Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => PoKeys => Topic started by: mcummings on January 31, 2018, 02:09:51 PM
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Hello all!
I know there are pages of comments about getting the limit switches to work with Mach4 and a Pokeys57CNC - I've read them all and I still don't quite get how to make these limit switches work! I think I must be doing something very wrong. I am also very familiar with this https://www.poscope.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/Pokeys/LibrariesAndPlugins/Mach4%20and%20PoKeys57CNC%20-%20step%20by%20step%20guide.pdf (https://www.poscope.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/Pokeys/LibrariesAndPlugins/Mach4%20and%20PoKeys57CNC%20-%20step%20by%20step%20guide.pdf) document, especially page 14.
All I've done to test is to connect a normally open switch to the ground pin (pin 12) and the Axis 1 switch (Lim +) of the Limit/Home connector on the Pokeys57CNC.
Then, in Mach4, I configured the Pokeys Plugin - PoLabs, Pulse engine page - basically, I changed the Limit+ value to Ext. dedicated and checked the Inv.+ check mark. That's it, that's all I did. I apply the change and then try to job the Axis 1, expecting the limit switch to stop the motor from running, but it does not stop. I've also tried unchecking the Inv.+ box, but that stops the axis from running all the time, switch closed or not. I must be missing something simple.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Marshall
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Hello again - here are the images I put together for the previous message. Hopefully, someone can help!
Thanks,
Marshall
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I am also very familiar with this ............... document, especially page 14.
... page 32 as well ?
Just curious, till help arrives. :)
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You know, funny you should mention that. I did see the reference to the wizard and I thought about going that route, however it seems like I should be able to manually configure these switches without having to autodetect. At this point, I don't have that much set up either to have to blow it all away and have my settings put back to square one. I guess I COULD give that a try, if there were no other options. It does seem funny to have to go that direction though.
Thanks!
Marshall
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As mentioned in the manual, if you haven't, a shut down and restart after any changes is the only other thing that I can suggest.
Good luck, I'm sure help is on the way.
Russ
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Hi Russ,
Thanks for that. In all honesty, that is probably something I should double check - what exactly needs to be restarted after a config change like this? Pokey board, Mach4 software, both? Hopefully not the entire PC, that would be a bit much!
Thanks,
Marshall
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I would say they are referring to just shutting down and restarting MACH.
Had another thought.
Verify that your switch is wired AND working correctly.
What you describe above is EXACTLY what would happen if the switch was not "making" and "breaking".
Use a meter, LED indication or, just bug a wire to the 2 PoKeys terminals in place of the switch to test your config.
I have seen folks connect a typ. limit switch up to the NO and NC terminals instead of using one or the other along with the COM. (even did it once myself).
Might try that.
Russ
Russ
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Well, this is more than a bit embarrassing, but I guess it happens. I must confess, I considered blaming it on a defective switch for a minute, but that's just not right. Got out my multimeter and did a quick continuity check and...no beeps, switch closed or open. I had run the two wires to the normally open and normally closed pins - of course it didn't work. A bit of solder and five minutes later, everything is working as it should!
Russ, thanks so much for your responses and waking me up to see the obvious! Very much appreciated! Case closed...
Thanks to all who read this as well - looking forward to more great info in the future!
Respectfully,
Marshall
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Good job Marshall, you're on a roll now.
Quite welcome !
Kind regards,
Russ
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Hello everyone, first time ever posting anywhere so please excuse my ineptness. I'm having difficulties sensing a home sensor on a router that I'm trying to setup. I'm using a Pokeys57CNC board, Mach4, and external stepper drivers. I have a NPN sensor which takes pin #12 on the Limit/Home connector of the Pokeys57CNC low when sensing the axis in the physical home position. I don't get any indication on the Mach4 diagnostics screen that it's detecting the sensor. The router that I'm trying to setup has three axis. I've started out with the Z. I can control the + and - direction of the motor but haven't been able to get any further do to my input issue.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Hi,
do you have a multimeter? I would guess that the input has a pull-down resistor in which case
switch operation would not be detected as a change of state.
Try probing the input. If it is low with the switch inactive then it has a pull-down resistor.
Craig
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Hi,
just looking at the manual and input #12 in the axis switch connector block (page 16) is
a DI5P type input,which per section 3.2 page 18, has the representitve circuit diagram shown, with a 10kOhm pull-up
resistor.
Probe the input, with the switch inactive it should be logic high. Note that the DI5P input is 5V tolerant,
you are likely to have a real cock-up if you try to bung more than 5V in there!
Note also that pin #12 is the home switch for the A axis, per page 16. Is this what you wanted?, I thought you
were trying to set up the Z axis. The Z axis home switch is pin #14.
Craig
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Thanks for the reply Craig. I did probe the input and it's normally held high and the sensor when active sinks it to ground. I have the Z motor connected and mapped to the motor 4 connector. I was using this motors home pin which is #12 on the Axis switches connector. I did try the sensor input on pins 14, 16, and 18 and saw no status changes on the Mach4 diagnostics panel.
Thanks again for the input.
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Hi,
then I would guess that you have not set up Mach to look for those inputs.
I use an ESS and with the ESS if you set an input in the ESS plugin it will automatically set Machs input
in its configuration too. Quite handy. I suspect that in this instance the PoKeys plugin is not doing so.
Go to Configure/Control (also called Mach in earlier releases) /Input Signals and scan down until you find the
inputs (Home Motor3)you are looking for and attach the 57CNC signal to it. Hit <apply> and exit. You may even need to restart
Mach in order that the core read the new assignments from the .ini file.
Craig
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Hi,
was the issue resolved?
The default configuration of limit and home switches is selected in the new device wizard. If the switch is not configured to be present, the corresponding input will be deactivated. With the deactivated input, there will be no indication to Mach4!
Send a screenshot of 'Pulse engine' configuration screen. If the switch is configured there correctly, the plugin will also configure appropriate Mach4 signal and vice-versa.
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Hello and thanks for your suggestions! I did start over and finally got the home sensors working on all three axis. I'm not sure what I did differently than the numerous previous attempts, other than closing Mach 4 down and restarting after making changes. Now all I have to do is figure out how to slave the Y axis to the A axis and hopefully be able to start experimenting.
Thanks again!
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I had the same issues, but ran in to a new problem, with is a follow up on the last reply.
In mach4 diagnostics I have signals from my switches on X,Y,Z,A as it’s the order it’s detected in the detection process. No problem!
Now the problem starts I Also want A to slave Y, and have set that up.
Now in Mach4 Y and A does not work. X and Z is getting signal through.
Pressing Y and A simultaneous is activating Y???????
In diagnostics all 4 of them are working.
I only want to use the home function
And my connections is made on the “axis switches connector” pin, as follows
X=18
Y=14
Z=16
A=12
I simply don’t have a clue what’s going on!
All the motors ar working without problems
It did work before updating to the newest version of Mach4, and pokeys plugin.
Any good advice is welcome
Kent
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Hi Kent,
Did you find a solution yet, I'm having exactly the same problem.
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I got a answer from polabs.
It’s homing X, fine
It’s homing Z, fine
It will home Y and then A, and then register that Y been homed..
It’s supposed to do it this way.
I didn’t want to use the home function due to that it did it differently before.