on/off but will not when the gcode calls it out. As for the SS configuration, I don't know what it is set at since someone else has installed and configured it for me. I can't remember the spindle settings in the Ports & Pins tab off hand but I will post that info today after I get home from work. Thanks
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Here is the Ports & Pins setup. I'll check the SS configuration when I get home from work. Thanks
(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn295/Juiced10_5/machspindlesetup.jpg)
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The spindle configuration in SS is checked on relay/none. I tried checking the PWM and it works when commanded but the RPMs are all over the place.
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So you have a PWM controlled spindle?
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Yes it is.
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Hello everyone,
I need some advice on Spindle Control!
I am hesitating wether to use PWM or STEP/DIR output for spindle control.
I will have to make 0-10V output from either of them, so interfacing circuit will be needed, if I make one, the circuit itself will be no problem.
BUT: From SS or from MACH point of view I have no idea...
Which one would you choose, is there a clear advantage of one over the other? (more problem free operation, less bugs, more stable output, whatsoever) differences, pros contras
For additional info, the Freq. converter of the spindle has PID control availability, so MACH only needs to give control signal, no need for speed feedback inside MACH. If I feedback to MACH index signal, it will be only for DRO and maybe Synch for threading... (if this feature will work one day)
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Hi,
With the smooth Stepper there is very little differece between PWM and Step/Dir for spindle control. The good thing about the SS is that you can use high PWM frequency which help with noise immunity over the Step/Dir method.
Have a look at the DigiSpeed DC-05. It has been specifically designed for devices such as the SmoothStepper.
http://homanndesigns.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=38
Cheers,
Peter.
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Hi,
So I have decided now to go for the PWM Spindle control, one question solved :)
Semi-OFF Topic:
However, I do not know if anyone can help with this:
My Spindle controller has 4 operating modes, and I do not know which one to choose, as tech. manual does not describe the exact differences of these modes:
-Mode for Constant Torque applications
-Mode for Variable Torque applications
-Mode for Constant Torque applications with sensorless flux vector control
-Mode for Variable Torque applications with Energy saving
This is a TELEMECHANIQUE Dirve, ALIVTAR series...
ANyone has an idea, or at least whom to ask? (Or should I try to contact manufacturer? but it is an old model)
*** GOt some info, spindles should be constant torque application... ***
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Recently I built an PWM-Analog converter of active filters, with adustable amplification for better calibration.
Now as I use it I had other questions raised:
* Does anyone how the PWM resolution changes with PWM frequency?
(Separately for PP output and for SS output)
** At Ports_Pins config, I can only set Step/DIR pins for spindle. IF I configure PWM, then STEP pin becomes the PWM output. OK. ANd what about the DIR pin?
- If I set it to 0 (supposing I always rotate my spindle one direction only) then mach yells for an error.
-- If I set it to a certain pin, then what will it do??? (I can configure separate relays for CW and CCW but I do not see where to assign pins for them)
--- What If (and this is my case in fact) want to use one pin for direction (HIGH=CW; LOW=CCW) and another pin for Spindle START/STOP (HIGH=GO; LOW=STOP) and a third pin for the PWM signal for speed control?
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Hi Hunserv,
For the parallel port, the resolution of the PWM is the Mach3 kernel speed/PWM base frequency
So, if you have a Mach3 kernel frequency of 45KHz and a PWM base frequency of say 10Hz, then the resoulution of the PWM output is 45,000/10 = 4,500 steps between 0% and 100% of maximum speed. So that is 0.022%
Therefore if you have a maximum spindle speed of 10,000rpm, the speed resolution you can get is 10,000 / 4500= 2.22 rpm
For the smoothstepper, I'm not completely sure but I think that the equivalent value for the kernel speed is 4MHz so the resolution is a lot higher.
Cheers,
Peter.
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Thanks Peter,
Any hints on the 3-wire spindle setup? (pwm, dir, stop)