Topics

1

FAQs / Migrating Machine - Parallel Port Will Not Run

« on: September 04, 2010, 12:40:41 PM »

This has got me stumped!!!

Step 1)  I have a customer who runs Mach3 and his computer is starting to have problems.
He bought a new system and I installed Mach3 and moved the profile and the liscense. This
results in a setup that moves the Axis counters on-screen but will not work through the parallel
port. I checked the BIOS and the Device Manager.Everything is enabled and the port base I/O
address is 378 with no conflicts. This is the latest version of Mach3 running on an XP Desktop
system.

Step 2) I was puzzled by this so I brought my home system down to the customers site. I
brought over the profile (runs on the customers system) to my system. The results were the
same as in Step 1. All the indications and settings say that all is well. The steppers do not
lock up and there is no apparent communication with the parallel port. THIS IS A RUNNING
SYSTEM !

What am I missing

2

General Mach Discussion / Limit Switch Problems - BAFFLING!

« on: February 11, 2007, 04:16:05 PM »

I have my limit switches (3 sets 2-x,2-y,and 1-z) wired in series. All are set to be
normally closed and therefore return a ground to their respective parallel port pins.
The measured voltage at the controller is 2.5 millivolts closed and
4.5 volts when active (open) for each of the three signals. The diagnostics panel
sees these activations and responds with the appropriate LEDs lit when switches
are activated. The switches are lever activated microswitches so there is no external
voltage or active circuitry present, just pull up resistors to +5 and ground.

My problem is that when the pins are set up in MACH3, it tells me that there
is a limit switch active and refuses to reset. The odd thing about all this is that
if I make all the switches normally open, this works. Obviously I had to change
the sense of the switches in Mach 3 to make this happen. I really don't
want to run this in a normally open switch configuration. Can anyone offer
a little light on this problem?

I wouldn't be so perplexed if the darn diagnostic panel didn't say one thing while
the main page said something else ( i.e. limit switch activated.

3

General Mach Discussion / Mach III and Gecko 201s Problem - HELP !

« on: September 28, 2006, 11:06:51 AM »

I have a CNC Router set up that has what I believe to be resonance problems. I Emailed
GeckoDrive support and they told me that my problem was "Constant Contouring"
within Mach II was set up incorrectly. I don't seem to find a reference to constant
contouring.

Let me start with a description of the problem and the tests I have run.

To begin with, this was a running machine. I had just recently built a system using
controllers from SB Microstep. Two of these controllers have failed completely and
I have replaced them with Gecko 201's My system runs on 35 volts with 1.8 degree
bipolar motors rated at 4 amps/1.8 volts max. The computer is running Mach III on a
Windows 2k OS. If you are wondering why I did not simply go back to SB-Microstep, it is
because they no longer answer any type of inquiries either sales or support.

OK - On to the problem

Straight lines plot and cut perfect, even if both axis are active at the same time ( ie.
an angular plot). Circles are having a problem and I have seen this before elsewhere.
If I disconnect all but the X Axis output, the resulting plot is a straight line along the X
with an acceleration and deceleration due to the circle being plotted. At two points,
approximately 25 and 75 % points, the motor chatters/backsteps and or fails to step for
a brief period. If you alter this process and do everything as above on the Y Axis, the
same results occur.

The jogging and straight line plotting work perfectly. I might even comment that the
Gecko 201's are exceptionally smooth and quiet during jog. I have tried every kind
of acceleration and velocity selection I can think of to try.

Can anyone point me to Geckos "Constant Contouring" comment or otherwise shed
some light on this. I suspect this to be a resonance problem since it seemes to appear
at a given plot speed but how can I damp this out ?


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