Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: italge25 on April 08, 2010, 04:21:56 PM

Title: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: italge25 on April 08, 2010, 04:21:56 PM

Hello everyone

I have recently downloaded mach 3 to my tower PC running windows xp (had problems with my laptop running vista)

When running the driver test program, I get to the stage where "system under mach3 control" is dispayed.

The "Pulses per second" dro on top of the display however shows "0", and no horizontal line appears in the "timer variations" window.

The PC is running at 2.6 GHz. Is this too fast for Mach, or should I be looking at a hardware problem with the parallel port.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Hood on April 08, 2010, 05:08:27 PM

Do you have Mach open when you are trying the driver test?
Hood

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: italge25 on April 09, 2010, 02:29:46 AM

Thanks for the quick reply

No it wasn't running.

I've however now selected mach3 mill. The mach3 controller has appeared on the screen.
I then minimized the screen and selected the driver test program.
What I get is a pop up screen saying "could not locate missing vectors"

If I run the above procedure using Mach 3 turn, I get the timer variations graph with 0 indications ( as per my first message)

My LPT1 is running at address 0378

Hope this helps a little

Regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Hood on April 09, 2010, 02:41:36 PM

Try re-downloading Mach and installing again and before you do that un-install the driver from device manager.
Hood

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: italge25 on April 09, 2010, 05:46:36 PM

Ok, great. I was able to get the driver running and the profile is excellent.

Thanks a lot for your help.

At present I'm not able to get the Emergency to "Reset" unless I click on the "offline" button.

What have I done wrong this time???

Regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Hood on April 09, 2010, 05:54:07 PM

If you do not have an E-Stop button connected then you will need to go to Ports and Pins, Inputs and change the active state of the E-Stop input.
Hood

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: italge25 on April 09, 2010, 06:25:11 PM

You make it look so easy.

Thanks

Hope to be as proficient as you some day

Regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Hood on April 09, 2010, 06:26:51 PM

ha ha, just been using Mach for a few years so know my way around it, still lots I dont know though and every day I learn something new :)
Hood

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: italge25 on April 10, 2010, 10:13:41 AM

Several years !!. That sounds like a long while.

What type of machines are you running/have converted ? Are you producing some specific product?

At present I'm converting an old Orac lathe (lovely machine) to new electronics.

Two hurdles remain before I finish the conversion.

Namely:
 1) Properly configuring Mach's charge pump / Emergency stop system (using the CNC4PC break out board).
 2) Properly configuring the/a VFD (inverter) and coolant pump for operation via Mach.

Although I've read a bit on the above two subjects, I'm still a little confused because of the many variations.

If you can offer some assistance, I can get into more detail.

Best regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Hood on April 10, 2010, 11:06:58 AM

I have a Bridgeport Boss6.1 , a Beaver NC5 Mill (Bit bigger than a Bridgeport ) a Churchill Computurn 290 Lathe and I made a wee coil winder for a customer, although its me that uses it :)
 I dont produce any specific products, I repair fishing boats mainly and use my machines for that.

One thing to remember about the charge pump is that in reality it is meant to be used to stop steppers jumping around when Windows boots and should not be relied on as an emergency stop type feature.

Afraid I have never used CNC4PC stuff so cant really help with specifics.

Again VFDs I have no experience with, my spindles are servo motors (stepper on coil winder)

Hood

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: italge25 on April 10, 2010, 05:32:08 PM

Sounds good.

Thanks alot anyway.

Talk to you soon

Regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Renatox_ on April 11, 2010, 02:30:21 PM

Other problem when the pc turn off is send pulse that can ignite the M3 and M4 at the same time, and trigger a stroke on the motor or burning fuses.

Normally closed contactors cancel the M3 and M4 are not fast enough to protect the shooting of PC.

regards

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: BrendanR on July 02, 2014, 12:48:46 PM

Ok, So I looked through the bios with my boss (computer nerd and electronics nerd) but we were unable to find APIC, C1E, or EIST. These were setting people suggested we turn off. What does the DriverTest.exe test? Is it checking the parallel port in the computer, the Mach3 driver, or both together?

Thanks,

Bendan

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Hood on July 02, 2014, 12:52:52 PM

It is checking the driver, ie whether or not the computers pulse is steady or not.
The Port itself does not get tested.
Hood

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: Murad on June 09, 2018, 11:07:31 AM

Hi there
I'm Murad, A new comer.
I installed Mach3 in a XP pc, actually going to modify one of my lathe machine to cnc.

However, after installation, from where to find the "mach3 driver test.exe" file? Shall I have to install it separately or automatically it will create the desktop shortcut?

Please help me.

Thanks
 

Title: Re: mach 3 driver test program
Post by: joeaverage on June 09, 2018, 03:46:07 PM

Hi,
look in the main Mach3 folder, it should be call DirverTest.exe. You can run it from there or create a shortcut as you wish.

Craig