Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: G code method to Zero an axis

« on: July 21, 2014, 11:46:52 AM »

That was exactly what I was looking for and it works great!

Thanks Hood!

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General Mach Discussion / G code method to Zero an axis

« on: July 18, 2014, 11:06:09 AM »

I have a custom machine that pulls a long length of coiled material through it along the Y axis.  The Y axis is stationary and does not move, the material is moved incrementally in the specified direction for each Y axis move command. I have 100' coils of material and the parts vary in length.

When I reach the end of the G code file, what can I include at the end of the file (or the beginning of the next G code file) to set the Y axis position back to zero or some defined value to be ready to cut the next file? I would need to leave the X and Z values unchanged.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis (B) is not homing

« on: January 20, 2014, 10:52:26 AM »

Thanks Simpson36, all good points. I have CAT6e cables, CAT7 has the individually shielded twisted pairs. The active low configuration is a good idea I didn't think of as a solution either, but it makes sense. All good info, thanks!

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis (B) is not homing

« on: January 17, 2014, 10:10:31 AM »

Um, no I didnt try that. In fact I forgot that was even there. I must have seen that there many times but it just didn't register...kind of a "cant see the forest for the trees scenario".  Thank you Overloaded for the heads up on that!

Results: When I pressed the Ref B button the motor moved a small increment and stopped like it had homed. I jogged the axis different directions and tried re-homing it, but with the same behavior of moving a small increment and then stopping as if it was homed. There was no indication of the home switch LED lighting up so I figured it had to be something else. When I jog the axis I noticed the LED would light up as it passed the switch but it would flicker sporadically on occasion as well. I had used an RJ45 breakout board (http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/product_info.php?products_id=213) at both ends of a single CAT6e (fully shielded) cable to carry the step, direction and 5V signals for the stepper drive as well as one wire from the switch from the rotary axis to the Smooth Stepper board. I figured this would allow me to easily setup and remove this B axis from the table. At the RJ45 breakout board on the rotary axis end I had tied the 5V logic supply for the drive to the other side of the switch so I wouldn't have to run two 5V lines through the CAT6e cable.  While a CAT6e cable is fully shielded, I don't think the individual pairs inside the cable are shielded from each other and I was getting the step signal interfering with my switch signal. So I ran a separate 2-wire cable from the switch directly to the smooth stepper breakout board. one wire for 5V and the other for the NO switch side.

It works! Now both the "Ref B" button on the Diagnostics page and the "home all" button on the Program Run page work. I will use two more RJ45 breakout boards and run a dedicated Cat6e cable for the home switch so I can have the ease of use while keeping the two cables and their signals RF interference isolated from each other.

Thanks cncalex for the button mod directions, it did work after all!

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis (B) is not homing

« on: January 17, 2014, 08:34:17 AM »

That didn't work. Maybe I don't have something set up right for the axis in Mach. I have attached my XML file. If anyone would like to take a look at it, I would appreciate it!

By the way, I have both a C rotary axis as well as this B rotary axis.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis (B) is not homing

« on: January 17, 2014, 08:05:35 AM »

That sounds great! I'll give it a try right now.

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis (B) is not homing

« on: January 17, 2014, 12:35:37 AM »

Yes, those have been set up.

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General Mach Discussion / 4th Axis (B) is not homing

« on: January 16, 2014, 10:00:41 PM »

Hi all! 

I have a gantry machine with the A axis slaved to the Y.  I just hooked up a 4th axis (B) with a limit switch and got it all set up in mach so far as I can tell, but when I ref all home it does not move. The B axis home switch is set up in ports and pins/ inputs.  It tests good on the diagnostics screen when actuated. I can jog and control the axis just fine.

Does anyone have any idea why this isn't working?

Thanks!

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setup for homing X and Z but not Y

« on: December 11, 2012, 01:02:10 AM »

Y is set to pin 0 port 0, no change.  

Do you think it has something to do with the ESS? I keep thinking it has to be something simple but I can't find it.

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setup for homing X and Z but not Y

« on: December 07, 2012, 11:42:11 AM »

Here is the XML