Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: turmite on November 04, 2017, 02:25:21 PM
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I am about finished with the retrofit to my Onsrud router using Mach 4 and the Vital Systems Hicon controller! I have a problem and do not know how to fix it!
I can use MDI with the command s2500M03 and the spindle comes on like it should! I then enter M05 and the spindle will not stop! I have to hit my disconnect
to get the spindle to stop!
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Hi,
not sure what the problem is but you should use lowercase letters and without leading zeros
I've gotten into the habit of coding macros with lowercase m and gcodes with lowercase g. Machs interpreter decodes to lowercase and strips out leading zeros.
So M03 gets decoded as m3 etc. In most cases what it gets decoded to is unique and causes no problems but there are times when its not so and an error
results. I now prefer to code in a manner that doesn't require either Mach or Windows to have to interpret what I mean.
Craig
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It would be helpfull if you posted your m3 and m5 macros.
DazTheGas
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Thanks Craig, I will remember that. I had no idea about the decoding by Mach to lower case!
DazTheGas I have not written any macros for this. I assumed that since the m3 and m5 were part of
a standard set of codes that Mach used that no further work on my part would be needed!
I am wondering if I have everything enabled that I need enabled in the config?
Mike
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I assume that this router is driven by a variable frequency drive (VFD). If so, it could be that the VFD is configured for a momentary normally open start signal and a normally closed stop signal instead of the more common FWD and REV signals that must be held on to run. Some VFD manuals refer to momentary start signal method as a "3-wire control" configuration.
Using this configuration would could cause the router to start when the M3 is executed, but not react when the signal is removed by executing an M5 because something must break the normally closed signal in the VFD's stop loop. Mach4 would need a macro and an normally closed output to work with a "3-wire control" configuration. It would be much simpler to change the parameters in the VFD to use the more common "maintained" FWD and REV control setup.
Here is a link to a description of 3-wire-control from a Toshiba technical support site:
https://www.toshiba.com/tic/datafiles/1.0_S15_3-Wire_Control_App_Note.pdf
Steve Stallings
www.PMDX.com
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Hi Steve,
Yes the router uses 0-10 v from the Hicon to the VFD to run the spindle! It does use the FWD signal but no reverse is used! I have attempted three times to attach a photo from photobucket using the img inserter with no luck. The photo showed how the spindle was mapped in the outputs! The guys from Hicon said I only needed the Spindle FWD signal enabled. Any help or suggestions knowing what I have so far will be much appreciated!
Mike
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The issue that I was suggesting that you check out was not with your Mach4
configuration, but with the parameters in your VFD. Can you tell us what
make and model of VFD is in your machine?
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Hi Steve,
The VFD is a GE/Fuji AF300 G11!
I just got it back on Friday from a place that troubleshoots VFD's as well as sell them! The company found the answer to a fault code which had to do with a thermostat! They checked all the parameters set on the VFD for my spindle and told me they were all good to go!
This is a retrofit of a Vital Systems Hicon, matching drives and servos to replace all the old outdated drives and servos as well as a discontinued controller by the name of AMC from England. Company is out of business, controller no longer made or supported by Onsrud! No parts, no software etc. This is the VFD that came with the machine and the spindle! The spindle is a 10hp Colombo air cooled.
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OK, I found the manual for this VFD and did not see any mention of 3-wire control mode,
so my earlier guess at your problem may be off base.
The manual can be downloaded here:
http://dealerselectric.com/images/products/surplus/G11%20manual.pdf
If you can talk with the people who serviced your VFD, try asking them if it is possible
that it could be operating in a mode that requires a separate STOP signal input.
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Steve thank you so much for your effort! We found the problem this afternoon! It may be in my set up since I am having to use the 6 axis version of Mach 4 and I was using release version 3390. We found that the m3 call would basically lock Mach 4, or at least that is what it appears to do. The guys from Vital Systems used the 4 axis version of the 3390 release and it worked fine!
So first off I have to go get into the profile and see if I can find the issue and second download the newer version of Mach 4 and start all over!
Thank you so much for your help!
Mike
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Well after making the statement we had found the problem that is only partly true! While the 4 axis version worked fine, I cannot use the 4 axis version and the newest version of Mach 4 using the 6 axis screen we still have this problem but it is only one of the problems related to a M3 or M03 call. I have also discovered that even within gcode when the M3 S???? will lock the gcode and it will not advance past the M3 S???? Doesn't matter what actual speed is ask for either!
Currently I have to hit the M5 button on the spindle ccw tab and then immediately hit the M3 button to start the spindle again! So for a work around I take the M3 and spindle speed out of the code all together and use the M3 button on the ccw tab to start the spindle manually. The M5 will excute perfectly at the end of the program!
Mike