Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Gadget on August 26, 2009, 11:07:56 AM
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Hi!
I´m pretty confused about Mach 3 although i´ve heard great things about it.
I have a 3 axis gantry machine with a controller called "P4". (see attached link)
http://www.solectro.se/Archive/Documents/Produktblad/P4_komp_1.pdf
I don´t like the program that came with it (galaad) and i have plans to start using Mach 3 instead.
Is it possible to use Mach 3 with my controller without changing the hardware, i mean if galaad can control
my machine now there should be a way to make it work with Mach 3!?
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Afraid the manual is not in English so I dont know for sure but it certainly looks like it connects via RS232 so if it does then you can not use it as is with Mach.
You should be able to use the drives and motors if they accept Step/Dir signals but rewiring will be required.
Hood
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I am only guessing here, you need to find out if the drives will take a step and direction.
I have a different controller that came with a machine we scrapped for parts. The four drives in it were meant to be run from a program which used the RS232 to flash the memory on the drives. It was a high end robotics machine.
After talking to the manufacturer, he said yes they will take step and direction, but the drives are just not meant
to run in that manner, and even if you get them to work i would not be satisfied. May be applicable to yours also
so maybe talk to a tech rep of the company.
FWIW,
RICH