Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Garf on September 19, 2012, 01:14:00 PM
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Hello,
I'm using a plasma CNC since 2-3 years and would like to add it a THC. Connection seems fine but have a problems with mach3 that I can not understand.
First I'm using the "test mode" of my THC. (command up and down for 1sec each to move the spindle)
During the test I can see on the THC the commands UP/DOWN.
I receive the signal in MACH3 but my spindle does not move.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img138/166/56365159.png)
Anyone has already face this problem? and solved it :)
There is also some of my configurations:
Plasma : hypertherm powermax 85
THC : compact THC controller from PROMA elektronika
Motor command : Box CNC-shop with board TB6560
A SmoothStepper to convert USB to parallel port
(http://imageshack.us/a/img26/3264/config2.png)
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I am not sure that the Smooth stepper even supports THC ? May want to check with Greg at Warp9 for the answer.
(;-) TP
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I have a similar setup and a Proma THC Controller. I wasn't going to wire it in but I decided to run the test and see if there was some kind of problem with using it. Took a bit of doing but I was able to get it to work and my z axis moved up and down just like it was supposed to. I followed the Proma guide for Mach 3 except for the in signals. I tried pins 10 and 11 as in their example, but there was a conflict. I ended up using pins 10 and 13. I can only speculate that pin 11 is inverted in a parallel port and that confused the setup.
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Ok, I'll try it. Hope I can have the same result than at your side.
Do you also use a smoother stepper or ou have a direct connection through parallel port?
I asked the support of Warp9 directly to know if the problem can be linked to the smoother stepper.
Thank you both for your support.
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I am using a run of the mill parallel port. It's an older computer that has been consigned to the exclusive task of CNC control and had a port already available. I looked at the smooth stepper, looks like a great product. Just from my uneducated point of view I can't see a reason it wouldn't work. There IS one difference between your initial test and mine that I observed. Initially, my Z axis started moving up but not down. I finally figured out it was the conflict I mentioned. The point being I always had some kind of movement. You said you are seeing the signals in the Mach3 Diagnostics. If you are getting signals, I think SOMETHING should happen. I assume you enabled THC UP and THC Down in the Pins and Ports. Can you jog the Z axis from the keyboard? It sounds like a problem in Mach3.
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When I use the system without the THC, I can control X,Y,Z axis manually with my computer keyboard.
I tried to disable inputs linked to the THC in mach3 config and I don't see anymore the yellow square changing in mach3 (seems normal). When I configure THC inputs the signals thc up/ thc down come to mach3 as you can see on first picture (seems normal). And nothing happen :'(
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Very Strange. If you have an e-mail address I can send you a copy of my XML file. It probably won't work on your setup but you can at least look at it and compare it to your setup.
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check your personnal message ;)
Yes for me it is very strange too.
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Garf
Any luck solving that problem? I'm just curious what was causing the issue.
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I found an old computer with parallel port and connects directly my SmoothStepper and it works.
The problem comes from the USB to parallel converter that was between my computer and the SmoothStepper.
I'll try another converter if I find some time.
Thank you for your help bad_bunny!
Garf
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Garf,
Thank you for that information. I'm sure your experience will help a lot of other people in the future with Parallel ports becoming obsolete and USB becoming practically the only option available these days. Glad to hear you are finally up and running!
Steve
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I found an old computer with parallel port and connects directly my SmoothStepper and it works.
The problem comes from the USB to parallel converter that was between my computer and the SmoothStepper.
I'll try another converter if I find some time.
Thank you for your help bad_bunny!
Garf
Does this mean you had a USB to Parallel Port adapter hooked into the Smooth Stepper on the USB end of it? The Smooth Stepper should have a straight through USB cable from it to the PC and the Parallel Port cable running from it to the BOB. It doesnt need any kind of adapter running from its USB plug to the PC...
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Hi, I am new to the forum. I have a proma THC I was using with another setup and an independant THC head with a DC motor - worked well but I wanted to cut the wight down on the Z so I figured I'd feed the PROMA outputs into MAch3 and just use the z axis stepper to perform the Torch height control. Ah well, not so easy. I have nothing but high end computers in here and not a parallell port in sight so I went with a smoothstepper via USB. The THC did not work but I had not yet purchased Mach3 and figured that was the problem. Once I was sure I could get mach3 to do what I wanted, I bought it. It is now licensed and THC still does not work. So after about 6 hours of research, I found an obscure note on a forum where a fella said that the THC function is part of the Parallel port driver in Mach3. This makes sense because you would want quick control. Well since I have a smoothstepper, I don't use that driver. Very disapointed. Back to my old DC motor setup which worked well but it's a bit bulky because I have a gas torch as well as a plasma head and planning to put a touch probe so getting ugly. I really need the probe because my bed is 12 feet long and I load 3 different plate sizes and they aint allways flat as I'd like.
Oh well
Anybody know if that guy was right about the parallel port driver doing the THC work?
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Simple solution buy a PC with a LPT port and XP
(;-) TP
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Scrounged up an older pc and installed XP today - parallel port is working but a little odd
Looks like pins 2 and three might have a problem. Nothing was happening for X axis so I rassigned the outputs to pins 8 and 9 for X and it worked fine. THC even works but it controls x now, not z so I reconfigured for z to be on outputs 8 and 9 and the THC was now OK. Jus to be neat I put them in ascending order as follows.
x=4&5
y=6&7
z=8&9
Seems reasonable - jog doesn't like that though. X and Y are now crossed So I had to switch pin assignments and wire my drivers accordingly.
x=6&7
y=4&5
z=8&9
That is the only configuration that allows THC, Hotkeys and Jog to work correctly. But Hey, it all works now so I am happy with that. I tested the cables and all were ok, the BOB is fine - tested it with the smooth stepper and all is good so that leaves. the parallel port and the driver. Gotta leave something for tomorrow.
Cheers