Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: PeterJames on January 14, 2013, 09:15:22 AM
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Hi,
I am setting up a CNC machinefor my workplace. It has run using mach3 before but is now using a new drive system and PC.
I am a complete newbie to CNC and require help setting up.
The machine I am using is :
http://microdream.co.uk/dell-optiplex-gx520-desktop-pc-pentium-4-ht-3-2ghz-1024mb-ram-80gb-hard-drive-dvd-rom-windows-xp-professional-sp3-preinstalled.html?gclid=CKyf9rnJlLQCFSTLtAodFTwAhQ
And the system with which I hope to drive my CNC with is the System4C from DIYCNC.COM. Which I have assembled but currently have not plugged in as I just wish to test Mach3 first.
I have downloaded the trial version of MACH and at this stage would like to test that my motors will turn.
My CNC machine is not plugged in yet, I wanted to test MACH 3 first but am unable to use my keyboard arrow keys to jog or change the values in the xyz axis
Where lies my problem?
Any advice
Please help :-\
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ports and pins:
port enabled
0x378
25000Hz.
Motor Outputs
X axis Green, step pin 2, Dir Pin 3,Red , Red, step port 1, Dir port 1
y axis Green, step pin 4, Dir Pin 5,Red , Red, step port 1, Dir port 1
z axis Green, step pin 6, Dir Pin 7,Red , Red, step port 1, Dir port 1
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is the reset flashing ( bottom left )
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I Have turned that off.
I have been following this tutorial, at around 19:30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5_bzkhU3JQ
he mentions changing the step pulse from 0 in motor tunning.
I entered 1 for both and and behold i was able to jog. I set them back to zero after to see if the would stop and found I was still able to jog so I dont fully understand what the fault actually was but it seems to be working now. My next step is to attach my system 4 via the parrell port which will mean changing my pins and ports according to the manual and see if I can control my nema 23 motors.
So the problem may rise again.
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I have now connected my system 4c from DIYCNC.com with the parallel port cable, changed the pin settings to as shown in the manual and I hae no movement. I can still jog the motor values on the screen using the keyboard but my motors themselves are not moving. The motors aren't making any noise, though the system is on.
x axis green, step pin 3, Dir pin 2, red, red, step pin 1, Dir pin 1
y axis green, step pin 5, Dir pin 4, red, red, step pin 1, Dir pin 1
z axis green, step pin 7, Dir pin 6, red, red, step pin 1, Dir pin 1
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Are your motors properly connected to the drivers (wired properly) and connected (wired properly) to the control board?
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Yes, I have checked them several times they are in the correct order with good conections
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its seems that although I have changed my pins settings to those stated in the user manual, mach3 isnt communicating to my driver system through the parallel cable.
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are the motors locking when the system is turned on (the ballscrews are stiff to turn by hand when locked)
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Is your parallel port turn on in the bios by chance?
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you will hear a pronounced thump when they lock
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no, I'm not even sure that mach3 is communicating with my driver system. The motors are rack and pinion. They are not even making any noise to indicate they are active or awaiting instruction.
Please talk me through turning on my parallel port in bios? Not sure what that is, I was expecting this to be a plug in and play driver.
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the parallel port is usually on, try turning the stepper by hand when the system is off then turn it on and see if the steppers are harder to turn. This will identify that the motors are getting power.
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it may be worth checking that the parallel lead has straight through connections, some are reversed.
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It is easy to turn the motors when the system is on and off. they do not feel or sound as if they are getting power. The LED on the main driver board indicates that it is receiving power from the onboard regulated power supply.
It is just a standard parallel cable I am using. I do not believe it is reversed though the data sheet does not tell me the orientation of the pins on the driver board. It is the male connection to the female coming from my PC
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have you set up the charge pump
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next to the pwr led is the enable led is this on
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when I turn on the system the first and third LED are on. The first is a blue PWR , the other is the Green PS LED.
What is a charge pump and What does it do?
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Make sure the PC parallel port config is for EPP mode. If its not set for EPP it won't communncated correctly to the motor driver board.
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have a read of the diycnc manual, you need to set the charge pump output to pin 1 in mach, or set link L1 to permanently enable the board.
Nothing will work without this enable led on.
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Ok... I just looked at the Dell PC Optiplex you are using. I read someplace, and I try to find it, that Dell's Optiplex line of PC's parallel port BIOS doesn't give the option to be set for EPP mode so it won't work with Mach 3. If this is the case I would go with Smoothstepper and use the USB port.
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I Have just done this test on my parallel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uglCm_qsojk#!
my pins are workings. I was getting a voltage of about 3.2
This Dell PC was recommended to me by the folks over at CNCZONE whom said they have used this PC and its parallel for Mach and it was working fine.
My driver system is £300 of kit so I really hope that it will work.
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What should I do? Really stuck here
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Output 1 is enabled on my mach3 ports and pins settings, still nothing
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are you in the uk
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http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx520/en/ug/advfeat0.htm#wp1101281
It says it can be set on epp, so it should be fine.
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Output 1 is enabled on my mach3 ports and pins settings, still nothing
You need to set the "charge pump output" to pin 1. This is in...config/ ports and pins/ output signals/
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Yes I am in the UK.
I just read the Charge Pump Circuit paragraph in the manual
Perhaps I haven't set the charge pump correctly, would you be able to tell me how in the MACH3 settings?
Is the EPP something that needs to be done to make it work? How do I set this.
I am a newbie to all of this and I thank you for your help.
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Thanks I have set it to:
Charge pump Green, port 1, pin number 1, red.
Still no reaction from my system
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is the enable led on
do you have any other outputs set on pin 1, if so change them
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No, just the first and third LED are on
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No other outputs are set
is there a way that I can post pictures on here of screenshots, would help to show what my mach settings are.
Thank you.
I may have to leave this to worry about tomorrow, are you going to be on the forums tomorrow too, I really must try get this machine up and running asap.
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i've sent you my contact details
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Here is the information provided by DIYcnc for my mach3 configuration.
http://www.diycnc.co.uk/html/wiring.html
http://www.diycnc.co.uk/SYS4C.pdf
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Here are my mach3 settings as I have them now:
(http://tinypic.com/r/xrkvd/6)
(http://tinypic.com/r/ilf991/6)
(http://tinypic.com/r/sgrfyb/6)
(http://tinypic.com/r/2vvv0qo/6)
Where am I going wrong? I plug in the system4 driver unit with the parallel port but nothing is happening. motors arent making a sound or moving when I jog the keys on Mach3 even though the DRO's changes
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Here are my mach3 settings as I have them now:
http://tinypic.com/r/xrkvd/6
http://tinypic.com/r/ilf991/6
http://tinypic.com/r/sgrfyb/6
http://tinypic.com/r/2vvv0qo/6
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Peter,
I am still not certain if your stepper motors are locking up when you have everything powered on.
Do they lock ??
Tweakie.
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They are not locked. Sometimes if i turn the system 4c off the LED's light up and and there is some brief sounds of power. This also happens when I turn the system on but it is very brief and then they are still and silent but not locked
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Using a multi-meter on continuity range, unplug one of your motors then identify the A / #A windings and the B / #B windings then check that they connect to the correct pins on your controller.
Using the multi-meter on dc volts range, check the output of your 24 – 30 Volt PSU and also check that it is connected with the correct polarity to your controller / driver cards.
From reading your technical data, it is my understanding that your controller has internal pull-ups and will operate without the charge pump signal.
Therefore;
With your PC switched off and the parallel port cable disconnected from the PC if you switch on your controller the motors should lock.
Tweakie.