Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Captain Midnight on May 26, 2011, 02:02:48 AM
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I'm trying to hook up a probe to the probe input on my Ajax running Mach3. I can't get a responce on the LEDs on the diagnostic screen. I'm not sure where to go from here.
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Are you configuring the input pin# you are using to the Probe input in ports and pins and enabling this input ?
Tweakie.
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Yes, the I/O map shows my connection as pin 10. In ports and pins, I enabled probe, and set pin to 10.
Is there any way to verify what pin Mach is seeing, besides the LED on the diagnostic screen? Whould the connection show in the XML file?
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OK.
Now if you connect pin 10 (probe) to GND the Digitize LED on the Diagnostics page will light. Why would you need any other verification of the operation ?
Tweakie.
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Well I did, that's the problem. The LED didn't light up, so I need to know why. I verified the wiring with another program. It showed contact on the right pins. When I go back to Mach, it does not light the LED on the diagnostic screen.
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If you have Probe configured active low and configured to pin 10 and enabled then connecting pin 10 to GND (pins 18 - 20 of the parallel port) will light the Digitize LED.
Perhaps you are not connecting pin 10 to GND (the machine spindle or machine frame may not be GND).
Perhaps what is labeled pin 10 on your BoB is not actually pin 10 (check continuity of wiring).
Perhaps pin 10 on your parallel port has died (try another input pin#).
Tweakie.
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Thank you for the reply
My Ajax board connects with an ethernet cable, not thru the parallel port. The Ajax board has a plug on the board marked "probe", its connections are at pin 10, +12volt, and Pin 5, -12volt. I ran another software program (CNC11) and the LEDs on its diagnostic screen showed I was connected to the right pins. When I restart Mach 3, the LEDs won't light. I can't check the continuity of the wiring because it uses fiber optics. I'm not sure how to contine.
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I think you should contact Ajax directly. They provide all the details of connecting probes and the use of their motion controller with Mach3 so should be able to give you all the information that you need first hand.
(the fiber optics do not form part of the probe connection).
Tweakie.
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I have tried to contact Ajax, they do not respond. They have been no help at all.
There installation manual has conflicting data. The I/O mapping numbers change.
The fiber optics do form part of the probe connection, from the MPU11 to the DC310B.
Thank you for the reply
I will keep trying
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Sorry, I did not appreciate that Ajax were unresponsive.
Yes you could connect the probe to a DC310B input and thus via fiber optics but, if it were me, I would connect direct to input 481 on the MPU11.
Tweakie.
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That is where I am connected. The probe input on the MPU11. H3 Pin 6, Mechanical Probe input, and H3 Pin 5, Probe Return.
When I run the CNC11 program to check the pin connection, it says that H3 Pin 6 is input 769, not 481 as it should be.
The MPU11 I/O map doesn't have an input 481. It starts at 769 and goes to 786.
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Can you post (or email me) the probing script you are using within Mach.
Tweakie.
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From Looking at the Docs I don't think that the probe input is brought back to MACH. It looks as thought it is handled internaly. It states that it only writes the probed values to the DROS and not the internal variables. It also does not use the saved files but relies on YOU to write the values to a file.
I would use the HIGH SPEED port if I were setting it up. IF not when probing at higher speeds you could overrun the trip point and crash the probe. Even at 4000 reads per sec that was slow compared to the LPT which reads at kernal speed.
So I don't think you will SEE the inputs from mach ?????
Just a thought(;-) TP
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I think you are right Terry, even the guys on the Ajax forum don't really seem to know the answer to this one. This is why I would like to see the probing routine to find out how it interprets and applies the DRO 1999.
Tweakie.
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Can you post (or email me) the probing script you are using within Mach.
Tweakie.
Yes, but I don't know what a probing script is. Tell me how to find it, and I'll get it to you.
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So I don't think you will SEE the inputs from mach ?????
Just a thought(;-) TP
But the proper wire connections, should light the probe LED on the Mach diagnostic screen.
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NOT if they did not bring that signal back throught the plugin. If it is done through the motion card then it really does not need to bring the SIGNAL back to mach. It just needs to provide the info.
Hook it up so that you see the signal on the Ajax side. Then run a G31 probe command and see if it returns the probed positional data.
Just a thought, (;-) TP
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I don't know how to do that, it doesn't work.
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The problem you have at the moment is that the Digitize LED is defined on the Mach Screen as OemLED 825 and the Ajax instructions say that it writes the 'point of contact' to DRO1999. As it stands this will not illuminate any LED's on the Mach screen.
Somewhere there is an Ajax probing script (or routine for using a probe) which translates this DRO1999 into something that Mach recognises as the point of contact.
Tweakie.
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From the MDI type G31 x-2 F10 . the machine shuld start moving in the X- direction then trip the probe with your finger to see if it stops.
(;-) TP
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It does'nt move.
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Here is the question and reply I just received from Ajax.
Captain Midnight,
Hi,
I am trying to install a Whitehorse probe. I am running Mach3 on the DC310B. The manual says to connect to H3 pin 6 and pin 5 on the MPU11. It says that should be input 481. My MPU11 I/O map doesn't have that input listed. It starts at 769 and goes to 786. To verify to connection by running CNC11, Pin 6 lights up LED 769. I tried setting the Ajax Configuration Utility to Probe Input 769 and 481, but that will not light the Probe LED on the Mach3 diagnostic screen. My MPU11 I/O seemed to mapped differently than the manual's directions. I don't seem to have an Input 481 on my MPU11.
How can I resolve this?
Thank you
Captain Midnight
Captain Midnight
The Mach3 software has that input mapped differently than the CNC11 software. If you are trying to verify the operation in CNC11, when you press ALT+I, you will need to press F12 until you see inputs 769 thru 771. You could also use ModBus to look at input 481 in the Mach3 software to verify it is working. This is explained in the manual. Thanks.
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I really do appriciate the help I'm getting, I feel I'm getting closer to solving this.
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I think you need to return to what Terry said earlier;
"From the MDI screen type G31 X-2 F10 (followed by return) . The machine should start moving in the X- direction then trip the probe with your finger to see if it stops".
If the machine does not move, then we need to establish why.
Does the X Axis DRO indicate the move ?
Tweakie.
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The setup seems fairly simple. Wire in the probe 2 wires, setup AJAX to tell it what port you used. Then test the G31 to see IF it works.
I don't know why they write to dros 2000-2007 that is 8 axis's ??? they only have a 4 axis board and Mach can only do 6 total axis and can only probe/record 4 of them and I think the Dro1999 may be an LED1999 ????
Who knows ?? (;-) TP
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I think you need to return to what Terry said earlier;
"From the MDI screen type G31 X-2 F10 (followed by return) . The machine should start moving in the X- direction then trip the probe with your finger to see if it stops".
If the machine does not move, then we need to establish why.
Does the X Axis DRO indicate the move ?
Tweakie.
After fooling with it some more, I have it working. G31 X-2 F10, will now give me movement. I am so happy. Thank you all for giving me a fresh look at this. Information provided with the Ajax controller is confusing. Now I want to get a probe center finding program working.
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OK so if you trip the probe while moving does it stop and display the coords on the screen ?
The Center find program is easy look in the Mach Tool Box section under downloads at the bottom of the list you should find an example macro that is ready to go.
OOPS SORRY that may not work with the AJAX version. You may have to reinvent the wheel with AJAX.
(;-) TP
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Yes.
I'll give it a try.
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Hi,
The saga continues. I installed the Hoss modified screen set, that has a probing screen. With some adjustments, I have edge finding, corner finding, and inside circle center finding working. When I try to outside circle center find, it does some crazy stuff. Has anybody got that to work well?
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What does the code look like?? What is it that it does , define crazy???
(;-) TP
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It makes two short -Z moves, then rapids X about 2 inches, then continues at F4 in the same direction untill I touch the probe to stop it. Then repeats in -X, Y, and -Y. Then goes to center and displays diameter.
Here's the code:
Rem VBScript To center probe outside diameter
If GetOemLed (825) <> 0 Then 'Check to see if the probe is already grounded or faulty
Code "(Probe plate is grounded, check connection and try again)"
Else
FeedCurrent = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current settings
XCurrent = GetDro(0)
YCurrent = GetDro(1)
OutsideDiameter = GetUserDRO(1152)
Code "G4 P1" 'Pause 1 second to give time to position probe plate
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (0,0.000)
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (1,0.000)
Code "F4" 'slow feed rate to 4 ipm
Code "G90 G0 X" &XNew + OutsideDiameter * .7
Code "G91 G0 Z-.500"
Rem Probe Left
XNew = Xcurrent - OutsideDiameter * .7
Code "G31 X" &XNew
While IsMoving() 'wait for the move to finish
Wend
XPos1 = GetVar(2000) 'get the probe touch location
Code "G91 G0 Z.500"
Code "G90 G0 X" &XCurrent 'rapid move back to start point
Code "G91 G0 X" &XCurrent - OutsideDiameter * .7
Code "G91 G0 Z-.500"
Rem Probe Right
XNew = XCurrent + 3 'probe 3 inches to right
Code "G31 X" &XNew
While IsMoving()
Wend
XPos2 = GetVar(2000)
Code "G91 G0 Z.500"
XCenter = (XPos1 + XPos2) / 2 'center is midway between XPos1 and XPos2
Code "G90 G0 X" &XCenter 'rapid move to the x center location
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (0,0.000)
Code "G4 P0.25"
Code "G90 G0 Y" &YNew - OutsideDiameter * .7
Code "G91 G0 Z-.500"
Rem Probe up
YNew = YCurrent + 3
Code "G31 Y" &YNew
While IsMoving()
Wend
YPos1 = GetVar(2001)
Code "G91 G0 Z.500"
Code "G90 G0 Y" &YCurrent
Code "G91 G0 Y" &YCurrent + OutsideDiameter * .7
Code "G91 G0 Z-.500"
Rem Probe down
YNew = YCurrent - 3
Code "G31 Y" &YNew
While IsMoving()
Wend
YPos2 = GetVar(2001)
Code "G91 G0 Z.500"
YCenter = (YPos1 + YPos2) / 2
Rem move To the center
Code "G90 G0 Y" &YCenter
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (1,0.000)
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetUserDro (1152,YPos2 - YPos1 - .200)
Code "G4 P0.25"
Code "F" &FeedCurrent 'restore starting feed rate
End If
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I tried changing the G91's in the script to G90's, and now it works.
Thanks agin for everyones help.
My probe is alive!