Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => Mach3 and G-Rex => Topic started by: borrisl on May 25, 2006, 04:04:20 PM
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OK, I've got a GREX pluged in with 6 G201's on it. The only questions I have is the Digital and Analog Inputs/Outputs. The documentation is still under development(I hope). So I'm a little unclear as to the voltages. Am I correct in that all the I/O is a 3.3V? So, I need to step down the voltages for all my connections?
It was a hope that I could connect my speed controllers and index units to the GREX. Is this not possible yet?
Would I be better to drive the 5v ttl signal off the computer power supply (so the drivers are energized only when the computer is on) or the GREX?
I was wiring the Grex into the computer 12V supply as well so I could turn the system on and off with one switch of the computer. Is this a good thing?
It doesn't mention it, but I've been using sheilded wire for all my low level connections. Is this overkill?
Looking forward to firing this one off. 2nd Grex is shortly behind this one.
Richard
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I/O can be done up to 24V but I think you are going to end up doing it at 12V because that is the power supply that you have :)
Thanks
Brian
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This may seem like a silly question then...
On a E-Stop switch, for example, how would I go about wiring one up. Would I grap a 5-12 source and from the switch go directly to one of the Digital/analog inputs?
I have several pulse index cards from CNC4PC. How could I wiring these to the GREX?
Thank you for your response and time.
Richard
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Put a wire from the Ground to an input pin and you will see the LED on the Grex light up :) After that use Port zero and The pin number of the Grex...
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Does this apply to analog and digital inputs?
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I have not done any analog I/O on the Grex :(
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In the default Mach4 configuration. Pins 3 and 2 are in the x,y,z step, direction. What does this mean?
If I put something on pins 3 and 2 on the digital outputs, what will happen if they are taken by the x,y,z?
Also, I have 6 axis on this machine. Do I configure those ports on the ports and pins config? If so, what pins are the a,b,c axis?
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I think that the axis just needs to be enabled... So (I think) you can just take the pin numbers out :)
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borrisl,
Brian's right on the money there. I e-mailed at directly yesterday and he clued me in that the G100 plugin tells mach to ingnore the motor port and pin assignment, which I've witnessed tonight on my rig. I have 4 G212's that respond no matter what I have done to the "Motor Outputs" tab (if the axis is enabled in the first column anyway), so right now I just put zero's in every slot and still get the same LED light up. You don't even have to have the check box on the Port #1 checked on the "Port Setup and Axis Selection" tab.
There are a few odd things I've noticed that I would appreciate your feedback on to see if you get the same thing. The DIR LED's on each active axis stay lit, and when I press the X+ or Y+ or Z+ the STEP LED comes on and the DIR LED goes out, but if I press X- or Y- or Z- they both light up and the DIR LED stays lit. I was wondering if this is normal...? (Again, no documentation to follow).
Other thing is I have a flashing warning next to the wizard's buttons that says alternately "Normal Condition" and "Abnormal Condition" if I have more than the X-axis enabled. This doesn't stop anything, but is sure is annoying. Do you get this as well?
Heck, right now I would just be grateful to figure out why my steppers won't move.
Take care and best of luck!
John B
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Sorry,
Forgot to review before posting... That should have said that I e-mailed Art directly yesterday.
Rgds,
John
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You can't get your motors to move... That is odd...
there are a few problems with the firmware but movement isn't one of them :( can you tell that you are hooked to the device under the config for the plugin?
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Brian,
Yes, I could verify the connection to the Grex under the plugin config. Odd thing though, I rebooted again (about the 11th time) to finalize some other software issues and I began to get response. You know how those OS glitches are, sometimes they just disappear. I was cleaning up a bunch of extra junk that was dragging my PC down though, and one of the programs that I removed may have been interfering.
The continuing odd thing is the green box by the wizards buttons that flashes between "Normal" and then yellow "Abnormal Condition", and when it is flashing abnormal I can select it and a message pops up which is ranging from "G90/G91" condition or something to "axis not ref'd to normal condition". I can get everthing working fine, even run G code and make some test cuts, but this bleeding flashing box to go away. Do you know what gives with this? And yes I have corrected the G90/G91 issue...
Regards,
John