Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / X, Y & Z changes when I reset or go into options

« on: July 18, 2007, 01:12:15 PM »

I just got my CNC running on Monday with Mach 3 software, so I am a newb with this piece of software.  But if I click on the x y & z to reset them to 0, and then go into one of the options menus... even if I don't change a single option, the x y & z change to seemingly random numbers like the 0.000 will change to say 8.6293.  What is with that?   It seems to happen by pressing the reset button as well.


Thanks

2

General Mach Discussion / mpg and mach 3

« on: March 19, 2007, 09:45:36 AM »

i am having problems with using an mpg and mach 3. i can get it to work properly and it works well, but mach 3 will intermittently switch itself off, or switch axis on its own. for instance, i can select x axis to jog with mpg, and crank along forward and reverse but the software will switch itself out of the selected axis on its own, kind of slip into neutral until i select the axis again. i have tried different versions of mach 3 , same proplem. mpg is connected to opto isolated breakout board, pins 13,15.

3

General Mach Discussion / setting up second parallel port

« on: March 06, 2007, 07:59:20 AM »

i am trying to set up a second parallel port on a dell optiplex .i have installed a netmos 9805 pci  card. the drivers are installed it shows up in device manager.i am using the current release of mach 3. in the configuration screen of mach3, i have checked the box for parallel port 2. the pins are enabled for port 2 on the input screen.
in device manager in ports for the netmos ecp port,on the recources screen i dont get a port adress, this is what shows,

I/O   ECF8-ECFF
I/O  ECE8-ECEF
IRQ-9

what should i put in the port adress box in the mach3 configuration screen for port 2 ?

in the bios the card shows as an unknown com port.

4

General Mach Discussion / rutex drive with cnc4pc breakout board

« on: February 26, 2007, 08:03:35 PM »

 
i have a strange problem with the 2020 drives . when i use the tuning software i can get the motors to run well. the parallel cable is connected straight to the computer. when i use the cnc4pc optoisolated breakout board between the pc and the 2020, the motors run very rough and erratic when trying out in mach3. connecting the parallel cable straight from the computer and 2020s in mach3 , they run silky smooth. does the optoisolation not work with the rutex products?
i assumed that the breakout board would provide a "cleaner " signal for the drives.

5

General Mach Discussion / keygrabber mpg axis selection

« on: February 14, 2007, 06:27:42 PM »

i am attempting to set up three pushbuttons to select x axis, y axis, z axis  mpg mode for a pendant.  keygrabber shows that it has recognized the input from the pushbutton, thru an ipac2.when i set the function , in special keys, i select x axis.  for example.i have the x,y,z selectable on a touchscreen. i know that the oem codes are 185,186,187.

i am saving the keygrabber file as default.i am starting mach 3 thru keygrabber. the axis selection buttons on the pendant are not functioning.
when i test the scan codes in keygrabber, i get a code of 297 for the x axis.how do you set it to 185?

6

General Mach Discussion / latest version install

« on: November 01, 2006, 04:51:54 PM »

i am trying to upgrade to mach 3 latest update. current version running is 1.84. when i try to update, the install hangs at "installing mach 3 addons."  the installation goes no farther. i have tried uninstalling 1.84 and same message . installation hangs. any solutions ?

7

General Mach Discussion / referencing not working in mach 3

« on: September 19, 2006, 08:06:40 PM »

i have a problem with mach 3 referencing to home. using input pin 11 for x, pin 12 y,pin 13 z. when referencing ,mach 3 hits the limit and the estop trips, does not back off the switch. i hve to switch off motor power and hand crank off the switch. limit overide does not work. the estop wont reset.

tried this setup with mach 2 and works no problem.

8

General Mach Discussion / gcode edit

« on: September 10, 2006, 06:56:00 AM »

hello all,

i am a new user of mach 3. i have a problem with editing gcode. when i click on the icon , nothing happens. i have to open up with notepad manually. is this function disabled?