Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 03:07:53 PM

Title: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 03:07:53 PM
HI all,

Im extremely new to CNC stuff like this.  Ive assembled a Routakit HD from a Kit (read a mashed up bag of parts with little guidance.)  Ive installed the ESS driver to allow me to talk to my STDR-4c and that went well but i didnt know enough to program the pins to the motors.  Routakit sent a profile, that didnt work and now my STDR-4c wont communicate with mach4 and is showing a fault light.  I cant find info on the fault light anywhere in the manual.  Any advice or reference material is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: joeaverage on September 05, 2018, 03:14:00 PM
Hi,
the manual for the STDR4 is for a USB SmoothStepper and Mach3.

Please confirm what motion controller you have. An Ethernet SmoothStepper has  aMach4 plugin whereas the USB SmoothStepper
does not.

Craig
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 03:18:46 PM
sure thing, Ive got an ethernet smooth stepper (at least i think) I just assumed it was the same.  Its an ethernet connection to my Computer, ill post a pic
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 03:32:50 PM
well....I apparntly dont know how to post a pic.  but it says STDr-4c stepper driver on the bottom and it has an ethernet connection, not usb.  It was recognizing the ESS yesterday it just didnt have any pins set up. now that ive used the one from Routakit its showing a fault light and wont communicate. 
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Cbyrdtopper on September 05, 2018, 03:37:48 PM
Thinder.  Click Reply on the bottom right instead of using the quick reply. 
Click additional options and you can add a picture from there.
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 04:07:51 PM
(http://)
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 04:10:26 PM
Tapatalk isn’t doing it and I’m clueless as to what to put between the [img] bookends....
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 05:14:37 PM
trying again
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 05, 2018, 07:30:37 PM
ok,

 here is what ive found.  If i use the profile from Routakit, it recognizes the ESS, but nothing will jog or move no matter the command. If I use another profile from another routkit guy it crashes and then loses connection with the ESS requireing a restart of my computer to reestablsh the connection.  Ive tried reinstalling the Mach 4 plugin and that doenst help.  Id be happy if i could just build a profile from scratch but I cant find refernces that are simple enough for me to follow.


Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: thosj on September 06, 2018, 07:57:41 AM
It might pay to go to the Warp9TD site and follow the setup instructions for the ESS and Mach4, Andy has written a painstakingly detailed set of instructions for this. Won't be specific for your machine but may be a place to get the ball rolling. At the very least you'll know how the ESS is actually working and how Mach4 setup relates!

https://warp9td.com/index.php/gettingstarted/setting-up-the-smoothstepper-and-mach4

Tom
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 06, 2018, 08:41:54 AM
Thanks Tom.  I read through and followed the setup instructions when I installed the ESS.  Ill go back and review to see if I missed something. 

thanks
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 06, 2018, 10:37:50 AM
ok after digging around I found some guidance on the fault light.  I am totally new to this so forgive how basic my understanding is, but maybe it will help another newbie. 

Apparently the stdr-4c is a controller that uses a gecko g540 as the actual motor controller.  The fault light is part of the G540.  Im not sure what revision I have but looking at the Specs on the Gecko website I was able to get some info on the fault light,  im going to attempt to trouble shoot as they suggest. Ill report back.
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: thosj on September 06, 2018, 11:05:34 AM
I didn't do a LOT of research, but what I found on a STDR-4C shows a USB SmoothStepper inside, and yes, a Gecko G540. So from this I'm guessing you either have a version of the STDR-4C, which seems to NOT be available now, with an ESS or you've put an Ethernet SmoothStepper in the box in place of the USS. I guess in either case, this is why the manufacturer can't help and/or why their plugin doesn't work. Also everything I found on the STDR-4C shows Mach3.

If this is a customized machine, you'd be best off just following thru the Warp9 setup and create a profile FROM SCRATCH. That would get the ESS working, but you'd have to figure out things specific to your machine like home/limit switches and the spindle and perhaps even ports and pins for the motors. Perhaps you could load the manufacturers profile and check in the ESS and Mach4 setup and jot down things like home and limit switches and stuff and manually enter these in your now custom profile.

You might have to either start with the manufacturers profile and fix it or start from scratch and figure everything out.

The machine manufacturers web site seems pretty professional, so one would HOPE that their support would help you get it figured out. Unless you bought the machine used or in parts or a basic machine without the controller and you're setting up the controller, in which case the manufacturer would be stuck, too. There's a lot to know here but there ARE resources to help. Here is only one and because we don't know your machine setup, it's hard for us to help!!

So the G540 docs, the ESS setup stuff, and Google/patience. Hang in there, you have what seems like a nice machine so the end result will be worth the effort.

Like I tell my grandkids, if it was easy, anybody could do it!!

Tom
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 06, 2018, 11:29:22 AM
Thanks for the encouragement Tom.  Ill get it figured out.  I bought this a "complete kit."  I didn't come with manuals for anything,  it didn't even come with a parts list or assembly instructions! I'm amazed I got this far!  I think I've made a breakthrough  but we will see.  Iam creating several small profiles that each only explore one motor or function so I can learn enough to build a complete one.  The company has been extremely unhelpful and I still haven't received all of the parts.  Ugggg


I didn't do a LOT of research, but what I found on a STDR-4C shows a USB SmoothStepper inside, and yes, a Gecko G540. So from this I'm guessing you either have a version of the STDR-4C, which seems to NOT be available now, with an ESS or you've put an Ethernet SmoothStepper in the box in place of the USS. I guess in either case, this is why the manufacturer can't help and/or why their plugin doesn't work. Also everything I found on the STDR-4C shows Mach3.

If this is a customized machine, you'd be best off just following thru the Warp9 setup and create a profile FROM SCRATCH. That would get the ESS working, but you'd have to figure out things specific to your machine like home/limit switches and the spindle and perhaps even ports and pins for the motors. Perhaps you could load the manufacturers profile and check in the ESS and Mach4 setup and jot down things like home and limit switches and stuff and manually enter these in your now custom profile.

You might have to either start with the manufacturers profile and fix it or start from scratch and figure everything out.

The machine manufacturers web site seems pretty professional, so one would HOPE that their support would help you get it figured out. Unless you bought the machine used or in parts or a basic machine without the controller and you're setting up the controller, in which case the manufacturer would be stuck, too. There's a lot to know here but there ARE resources to help. Here is only one and because we don't know your machine setup, it's hard for us to help!!

So the G540 docs, the ESS setup stuff, and Google/patience. Hang in there, you have what seems like a nice machine so the end result will be worth the effort.

Like I tell my grandkids, if it was easy, anybody could do it!!

Tom
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: joeaverage on September 06, 2018, 07:24:44 PM
Hi,
it seems entirely likely that the ESS output/input pin numbers will follow the G540
parallel input plug numbering.

Thus, pins 1 & 2 for the X axis, pins 3 & 4 for the Y axis etc.

Have you tried setting up the ESS plugin with these pin numberings?

Craig
Title: Re: Soigeneris Fault light and trouble getting Mach 4 configured for stdr-4c
Post by: Thinder on September 11, 2018, 01:21:23 PM
Ok! were in Business!  I have motion!  What ive figured out:  I have a Soigeneris STDR-4C Ethernet smooth stepper.  That is built using a Gecko G540, yes it uses the same pinout.   I downloaded the manual and read through it and had my charge pump switch "on."  I followed the setup instructions, switching that switch off and BAM ive got motion!

Thanks guys!