Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: madkad on July 09, 2008, 02:58:46 PM
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Hi I am Karl I couldn’t find the interdiction forum sorry
I have been told to come here from a member on here, I have set Mach 3 up and don’t have any stepper motor movement, I watched the video tutorial first and got as much info as I think I needed but nothing has helped, this is my system:
P4 cpu
512mb ram
win xp pro
36 volts to the driver board
HobbyCNC EZ Driver board
3 Mema 23 stepper motors (link to more info http://www.techkits.com/#slosyn )
Mach 3
Thinks I have been told to test and have done and all correct
On the driver board the 5VDC is ok, and all the VDC points for the amps were set to .14v for 1.0amps each.
All the steppers lockup on power up and slowly get warm so they all have power
The port cable is fully correct and I tested each pin to see if the wires are direct.
I have done a driver check with mach 3 and also when installing the software I powered down my system when told to, also I checked that port one in mach 3 is the same as my port.
I set the pins up on mach 3 for the hobbycnc board for each axes and the E-stop switch (note I don’t have one on yet I am not that far, just trying to get the electric side sorted for the motors)
I just don’t know what else it could be or what it could be, does any one have any ideas? Maybe I have set something wrong?
Thanks for any help
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Please attach your xml, you will find it in the Mach3 folder. If you use the standard Mill profile it will be called Mach3Mill.xml but you will need to copy it to your desktop and rename it to attach to the forum. Suggest you call it madkad.xml
Hood
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Please attach your xml, you will find it in the Mach3 folder. If you use the standard Mill profile it will be called Mach3Mill.xml but you will need to copy it to your desktop and rename it to attach to the forum. Suggest you call it madkad.xml
Hood
Hi thanks I think I have the right one attached
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You dont have port 1 enabled. Enable on Ports and Pins main page and if thats not the problem shout back and I will look further.
Hood
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ok also you dont have any ports set for your step and direction pins.
Hood
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I dont understand, when i go in the system for setting ports up I have it set for the port 1
then I have the pins for the X, Y, and Z set up for the step's and dir's
The only think I did set but turned back off what the X, Y and Z home pins as they were for some reson turning off the axes led's on the main screen
Is that what you meen all them settings?
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These are the bits you need to sort, put a tick in the box on the port 1 part and put 1 into the boxes in Motor setup page.
Hood
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Karl,
What board are you using if it's the HobbyCNC Pro pin 2 is X dir and 3 is x step. I think the EZ board is reversed as you have it.
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I will go and set the pins I know that they are not done looking at your pics now, but I have set the port nomber and have it ticked, is it showing I dont?
Kristin its EZ board I just set the step + dir pins to there instructions :)
brb lets go and see wish me luck
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Don't forget to enter "1"'s in the second photo where it's circled and hit apply.
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*Hangs head in shame and looks to see how many people have seen my mistake doh to many*
It was the 1's that was missing in the last pic that was the problem, for the port solection I must have turned that off by mistake last time I looked but have had it on all the other times I tried stuff, a massive thank you for the help I am a doap.
two little questions sorry 1 is mach and another isnt but thought I would see why I am here if you didnt mind.
1. the X home, Y Home and Z home when I set the pins for them and hit apply and OK the LED's next to the axes home buttons go red?
2. is it ok to add power to my driver board before turning on my pc?
and again thank you hood and Kristin for all the help my head was killing me and has now gone ok
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Karl,
No shame at all, there are so many settings in Mach it boggles the mind! I would fire up the PC first, sometimes random stuff comes out the LPT port and could crash an axis. Next on to setting your # of steps and motor tuning. Happy Happy Joy Joy as Ren & Stimpy say!
Kristin
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Dont worry about it, I know one person who has done this before and he is typing at this exact moment in time ;)
1. That is correct, they will only turn green when you home the machine. You need to home the machine each time you start Mach so that Mach knows where the axis are.
2. Yes thats not a problem, a lot of people prefer to wait until Mach is in control before you do that but that is just because when booting Windows can look at the port and do all sorts of fancy things which can make your motors jump around slightly. Often breakout boards have charge pumps and if you enable it your breakout should not pass any signals to your drives until Mach is in control. Dont know whether your breakout has a charge pump.
Hood
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I serpose its all part of the learning stages lol I dont feel as bad now :)
arrr so I have set the home pins correct then and i just need to click home so that everything knows where everything is.
I might add a switch in for turning on the power to the board at some point soon then to make me feel better as the steppers do jump a bit on the start up of the pc, I am unsure about the charge pump thing :S
so yes now for the "Next on to setting your # of steps and motor tuning" well I think I might do some more work on the actule machine so I can fit the motors first to give my self a brake as I dont know where to start yet on all that tuning idea lol
Thanks again for this help both of you I cant thank you anoth.
P.S. bad spelling from me sorry
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Karl, where are you from? just that I noticed you had your default units set to mm so I am presuming you are at the best side of the Atlantic :D
Hood
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Karl, where are you from? just that I noticed you had your default units set to mm so I am presuming you are at the best side of the Atlantic :D
Hood
I am in uk, manchester - I only like mm lol am I best working in mm or in inch?
does
<Units>0</Units>
that tell you what units I am working in?
I was looking at the .xml file and was seeing some things that I take it you see how different things were set like I had
<Port2On>0</Port2On>
<Port1On>0</Port1On>
the port1On should show 1 and not 0
might be wrong but I was intrested to know if I was lol
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Well you are using the correct units, its only these old fashioned Americans that use ancient imperial :D oh and Jim Pinder of course :D :D
Yes thats correct, if you look at it after you have shut Mach down you will see the differences you have made.
Hood
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Well you are using the correct units, its only these old fashioned Americans that use ancient imperial :D oh and Jim Pinder of course :D :D
Hood
It's not that Hood, it's just I get a funny look from people when I ask for the 25.4mm wrench. Also a lot of swarf to cut down stock sizes to metric, not to mention I don't think I could find a metric tap or die within a hundred miles!
Kristin
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It's not that Hood, it's just I get a funny look from people when I ask for the 25.4mm wrench. Also a lot of swarf to cut down stock sizes to metric, not to mention I don't think I could find a metric tap or die within a hundred miles!
Kristin
excuses excuses :D
Hood
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I use inches some times depends what is closest or in cm lol
got to work this mach out so I know it off the back of my hand :) I have been looking at G-code and it doesnt look to hard to learn but wow alot needs to be written so that should be fun if ever needed :)
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I better introduce myself - since Hood has mentioned it.
Jim PInder 01924 264385 I live in Wakefield, West Yorshire junction M1 and M62 - if you want to pop over , you are more than welcome.
For the information of the masses - I only set up my machine in imperial, becasue it was an imperial machine - i.e. the dials and lead screw were in inches. I actually use mm probably more that inches - but what the hell, they are only numbers !!!
You were asking about your home switches - well you are getting into a whole new ball game there.