Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: thardin on April 17, 2013, 08:51:48 PM

Title: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: thardin on April 17, 2013, 08:51:48 PM
I just completed a lathe conversion and the spindle index is giving me fits.
Ive got a CNC4PC C-3 spindle index card send the output to a Campbell Design BOB
The C-3 output is blinking when I turn the spindle but Mach doesn't appear to see it.
Ive attached the xml
Any advise would greatly appreciated

Thanks
Todd
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: Hood on April 18, 2013, 03:16:49 AM
Are you telling Mach the spindle has started by calling a M3 or pressing the Spindle button on screen?
Hood
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: thardin on April 18, 2013, 05:34:40 AM
Yes I've been pressing the spindle button on the screen and even with the lathe spindle stopped the DRO always reads 67, when I turn off the spindle the DRO returns to zero ?

Thanks
Todd
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: Hood on April 18, 2013, 05:42:17 AM
Ok thats fine, thats the way the parallel port does things and it does show it is looking for the input.
Dont see much wrong with your config so assuming you have set up the correct port/pin then it would really require you to start checking that things are getting through the BOB to the port. Could possibly be your cable is not a straight through or the pin you have assigned is not connected on the cable.
Hood
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: thardin on April 18, 2013, 07:08:54 AM
I thought the same thing so I bypassed the BOB and fed the signal straight into the parallel port and got the same results.
Just to clarify, on the diagnostic screen the index light should blink on and off as the singal is pulsed, do I have push the spindle button for it blink?
At the moment my index light never blinks, if I toggle the active high/low on the input screen it will turn on or off but never blinks when I turn the spindle.

Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: Hood on April 18, 2013, 07:22:00 AM
It is a long time since I have used the parallel port but I think you should see the Index LED as you rotate manually, just the RPM wont be shown. The index LED should be off until the pulse is sent.
 Check in your BIOS and see if you have the port set to  EPP as likely you will need that.


Hood
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: thardin on April 18, 2013, 08:40:57 AM
Sorry you just lost me, how do I check that
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: Hood on April 18, 2013, 01:23:37 PM
To get into the Bios on most computers you press Del key when you first start the computer up, best to keep tapping it as you switch on and your computer should boot into the Bios.
 Some other computers are F2 and there are other various keys depending on system but usually you will see a message on the lower part of the screen as the computer goes through the post telling you which key to press, it will say something like Press Del to Enter Setup.
Hood
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: thardin on April 18, 2013, 04:44:45 PM
Ok thanks, I'll try it when I get home
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: thardin on April 19, 2013, 07:10:33 AM
OK I changed parallel port to EPP and bypassed the BOB again and it works fine THANKS alot for your help
I'm going to experiment with it some more this weekend

Thanks
Todd
Title: Re: Mach3 Turn spindle index problem
Post by: Hood on April 19, 2013, 08:54:23 AM
Good you got it :)
Hood