Messages

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Need Help - Mach4 errors w/ PMDX-424

« on: November 05, 2020, 09:33:46 PM »

Might help. Go into windows power settings and turn off all power off features except monitor
set hdd to always on. Set usb port to always on. Or ethernet port. Never let sleep happen.
set monitor to power off after ten minutes. and any other power save features.
I do this on all my machines if windows shuts down this or that you can get hung in the time it takes to start up

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: MACH4 4th axis Limit switch

« on: November 05, 2020, 09:16:27 PM »

I have set up a few 4th axises. Why do you need a limit of any kind.
All the ones i have set up I had a home switch only and mach only recognizes that on homing.
How is it set up in you config? Go into diagnostics operate the switch and see what lights up.
You should only see the home switch lit.

3

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: false signals from clearpath enable

« on: May 03, 2020, 09:53:14 AM »

Also if it just came on check your grounds a loose wire can cause all sorts of havoc

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: false signals from clearpath enable

« on: May 03, 2020, 09:51:41 AM »

Are you wires shielded? I used to use c10 boards. I use a mb3 now. On the c10 i installed capacitors .1 mf on all my inputs. Between the input and common. This did wonders in minimizing noise. The problem is the board uses 5 volts and that does not like distance. Do you have wires running next to high voltage. I learned this lesson when I ran an unshielded wire through a contractor box. Every time the contractor went off so did my estop. Switching to a 24volt board if possible would be ideal because of less noise susceptibility.

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Enable momentary spindle reset on reset

« on: April 27, 2020, 09:31:48 PM »

Hello a while ago i was trying to get this to work and it still is not quite what i need. First I need to reset the spindle like enable but it needs to wait for a few things to start after pressing enable say 5 seconds then needs to turn on output 1 for say 5 seconds. Then it needs to turn the output off or the spindle will not start.

Last go I received this code for help
if (testcount==50)then
   local outHandle=mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst,mc.OSIG_OUTPUT5)
   mc.mcSignalSetState(outHandle,1)
   wx.wxTimer(2000)
   mc.mcSignalSetState(outHandle,0)
end

It works on the testcount of the plc. The output turn on and the timer waits and turns it off. The timer has not functioned for me except after I listened to Das then i got it to work but not quite what i was looking for. I came up with this after much experimentation

if (testcount == 200) then
   local SpinHandle = mc.mcSignalGetHandle (inst, mc.OSIG_OUTPUT1)
--   mc.mcSignalWait (inst,mc.ISIG_INPUT60, 1, 10)
    mc.mcSignalSetState(SpinHandle,1)
   mc.mcSignalWait (inst,mc.ISIG_INPUT60, 1, 5)
   mc.mcSignalSetState(SpinHandle,0)
   end

This works except it only runs the one time at startup and after exiting screen editing. I do not know but think the plc continues to run its cycles and does not stop because of a reset so the testcount never restarts from zero from a standard reset. I need it to do this. When reset is pressed wait 5 seconds then turn on the output for 5 seconds then turn it off. As you can see there is another wait in the code. The problem is when I added that it hung everything until it completed. then the things it was waiting for ran and of course the second timer was to early to properly reset. This is so close if somebody has an idea of how i can trigger this code. Right now it is in the plc script.
Thank you
Mark

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Dro counter

« on: April 27, 2020, 09:02:05 PM »

Hello Thank you for the reply I found this searching and it does exactly that registers. I am going to give it a go
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=38376.msg260231#msg260231

I like the idea of ramping my m5 to a stop but haven the foggiest how to go about it. This is a kollmorgan vfd and fancy
the only reason i can get where i am is I have full documentation and electrical drawings as to how it was hooked up.
My usual westinghouse vfd's have ramp settings and you can adjust. i have a guy i am going to call that has seen them run
I am going to ask him how they stop.

I will post back my progress or not.
Mark

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Dro counter

« on: April 25, 2020, 10:36:01 AM »

Hello I have not been able to find information on how to set up a dro to count on an input.
I am programming an automatic tool changer and it has 21 tools. the changer has a sensor that
triggers once per tool. The dro needs to count to 21 then reset to 1. I am then planning a homing
routine that will move the carousal to the home position and trigger a sensor and reset the dro also. that should be easy after i get it to count.

This is an extra tidbit. The machine i am upgrading is a cincinati millicron with a 6000 rpm spindle. the question is in the original control that i never saw work. when the spindle is screaming along at 6000 rpm and you call for 0rpm or dead stop was it immediate or was there some delay. In other words from 10v to 0v instantly? If anybody has seen one actually running.

Thank you
Mark

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ok lua lost on screen button

« on: March 19, 2020, 02:51:19 PM »

I worked it out and here are the working results.

local inst = mc.mcGetInstance()
local ToolDrumAtSpindle = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst,mc.ISIG_INPUT9)
local ToolDrumToSpindle = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst,mc.OSIG_OUTPUT8)
local ToolDrumAtSpind = mc.mcSignalGetState(ToolDrumAtSpindle)
mc.mcSignalSetState(ToolDrumToSpindle, 1)
local retcode = mc.mcSignalWait(inst,mc.ISIG_INPUT9, mc.WAIT_MODE_HIGH,5)
   if retcode == mc.MERROR_TIMED_OUT then
      mc.mcSignalSetState(ToolDrumToSpindle,0)
      mc.mcCntlEStop(inst)
      mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "drum stuck")
      
   end
mc.mcSignalSetState(ToolDrumToSpindle,0)

needed the wait.

9

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ok lua lost on screen button

« on: March 18, 2020, 10:53:04 PM »

I wonder if the problem is i am emulating input 9 so it 1/2 works it wont let it start unless it is off. But once it turns on it doesnt turn off output eight. I will try it with the real switch tomorrow. And hope for the best. The seperate if/then loops were simply to try to get it to shut off and didnt work. Of course.
Mark

10

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ok lua lost on screen button

« on: March 18, 2020, 05:44:18 PM »

I have read the lua for dummies thanks for the info.
However I still have a slight problem the code I managed to get to work on a button and in the
screen load script as a function.
-------------------------------------------------------------
-- tool drum to spindle
-------------------------------------------------------------
function ToolDrumToSpindle()
   --local inst=mc.mcGet Instance()
   local ToolDrumAtSpindleHANDLE=mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.ISIG_INPUT9)
   local ToolDrumToSpindleHANDLE = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.OSIG_OUTPUT8)
   local ToolDrumAtSpindle=mc.mcSignalGetState(ToolDrumAtSpindleHANDLE)

   if (ToolDrumAtSpindle ==1 )  then
      mc.mcSignalSetState(ToolDrumToSpindleHANDLE,0)
   end
   if (ToolDrumAtSpindle ==0)   then
      mc.mcSignalSetState(ToolDrumToSpindleHANDLE,1)
   end
end
The problem is it doesnt shut off. so I need output 8 to turn on and move a motor as long as input 9 end of stroke switch is off. Then turn the motor output 8 off when input 9 triggers. if i click the button it will shut off but it wont shut off on input 9.
Thank you
Mark