Messages

1

Mach3 under Vista / Re: DRO not reflecting bed size - trying to establish factor for steps per calc.

« on: September 26, 2021, 01:47:43 PM »

Thanks for that, I have got the info for the steps per stepper revolution, micro stepping value.
Was wondering how to come to the factor that I multiply the pulse/rev.
Hadn't considered the gantry belt pitch - where in the calculations would that apply?

2

Mach3 under Vista / DRO not reflecting bed size - trying to establish factor for steps per calc.

« on: September 26, 2021, 11:28:22 AM »

Hi all,
I have a belt drive on my y axis.
Trying to calculate steps per mm.
Heres what i have got :-
Stepper motor with 18 tooth sprocket
driving a 45 tooth sprocket - which is fitted with a 20 tooth socket that drives the gantry along the belt.
So have started to try and work it out -
45/18 = 1:2.5 ratio
45/20 = 1:2.25 ratio
How do i realise a ratio i can use to calculate my steps per?

Done a little sketch (no laughing - i know, at least i didnt do it in crayon!) attached.

3

General Mach Discussion / A2-8002 VFD set up - any help appreciated

« on: September 19, 2021, 05:04:19 AM »

Hi there, recently posted on the Mach 3 vista/win 7 section, but got no response to this :-

Hi all,
Have finally got axis movement 
I am now on to setting up my VFD - model number A2-8022 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/313387171700), manual attached - FYI
Was planning on controlling it with a usb to RS485 adapter (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0721BB8PQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_asin_title) as i would like Mach 3 to control it.

I see that the Huanyang VFD has a plug in written for it, will that work on my VFD?

Any issues anyone can foresee?
and with that any guidance?

Thanks in advance.

Does anybody have any information i can use. Or am i facing ditching my current VFD to replace it with a Huanyang.

Looking into it a bit further, and trying the plug in i can confirm it doesnt work - unless i have missed something - i get a dialogue box saying 'unable to read value' when configuring the plug in.

Do i take it that because i havent had any replies nobody has had any experience with this issue.

Are there any generic plug ins that will work?

4

Mach3 under Vista / A2-8002 VFD set up - any help appreciated

« on: September 10, 2021, 02:23:41 PM »

Hi all,
Have finally got axis movement 
I am now on to setting up my VFD - model number A2-8022 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/313387171700), manual attached - FYI
Was planning on controlling it with a usb to RS485 adapter (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0721BB8PQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_asin_title) as i would like Mach 3 to control it.

I see that the Huanyang VFD has a plug in written for it, will that work on my VFD?

Any issues anyone can foresee?
and with that any guidance?

Thanks in advance.

5

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Ports and pins - axis designation compared to diagnostic page

« on: August 15, 2021, 10:35:49 AM »

Stumbled upon that whilst researching what the problem I had was.
Have just ordered mobo from ebay.
I am hoping I will soon be getting movement and then be able to start working out how to get my spindle and VFD working together.
No doubt this won't be the last you hear from me.😄

6

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Ports and pins - axis designation compared to diagnostic page

« on: August 15, 2021, 10:03:38 AM »

Yeah, I was thinking you would say that. Have just seen a 2nd hand mobo that has a parallel port built in, as well as a pci slot which suits 5v output.
May give that a go, would be a cheaper option than an ethernet controller.
Thanks again.

7

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Ports and pins - axis designation compared to diagnostic page

« on: August 15, 2021, 07:19:23 AM »

Hi Tweakie,
Here is what i measured.
X - step - pin 2 - 3.4v, dropping to 3.2v with keyboard activation.
X - dir - pin 14 - 4.3v, dropping to 0.02v with keyboard activation.
Y - step - pin 16 - 4.3v, dropping to 3.97v with keyboard activation.
Y - dir - pin 3 - 3.4v, dropping to 0.13v with keyboard activation.
Z - step - pin 7 - 3.4v, dropping to 3.27v with keyboard activation.
Z - dir - pin 8 - 3.4v, dropping to 0.12v with keyboard activation.

Had found some info regarding 5v from PCI-e, and had previously checked voltages.
Would have thought that the output v would all be similar on both step and dir for all axis.

8

Mach3 under Vista / Ports and pins - axis designation compared to diagnostic page

« on: August 15, 2021, 05:22:16 AM »

Hi all
Having issues. Cannot get any thing to move - do have steppers locked on start up though.
Running Win 7 32bit (PC), parallel port on PCI-E, BOB is HY-JKM5 (Chinese - relatively cheap) drivers are MA860H, Nema 34's.
Ran driver test - all ok.
Have LED's on BOB illuminating with relevant press of X,Y and Z on key board and TAB controller thing.
My question is - on the diagnostic page should i have the Port pins illuminated relative to the axis allocation in the config?
i have :-
X dir - pin 14
X step - pin 2
Y dir - pin 3
Y step - pin 16
Z dir - pin 8
and Z step - pin 7.
All of these have been taken from the random info I can find regarding BOB.
On the diagnostic page I have pins 1-8 illuminated - shouldn't i have illumination on the ones assigned?
I have tried to modify the port address (i.e. - ....d030) through all of the range found in the Msconfig - tools - etc etc. (don't have resources tab - if i go through device manager) and have  found various different pin illumination through the range - with my current setup giving me 1-8. But none that match my pin set up.
Really struggling, feel like I'm going round and round in circles.
Please if anyone can help I would be really grateful.

9

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Parallel port question to start with

« on: July 23, 2021, 01:34:14 PM »

BOB is powered by seperate 5 vdc supply.
Will start looking into hex address,  although because I am getting diagnostic page seeing manual breaking of limit switch actually think port address must be good??

10

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Parallel port question to start with

« on: July 23, 2021, 09:47:47 AM »

Hi,
So, finally finished the mechanical and electrical build of my 'on-a-budget' Frankenstein CNC machine.
It didn't work !!!!! So started to do my diagnostic investigation.
I am sure that as i go through this process i will be posting a lot
Running Win 7 32bit, parallel port on a PCI.

As a starting point can anybody answer me this, when i loaded in a fresh copy of Mach 3 after playing with the demo - wanted to make sure anything i had 'accidentally' changed would not cause spurious issues later. One of the dialogue boxes had a tick on parallel port. Should i have un-ticked that as i'm using the PCI slot?
Did run driver test and got 'system excellent' banner.
Thinking that that means its ok?
All config bits and pieces filled out - correctly i think.
BOB (cheap Chinese - BB5001 (HY-JKM5)) illuminates small LED (power on), when i jog get no motor movement etc but do get LED by driver connection lighting up (although a little dim). I/O on diagnostic page (limits) also change state.

Am wondering if the BOB has the incorrect pin allocation, nothing came with BOB and could only find one helpful document which was Russian. 

Any hints/help gratefully received.