Messages

1

SmoothStepper USB / USB Smooth stepper and Mach3 problem

« on: September 26, 2019, 02:49:55 AM »

Hi All

I have a problem and I suspect that the Smooth Stepper board may be faulty. When an estop is triggered, mach3 continues to make the triggered estop noise at a regular interval after the initial estop is activated. I have checked all inputs to the Smooth Stepper board and also disabled all limit switch inputs in mach3 and this does not stop the problem. I have tried an external 5V power supply to no avail and I have obtained and installed a new copy of mach3 in case it was somehow corrupted. I note also that the problem still perseveres when the Smooth stepper is disconnected from the breakout board. I am now wondering if the Smooth Stepper board or the plugin is the problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Regards
JimKal

2

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 and JK02-N breakout board

« on: July 14, 2019, 02:37:29 AM »

Hi
I have a Smoothstepper board attached to a JK02-n breakout board. Using Mach3, I am unable to energize the relay on the breakout board despite having a similar setup which works ok on another cnc router. The breakout board requires signal on input parallel connector pin 9. I have set #1 output for port1 and pin 9 on Mach3 and have measured pin1 logic level change when a M3 and M4 command so I don't think the Smooth stepper board is at fault. The question is whether there is another setting in Mach3 which I need to set or is the breakout boards faulty? (have 2 new boards and neither works) Any help would be appreciated.
JimKal

3

Mach Screens / Can't calibrate tools for manual tool change

« on: October 17, 2017, 10:29:30 PM »

Hi
I have not before attempted to do manual tool changes on Mach3Mill. I have had experience with other CNC machine controllers but I am finding that I cannot calibrate  tools with different lengths. First I switch to tool #1 by using "T1 M6"  on the MDI screen. Then, switching back to the Program run screen I set tool 1 to Z 0.0 by touching it on the surface of the work piece. Next, using "T3 M6" on the MDI screen I then place tool 3 into the chuck and touch it on the work piece surface using the Program Run screen. I then enter the displayed Z offset into the tool table using the field provided for tool 3 and push the "Accept" button.  If the calibration is successfull, I would expect that if the machine z axis is not changed, then switching between tools 1 and 3 should result in the z axis display changing by the amount of the offset entered in the tool table. When I change the tools, on the Run" screen, the tool number changes and the correct offset for that tool, is displayed but there is no change in the Z DRO.  I am of the impression that Mach3Mill is not using the offset value from the tool table.
 Also I am not able to use the "Offsets" screen because whatever I enter in the provided fields, reverts back to the original figures.

I think that there must be a setting which is not correct or I have a wrong understanding of how it works.

Any help would be appreciated.

JimKal

4

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: g code does not work with characters

« on: October 10, 2016, 12:10:18 AM »

Hi
I have made a program to engrave a string of characters (11) inside a rectangular box. On my desktop computer it displays ok on the copy of Mach3. It also displays correct on a gurber viewer. On my laptop which drives my router, Mach3 displays half the text and none of the rectangular border. When I run the program it gets down to a line which appears to have no error and then drops out.
The Mach3 versions are the same as is the Windows version. I have checked all the settings in both Mach3 programs and they are the same. (except motor and input settings)  I note that the desktop computer has 7.73 G of useable ram and the laptop has 3.89 G.  I wonder if this has anything to do with the problem.
Any suggestions?

Regards
JimKal

5

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: g code does not work with characters

« on: October 09, 2016, 08:50:57 PM »

Thanks Tweaky
Your info fixed the problem

JimKal

6

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / g code does not work with characters

« on: October 09, 2016, 05:49:28 AM »

Hi
I have produced a g code program using CamBam. It is to engrave the letter "J". The program works OK on a G code viewer but not on Mach3. It just draws many circles and nothing that looks like the letter "J"   As I am a Newbie I am not sure where I should look for the problem. Any advice would be appreciated. I have included the program.
Regards
JimKal