Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Alwyn on July 08, 2008, 05:25:33 AM
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Help Help!
I installd Mach 3 and done the port setups as required by my stepper driver but no joy! What am I missing? TurboCNC and KCam both get my machine runnig but Mach3 doesnt do a thing, not even some jitter.
Everything is powerd up well but it's like there's a settirng I cant get to. It also appears that the LPT port is passive or "off" under Mach. Any ideas or suggestions?
I run XP with SP3 @2000MHz with 512Ram
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Have you installed the Mach 3 drivers and then restarted your computer ???
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Well, yes many times. By installing "drivers" I assume allowing the entire setup program to run it's course? I had a look at my hardware config and noticed that I now have a "Mach pulser" installed. I cant config any setting on it.
I had a go with Quantum on my laptop but the same issue persists, no movement.
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Do you have the axis enabled? Do you have the correct pins asigned?
Are you using the Mach3Mill profile? If so please go to the Mach3 folder and find Mach3Mill.xml, copy it to your desktop and then rename it, then attach it to this thread and we can have a look. Suggest you rename it to Alwyn.xml
Hood
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Everything I think I need right is right. The board I'm using is the Tach42 from PMinMO so the pins are per that design. I have resorted to measure the voltage off the pins during operation but NO change. Interestingly enuf, if I enable the "Low active" triggers next to the motor pin setups I get a voltage reading but my step pins aren't pulsing.
Here is the xml anyway as you requested Hood.
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you have three outputs enabled but no pins set for them, are any of them enables for your drives?
Try setting the Step pulse to 5 in motor tuning.
When you measured the voltage on the Step pin did you have the meter on mili volt range?
Hood
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Ok, the Outputs are not connected to anything but I tried to enable them to see if it could make stuff move. I've reinstalled the program but still nothing. I set the Step pulse speed at 5 and Dir at 5. BTW, all outputs are now set to be disabled but when I "run" a program output1 flashes in the Diagnostics view. None of the pins show activity in this view either.
I'll post another xml of my configs.
thanks for all the help so far!
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Could there be a problem with the mode my Port is set to? I think at the moment is is set to Bi-directional. Is that ok?
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Output 1 flashes because you have spindle relay set to output 1, Config menu, Ports and Pins, Spindle Setup Spindle relay You have that box unchecked. Even if you dont have the pins and ports asigned it will still operate the LED if your G Code calls a M3,M4 etc
Get your voltmeter and disconnect the cable from the parallel port, put the meter to 5v range and put one lead to the X axis Dir pin and the other to one of the ports 0V wires (see the Mach manual for a diag of the PP female connector) Jog the X one way then the next and your voltage should toggle between 5V and 0v as you toggle the axis direction. If that happens then put your volt meter to milli volt range and connect to the X axis Step pin and 0v, jog the X axis and you should see a voltage there, the faster you jiog the higher the voltage will be but what the voltage is is unimportant.
If both of these thiongs happen then your problem is from outside the computer, repeat the tests at the other end of the cable, if thats ok then check at breakout board etc.
Hood
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Ok, I took some readings, this is what I found:
Dir pin switches between 0.06 - 3.31 volts.
Step pin is very low at 0.05 - 0.17 volts during normal motor tune. If I set the velocity at maximum and accel at minimum I get a reading of 1.05 volts for the step pin.
I'm using the Tach42 board from the PMinMO site.
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OK
3.3v could be your problem, older ports were 5V but newer ones can be lower such as your 3.3v. Some breakout boards casn handle this others can't, also noise can be a problem the lower the voltage is as any noise can make the difference between Hi and Lo blurred.
As however you can use the other CNC control software then this may not be the case.
The voltage you are seeing on the Step pin is good, doesnt matter what it is as your meter wont be able to keep up as its switching fast between 5v and 0v, or in your case 3.3v.
You could try with a PCI parallel port as they tend to be 5v although choice can be dodgy as some are, well shall we say crap ;)
Where are in the world? If the USA try www.rogermachine.net Ron sells PCI Cards that are known to work well with Mach. I am in the UK but have bought cards from eBay and had good luck with everyone I have had but others have posted in the past that the ones they got were no use.
I will try and find some data on your breakout and see if I can find anything.
Hood
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Ok found your board, its a combined axis drive breakout baord. Dont see any problem at first glance but maybe try setting up all of your axis step and direction pins as active low. I have never seen a problem with having them either Hi or Lo or a mix but Chip has often mentioned that some drives are particular about the state so it may be worth trying that.
Hood
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So I er... found the problem... ::)
My PSU did not have enough muscle to push the motors. I have a "Logic Power state" led in the circuit that shows when theres power on the IC's. My test equipment (a row of LEDs) used for marking the sequence from the motor out connections obviously requires WAY less power than the actual steppers.
I found that by ripping two old computer PSU's and bridging them for 24V worked a chink! Sweet actions left and right. I wonder if the pulsing had something to do with this issue since the other software packages work just fine. Anywayz, after some time on the motor tuning screen I FINALLY got my rig to move.
Thanks for ALL your help Hood. BTW I downloaded a layout screen I think you made from the Mach website, cool stuff man!
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Good you are going now.
Keep your eyes peeled on eBay for a toroidal transformer, a suitable capacitor and a rectifier and make your own power supply. Not sure about your drives but I know Gecko says that switch mode PSU are not recommended for their drives, much better to have an unregulated power supply with the traditional transformer and smoothing capacitor, better check with your drives first though just in case they recommend a switchmode PSU.
As for your other software driving things, could be your drives require a longer pulse, also what kind of speeds were you getting from the other software, maybe Mach just gives you more so the drives are requiring more power.
Main thing is you are up and running :)
Hood