Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Mach4 Plugins => Topic started by: john11668 on January 20, 2021, 01:40:06 PM

Title: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 20, 2021, 01:40:06 PM
I have run my lathe happily  on Mach 3 with the CNCdrive controller http://cncdrive.com/UC100.html
There are some functionality problems with  spindle pulleys and threading , and I was advised that  Mach 4  would overcome these, which is what i am wanting to test .

I have installed Mach 4  , then downloaded the plugin for the UC100  from the above page . I tried both the auto install, and the manual install routes but Mach 4  is not seeing a plugin  for UC100 so I cannot select and configure it .
Can you guide me on how to achieve a working state with this combination.??

Alternatively  can you guide me to a reasonably priced motion controller which is known to work with Mach 4.

Thanks

John
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: joeaverage on January 20, 2021, 11:42:17 PM
Hi,
there are a number of Mach4 users whom have a UC100 so it definitely does work. The UC100 is a single port equivalent, that
is 17 inputs and outputs, which is very restrictive.

A UC400 and PMDX-424 both have 34 IOs' an Ethernet SmoothStepper has 51 IOs, a 57CNC has 57 IOs, a UC300 has 85 IOs.
Not sure exactly how many a CSMIO and a Hicon have, but plenty.

As you noted all the UCnnn series are made by CNCDrive, the owners and manufacturers of UCCNC. They have a good Mach3 plugin for
all their motion controllers but the Mach4 plugin is weak on realtime supports. Given the competitive nature of the two companies I
don't see CNCDrive expending a lot of effort to improve their Mach4 plugins, when really they'd rather have customers buy UCCNC.

The other manufacturers have expended much more effort on their plugins to ensure maximum facility with Mach4, and include
Warp9TD, PMDX, PoKeys, Vital Systems. CSLabs deserve a mention but their Mach4 plugin lacks polish when not actually buggy. CSLabs
are trying to push their own software and the Mach4 plugin has suffered as a result.

Craig
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 21, 2021, 05:52:59 AM
Thank you for that.
Maybe a more informed view of the prospects than what i have seen so far.  And a perspective on the Mach Vs UCCNC competition ,
I was advised early on that  UCCNC did not really have a decent piece if software for a lathe .
I chose to stick with Mach 3 for early testing mainly because I was familiar with it , but I do see significant failings and there are suggestions that Mach 4 overcomes those , and I being the owner of a UC100 I chose to try that first  .

I have a response on cncdrive forum which suggests the following:-
MAke sure the .net framework 3.5 is installed (enabled in the Windows features on Win 10.)

beyond that  the advice to install the Mach 4 plugin are much as I have already carried out.
I will try that later and report back

Thanks
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 21, 2021, 04:37:54 PM
No further forward . Still wont work
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: rhtuttle on January 21, 2021, 05:56:31 PM
Hi John,

I used the UC100 on my lathe when I converted to Mach4.
I'm sure you have already done all of this but just to make sure.
The uc100 plugin files (.sig and .m4pw) must be in the mach4hobby\plugins directory.
You must enable that plugin by Config->control select Plugins tab and then enable so the green check appears.
Then you can go to the Config->Plugins menu and configure the uc100.

Having said that I abandoned the uc100 because they had not done a thorough testing of the plugin on lathes and there were errors in certain operations.  I went with a pmdx411 and have been happy with its performance but it is limited in the number of inputs as is the uc100.  I still have a version 1 usb smoothstepper that runs a mill under mach3.  Have recently add another mill that runs mach4 with a Pokeys57cnc.  I and others have not been able to get the pokeys to run under usb but runs great over ethernet.  Haven't tested it on a lathe.

HTH
RT
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 22, 2021, 07:36:28 AM
Hi there .
The files are all there .  CNCdrive suggest it is Artsofts problem not recognising "their" plugin 
but the files are all safely stashed in their plugin file . See attached

Actually I am getting a bit peeved about being passed from pillar to post so the pmdx option is tempting, along with a package including Mach 4 licence.  A single source for the product I guess would  imply a single house solution. Either they support me  make it work or it goes back for a refund .  Not like this game ping pong I am now being part of.

Just to be clear on the application I will be using it on a Boxford TCL Lathe which is currently on Mach 3 with UC100.
Unfortunately it does not recognise the spindle pulleys function, and the threading function on Mach 3 isnt workable .
I can put up with a shortage of inputs as this is to me a learning project .  As they say "any old bike is good enough to learn on "  (daren't say that to the wife though)  I would hope though that I can move the device  on to my next project. I would hope to convert a turret lathe such as the Hardinge HC some of which are available for peanuts prices.
 
Maybe  in the circumstances I should consider an ethernet device ??


What lathe do you have and do these functions work on your lathe with pmdx411  ?
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: rhtuttle on January 22, 2021, 08:28:00 AM
From the attached photo it appears that you have the files in the directory:
C:/mach4hobby
Not
C:/mach4hobby/plugins
Sorry, no backlash character on my phone keyboard.
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 22, 2021, 09:58:32 AM
They are indeed in the correct plugins file RHT.   They had been placed there by CNCdrive auto installer option so all OK there .
CNC drive seem beaten by the problem hence (maybe) there suggestion that Artsoft should be able to resolve .
Would be nice if someone could!!!!!

Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 22, 2021, 12:01:51 PM
Have sent the query to Artsoft  .
Now waiting with bated breath.
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: joeaverage on January 22, 2021, 02:41:49 PM
Hi,
if you are considering another controller for your lathe then get one with enough IO to suit your machine NOW but also
in a few years.

I don't believe any of the UCnnn series devices support lathe threading whereas the PMDX-424 does as do PoKeys, ESS and others.

Craig
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 22, 2021, 05:54:12 PM
Have sent the query to Artsoft  .
Now waiting with bated breath.
Mach support supplied a remote connection link and while I was having my dinner  the problem was resolved in my absence . Came back after dinner and a notepad message told me UC100 was now connecting.
I will ask tomorrow if they can tell me what was wrong for the sake of others who may have similar probs .

Maybe they will be good enough to come here and tell us what I had done wrong. I have no objection to total honesty if it was all my fault .  I will ask them to complete the story.

I will now embark on the configuration process, but already  I  have the tool post whizzing about at silly speeds .  Probably need a bit of motor tuning but that will be tomorrow.

Thanks to all that have tried to help .  Will come back if I can get more info on what I might have done wrong

John
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: john11668 on January 27, 2021, 07:34:22 AM
Hi John,

I used the UC100 on my lathe when I converted to Mach4.
I'm sure you have already done all of this but just to make sure.
The uc100 plugin files (.sig and .m4pw) must be in the mach4hobby\plugins directory.
You must enable that plugin by Config->control select Plugins tab and then enable so the green check appears.
Then you can go to the Config->Plugins menu and configure the uc100.

Having said that I abandoned the uc100 because they had not done a thorough testing of the plugin on lathes and there were errors in certain operations.  I went with a pmdx411 and have been happy with its performance but it is limited in the number of inputs as is the uc100.  I still have a version 1 usb smoothstepper that runs a mill under mach3.  Have recently add another mill that runs mach4 with a Pokeys57cnc.  I and others have not been able to get the pokeys to run under usb but runs great over ethernet.  Haven't tested it on a lathe.

HTH
RT

It seems you were correct RHT .  I am told that UC100 needed to be enabled  in the control/ config/ plugins page .
I must say  there is  a lack of info  for anyone going into Mach 4 from scratch, they just have not yet got around to a manual  which expands on the configuration, and even with experience of Mach 3  the configuration of Mach 4 is  bewildering.

And even then if UC100 does not support threading it may not serve my purpose for long.
I am looking at other options , but some members on other forums seem to have bitten a software bullet and gone to Linux CNC.  I am told that is likely to involve a steep learning curve but it seems to me that so does Mach4.

I am not looking for commercial precision  so if I can make decent short (maybe 10 mm long) threads on my TCL 125 then I would I think be satisfied .
As I have said elsewhere I dont mind spending the bucks (within reason)  on licences and a chunk of hardware as long as I am confident it is leading somewhere . Without a decent Mach 4 manual I feel that I may be troubling members of the forums unduly.

These machine are toys to me and I hope to quickly outgrow  the TCL and move  on to something more "up to the job"
My current dream is to convert a turret lathe  and would love to do one  like this , so would need  axes for LT, XT, and turret rotation , as well as spindle motor , and speed  variator ( variable speed pulley system ) But I have a way to go before I embark on that.

Maybe a prompt release of the Mach 4 manual will speed my journey   ;)
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: kephra on October 04, 2022, 01:04:44 PM
I am wondering if this has been solved.  I just upgraded my Mach4Hobby to v2 and Mach no longer recognizes the UC100.
The UC100 files are in the plugin directory but the UC100 is not listed in Mach 4.
I reloaded the UC100 files from cncdrive but that didn't solve it.
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: kephra on October 04, 2022, 06:18:11 PM
Never mind!  My error, it works just as bad as it did in the original mach4.  (Backlash is flaky)
Title: Re: Mach 4 wont recognise UC100 controller
Post by: joeaverage on October 04, 2022, 06:23:43 PM
Hi,
to my knowledge the UC100 does not support backlash compensation....but even if it does, backlash compensation is 'flaky' at best.
There is no solving backlash with software, not properly.

Craig