Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Bertho on June 10, 2007, 02:41:41 PM
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I have a Taig DSLS 3000 mill with Mach-3 software and it is basically working. I added an extra parallel port interface
board so I have available extra inputs for home switches and general I-O.
Most of my problems are presumably operator related but here we go:
1. On the “Program Run Screen” there is an indicator: Green color= normal condition,
Yellow color= abnormal condition. It is continuously alternating between the two states about twice per second.
Everything works, I can run programs and it looks OK on the diaganostic page.
2. After successfully running a program the machine is disabled. It looks like the controller detected an out of sync
error with the shaft encoders or something. When I jog the machine it does not move and there are no error
messages on the screen. The DRO changes so it looks like Mach-3 is sending pulses to the controller.
Clicking “Reset” twice and all is fine again.
3. This might be related to the problem above: If it looses steps by going too fast or hitting limits, the controller
properly shuts down but I do not see an error message or indication that it happened.
Any help or suggestions are appreciated.
By the way, added extra parallel port shows up at an address of C400-C407 when A PCI card is used.
As a result most or the port monitoring and test programs do not work since they only expect the old
DOS address with just three characters, for example 278. Mach-3 works fine with the 4-character address.
This is also true when a parallel port PC card is used in a laptop.
Bertho
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1. Click on the abnormal button to see what the error is, if its not actually an error but rather the way you have set things up then double click on it, a box should pop up and choose the option to make this a normal condition.
2. Have a look on the General config page and see if you have any options checked for the Progrm End or M30 or Rewind section, could also be something to do with your abnormal state button.
3. Not sure
Hood
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Thanks Hood for super fast reply.
#1: Clicking on the “Abnormal” button gives: Axis are not refed to normal condition.
I have homed X-Y-Z and clicked on “A” axis in referencing on the diagnostic page so X-Y-Z-A are green and they are automatically set to zero and it appears normal.
Axis C & D are red and I do not know how to disable them if that has something to do with the error message.
I hate to click “Let Mach-3 fix it” since then I never learn what was wrong.
#2: You were right, I had “disable all output” enabled in the config menu. No error message or warning that I can see that the machine is disabled. Maybe the error is covered up by the #1 problem?
#3: No warning message when not working. Maybe it relates to #2,
New question:
#4: I saved a fixture offset using the save option for fixture #1 G54. The screen shows “Current Position”.
I expect that clicking on the G54 Fixture 1 button it would bring back my saved value and replace the current one.
That does not happen. I have been reading up on the fixture offset commands and issuing a G54 via the
MDI command line nothing happens. I am obviously overlooking something. Any ideas?
TIA
Bertho
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1. How many axis do you have enabled for your machine, could it be you have enabled all axis?
2. Not sure if you get an error message as really there is no error as it was a user selection to "disable all outputs"
3. Not sure if you would see an error message
4. I am really crap with the offsets, cant be much help I am afraid :(
Hood
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Thanks again Hood!
I am getting closer on understanding the #1 abnormal blinking button. If I start the program and click
reset I can jog and in general all is well. If I go to the diagnostic page and click on reference an axis,
for example Z, the homing works properly and it senses my home switch and automatically set the Z
axis to 0. This is true for the other axis too and all appears well. Except as soon as an axis is zeroed,
the Abnormal Condition starts blinking, and the message is: “Axis are not refed to normal condition.”
You asked about how many channels I have activated but I did not find a place to control that.
Presumably I have overlooked it too. I have a 4-axis controller.
I just found the screen customization program and I love it. It is amazing how much development
effort has gone into these programs. I removed the extra axis in the Screen-4 program but it did not make any difference.
Hopefully someone will help with saving the fixture offsets and how to use them.
Bertho
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Look on the config menu then ports and pins then motor outputs. Make sure you only have X Y Z and A enabled.
Hood
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Yes, only X_Y_Z_A are enabled. I forgot wherer the enabling function was.
Thanks,
Bertho
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I am not sure why you get an abnormal function, please attach your xml and I will see if I can find anything that could be causing it. In reality its probably nothing to worry about and clicking the normal button would fix it.
Hood
ps you will have to rename your xml to something like Bertho.xml or the forum wont let you post it. Best thing to do is copy the Mach3Mill.xml and paste it in MyDocuments or Desktop or wherever and then rename it before trying to attach it to your post.
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Hood,
I really appreciate that you are taking the time to help me.
Attached is the file in question.
Bertho
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I get the same flashing abnormal button when I reference with your xml but why I am not sure. Have not found the reason yet but as its getting late here I will look again tomorrow, if I remember lol
Hood
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Hi, Bertho
If your refereeing to the "Normal Condition" Button flashing, If everything is working normally now except for the flashing Button.
Click on it and Yes to set Normal Condition, It won't flash again unless you've changed settings after reseting it.
Hope I didn't miss the Point hear, Chip
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Thanks Chip,
Hood suggested that too but I am stubborn and since I am new to Mach-3, I am really trying to
understand the guts of it. My old engineering background motto is: “Do not fix it until
the problem is understood”. Letting the computer do it, I will never know what was
wrong or what is waiting to pop up and bite me.
I love this program, especially with the Screen-4 so I can tweak it to fit my needs.
After getting used to it I will see how I can tear out the existing controller for my
Universal Laser System CO2 laser and control it much better than the existing Windows driver.
At least Hodd has duplicated my failure using my configuration file so it is presumably
something I miss-configured since it is the first time setting it up.
Bertho
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Hi, Bertho
So whats not working at this time, The normal Condition is to be set as normal after you get everything working, Art has some key items that if you change
them it trigger abnormal condition.
I have no idea if or where theres a list on the items.
Thanks, Chip
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Thanks for hanging in with this problem.
It works and indicates all Normal until I bring any axis to home. Clicking for example Ref "Z" on the
diagnostic screen makes the Z slowly go home, hit the home senor and slightly back up and then
automatically set the Z axis to 0. As soon as it goes to 0, the abnormal light starts blinking.
Bertho
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Hi, Bertho
Not knowing how your Magnetic sensors are wired, Thy may still be floating a low or high signal that close, Try adding a 2000 ohm resistor to there output to
Gnd. or +5 volts holding them hi or lo, Until a stronger signal pull them full on or off.
Using some Prox switches hear, There Opto Isolated and have a Pull down resistor on the switch side.
Hope this Helps, Chip
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Hi Chip,
I think you mixed up my question with the other users magnetic switch questions.
I have temporarily placed regular micro switches as home sensors and I have
470 ohm pull-ups to +5Vand they appear to work just fine.
I am in the process of adding high accuracy switches but wanted to quickly get
it up running and to understand the system. The switches that I am working on can be seen at:
http://www.vinland.com/Opto-Interrupter.html
Thanks again,
Bertho
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Hi, Bertho
Yes I messed up hear, If your Debounce is at 0 set it to 2000 - 4000 may help, Config, General Config, "Debounce Interval" 2000.
Thanks, Chip
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I tried setting the debounce as suggested but there was no change, still the blinking abnormal light :(
Bertho
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I'm getting exactly the same problem on a 3-axis router. Did anyone ever figure out what the cause is? I get the flashing Abnormal Condition LED and "Axis not referenced normally" message. During Ref All Axes the light starts flashing when the first axis hits its Home switch. If I Ref any single axis on the Diagnostics screen, then switch to screen 1, I get the same LED. Double clicking it and asking Mach3 to redefine the state as normal turns the flashing off only until the next time I ref any axis.
Once today, I started Mach3 and didn't get the problem. The LED flashed while referencing all axes but stopped as soon as the last one was done. I hadn't knowingly changed anything. But since then the problem has come back.
My five inputs on LPT1 are separate Home inputs per axis, a shared Limit input for the other ends of the axes, and an EStop. I am quite sure they are all working and configured correctly, and can see no error on the Homing dialog or the Diagnostics screen. Indeed, it all seems to work correctly except for the flashing LED. I note that this LED is very new - it isn't shown on most of the video tutorials and doesn't seem to be documented.
Can anyone help, please?
Chris