Topics

1

PoKeys / PoKeys 55 and Mach plugin issue

« on: November 20, 2012, 08:51:55 PM »

Having some difficulty using the plugin.

I updated Mach to the latest lockdown release, and downloaded the latest versions of the PoKeys SW and the plugin. I can install and enable the plugin, but when I try to configure it, I get  "An invalid argument was encountered" pop up. I can close that enter what I want into configuration, but it doesn't seem to save to the PoKeys. The unit does work if I disable the plugin and use it as a keyboard emulator only.

Also, when making changes in the PoKey sw, the sw freezes when I save the changes to the device. The changes do save and operate correctly though.

Any idea whats going on?


Thanks,

Kevin

2

General Mach Discussion / Help with VB script

« on: November 08, 2012, 09:52:00 PM »

Need some help with VB script for my lathe turret macro. What I currently have is:

If GetSelectedTool = 1 Then
 ActivateSignal(OutPut7)
 Sleep 500
 Code "G53 G0 A0"
 While IsMoving()
 Wend
 DeActivateSignal(OutPut7)
 End If

Output 7 activates a solenoid valve to raise and lower the turret. I also have a switch for turret up/down which I'd like to integrate into the macro. Hood suggested the following code a while back, but I haven't had time to really play with it:

 If GetSelectedTool = 1 Then
 Do
  ActivateSignal(OutPut7)
If IsActive(Input1) Then Exit Do
Loop
 Code "G53 G0 A0"
 While IsMoving()
 Wend
 DeActivateSignal(OutPut7)
 End If


Input 1 is a switch, active when the turret is up. The above example keeps the turret from rotating until it is up. I'd also like to add a line to ensure that the turret is back down before exiting the macro (I.E. input 1 is off). I'm sure that's pretty easy?

If possible, I'd also like to add something to either feed hold or e-stop the machine in the event that the turret fails to raise or lower, and maybe even display something in the message box if that happens. "Turret Error, E Stop" or something like that.

Can anyone get me pointed in the right direction?

I've looked through the VB reference doc, but I'm not too well versed on that kind of programming.

Thanks!

Kevin

3

General Mach Discussion / Lathe turret lost it's mind-please help!

« on: September 13, 2012, 12:47:33 PM »

Hello all,

Having a strange issue with my turret. Has been working fine for the past year or so, but now doesn't operate properly. To home, it rotates until it hits the hall sensor, then backs off a preset amount, like any other axis. On the off chance it does this correctly, it homes correctly. In the past day or so, it has decided that sometimes it will back off correctly, and sometimes it will advance by the preset amount, not back off. Sometimes, it doesn't rotate the correct direction to get to the switch either.

Once homed, sometimes it rotates the correct direction to do a tool change, and sometimes it rotates the other direction.

What the hell is going on? I've tried changing settings, eg step direction, homing direction, ang short rot., etc. but doesn't seem to do much. I've attached my .xml, hopefully someone can spot something.

Is it possible the stepper motor is going bad, or the stepper drive? I'm using a Gecko G251 to run it.

One slight issue is that the G251 is rated for 50v max, and I'm reading 54v no load to the drive. Am I cooking it slowly?

Please help!

Thanks,
Kevin

4

General Mach Discussion / CV / Exact Stop issue

« on: April 18, 2012, 11:14:29 PM »

Quick question-

My lathe runs better in exact stop mode, for whatever reason. I'm running a program now, and after running, the general config page reverts to CV mode. Set it to exact stop, run the program again, and it has again reverted to CV.

The only thing I'm doing different is using G32 to do some tapping. Does the G32 cycle automatically force Mach into CV?

Any idears?

Thanks!

Kevin

5

General Mach Discussion / Lathe turret design

« on: April 06, 2012, 08:29:48 PM »

Hello all,

I'm working on retrofitting a Hardinge CHNC. It's running pretty well now, but I'm having troubles with my original solution to turret indexing. I'm using a stepper to index the turret as if it were a rotary axis.  I have one home switch which corresponds with tool 1/0deg. From there its just a matter of indexing to each tool position by degrees.  The turret locks in place via a raise/lower situation.

Unfortunately, it's proven unreliable. There's a lot of backlash in the gear train that drives the turret, and the steps per degree don't work out to an even number causing further frustration.

I'd like to set it up with 8 sensors, one for each position, and I have enough inputs left for them.

So my question is, could this type of setup be easily controlled by a macro? Just run the stepper till it hits the right sensor? I'd rather go this route as I have no experience with PLCs or ModBus.

Thanks for any ideas,

Kevin

6

General Mach Discussion / Spindle Index Pulse Problem

« on: April 02, 2012, 03:15:27 PM »

Hello all,

Trying to give my lathe the ability to thread. I followed the advice given by Chris Humphris, and used an Optek OPB982T51Z optocoupler and made an interrupter wheel which is mounted on the spindle. Mach is seeing the pulse, as it does display an SActual value, but the displayed value swings/oscillates wildly. I've played with the slot width on my interrupter, I've toyed with the Index debounce value, changed active states, etc., to no avail. Whats going wrong?

The setup I'm using feeds the index pulse through a C23 BOB and SS. I've read a few other threads on here where people had better luck feeding the pulse direct through a PPort.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Kevin

7

General Mach Discussion / M98 subroutines

« on: March 19, 2012, 03:12:47 PM »

Hi all,

Attempting to use M98 to run a program a specified number of times. For example, M98 (bushing.tap) L5 should run the program 5 times correct? Trouble is it only runs it once.

What am I doing wrong?

Kevin

8

General Mach Discussion / Calling axis home/ref sequence from Gcode?

« on: March 13, 2012, 02:45:52 PM »

Hello all,

Hope this is an easy one. I still have some bugs to iron out on my lathe turret. It slowly loses position. Is there a way to home the turret from a part program? The idea being when running multiple parts, I'd like to uses the subroutine/macro calls to occasionally re-home the turret. Say every 4 parts or so in this instance. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Kevin

9

General Mach Discussion / Mach lathe losing position

« on: March 13, 2012, 02:37:12 PM »

Hello all,

Starting to get my lathe alive and running parts, and having an issue. I seem to be losing position occasionally. I played with the PID settings on the Granite servo drive, and got my following error limit down to 15 counts (20,000 per inch), so I think that should run pretty tight. So I'm trying to run multiple pieces. I'm using 5 tools: face/turn, center drill, drill, cutoff, and barpull. The facing and turning seems to go fine, but occasionally the shoulder I'm turning comes up .005-.010" too long or too short. The bigger problem is when cutting off the part, it can be .05-.100" too long or short. As if Mach is losing position during the tool changes or rapid moves. This doesn't happen every time. The shoulder is off in 1 part in about 10, and the overall length has been of maybe 1 part in 5.

I've tried rehoming the Z axsis, and it generally ends up way off (.100-.200) after doing so.

So where am I losing counts? I guess I need help understanding the failure modes that are possible.

Thanks for reading!

Kevin

10

General Mach Discussion / Spindle output messes up tool change

« on: December 28, 2011, 06:07:12 PM »

Good evening all,

I have a very confusing problem. When an M3 command is active, and I try to initiate a tool change, the tool change fails and I get the message "limit switch activated." Tool changing works fine any other time. At first I assumed it was a noise issue with the VFD- not so. I disconnected power to the VFD and the problem persists. I have a turret up/down switch, and a turret home switch, Port 2 pins 9 and 11 respectively. I then assumed maybe one of these port/pin assignments was shared with an M3 function, i.e. motor step/direction and CW/CCW outputs. They are not.

Any ideas as to what might be going on?

Thanks!
Kevin