Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: maxmyo on September 21, 2007, 01:08:30 AM

Title: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: maxmyo on September 21, 2007, 01:08:30 AM
I'm totally new to the cnc world but i managed to make the table and a board to control the motors and i'm using this board http://pminmo.com/3axis/3axis.htm  and i tested it with another software and it spin the motors very well but when using Mach3 i can't move the motors at all i used the configuration as instructed in the board manual for pins on the LPT port and also this configuration http://www.pminmo.com/wiki/index.php?title=MACH3_setup
which is made specifically for this board with mach3 but nothing happens at all but i noticed that when i run gcode file " the road runner" and start cycle i notice very very small movements on one motor like 2 or 3 tiny tiny steps but thats all
please help me configure my board with Mach3
BTW i'm running a new computer with 3.2GHz processor if thats matter

thank you in advance
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: Hood on September 21, 2007, 02:20:28 AM
Go to the Mach3 folder and copy your XMLfile for the profile you are using and attach it here. If you have not made a custom profile it will be Mach3Mill.xml  Also you will have to rename it to be able to attach it to a post.
We can then have a look and see if we can find any problems in the setup.

Hood
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: maxmyo on September 21, 2007, 08:29:49 AM
OK here is the file
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: Brian Barker on September 22, 2007, 07:19:26 PM
Sounds like you need to reverse your Step and direction pins...
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: maxmyo on September 23, 2007, 05:21:04 AM
thank you for your reply
the step pins configured for the DB female in the board is 3 6 9 for the X Y Z and the dir pins is 2 5 8 and here is the photo for the recommended by the board maker http://www.pminmo.com/wiki/index.php?title=Image:Mach3MotorPin.png
and if you checked the xml file you will find that i configured it right i don't have a clue of whats wrong
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: Chip on September 24, 2007, 01:24:46 AM
Hi, Maxmyo

Some printer cards, cables and cnc boards don't support/use all the same Gnd pins 18 through 25, Thy just use a couple of them.

Check that you have a good Gnd from the computer and your cnc board, I've seen this a couple of times

Hope this Helps, Chip
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: maxmyo on September 24, 2007, 06:00:18 PM
thanks for your concern
but like i stated the board is already working with another software and the motors spin smoothly but i would like to use mach3 to control my cnc but whatever i try the best result i get is the very tiny steps for just the Y motor thats it
i'm clueless of what to do

please any hint would be appreciated
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: Ron Ginger on September 24, 2007, 09:47:25 PM
Have you set the steps per unit values and the speed and acceleration values in the motor tuning screen? Will the motors run from the tuning screen?
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: maxmyo on September 24, 2007, 10:19:12 PM
thanks for your help
yes i did set the tuning motor parameters as in this picture
http://www.pminmo.com/wiki/index.php?title=Image:Mach3MotorT.png
but i don't know what do you mean by running the motors from the tuning screen
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: maxmyo on September 29, 2007, 08:25:09 PM
hey guys i'm waiting for along time now and Hood asked for XML file and i provided it but didn't recieve any answer so should i forget about mach3
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: Chip on September 29, 2007, 09:08:06 PM
Hi, Maxmyo

Give this a try, Change the Dir/Steps Low Actives around.

Also have you tried the other Printer port address for Port #1, Other than std. 0x378, Tried 0x278.

Look at your other cnc program that works, Maybe it is using a different address. 

Chip

Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: Hood on September 30, 2007, 06:11:16 AM
Sorry for not replying :(
 Had a look at the xml and first look it seems fine as far as setup is concerned, but have a look at your Steps Per Unit  as they could be on the low side. Are these drives microstepping, half step or full step? What is the TPI of your ballscrew/leadscrew?

What Ron is meaning is go to Config menu then down to motor tuning. Use the sliders to increase/decrease your values for each motor and test by using the Up/Down arrows. Once you have the tuning the way you want then save the axis settings and move onto the next.

Hood
Title: Re: HELP please Mach3 won't run my board
Post by: conroydp on September 30, 2007, 06:29:30 AM
Try to activate the "Gecko half step mode" option on the Config->motor and pins tab