Topics

1

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Mach3 to DC Servo conversion

« on: February 28, 2010, 02:11:46 AM »

I use DC servos with optical encoders on my mill through a step/dir interface on each axis. Currently, I use the USB Smooth-Stepper hardware to interface the PC to my servos axis controllers (which works very well) however, with a processor running each axis, it seems a shame to be wasting it on processing steps and direction pulses.

I'd like to create a plug-in or interface code that allows me to send Mach3 position, speed and direction information directly to my controllers without going through the step-direction hardware interface. Whether through serial like MaxStepper, or USB like Smooth-Stepper, I don't mind which comms interface.

What does Mach3 send to devices like SmoothStepper that encodes the information that I can send directly into my controllers?
How do I get access to that type of real-time information? What drivers would I need to write? What can I expect from Mach3?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
-Robert

2

SmoothStepper USB / Error 9991 Activating SS Plugin

« on: October 12, 2008, 04:19:05 PM »

I have sucessfully loaded the USB driver and installed the SS plug-in on my XP SP2 system. Mach3 will open and load standard drivers and other plug-ins. However, when I enable the SS plug-in, the check box appears as expected, but when I exit to restart Mach3 with the new SS driver, BAMB! Error 9991 everytime. Standard Microsoft window send error yadayada, then when I restart Mach3 the SS plug-in is not checked and I go round and round.

Can anyone help me?

BTW: Why is it sometimes the standard Mach3 driver initializes and my system appears to slow to a snail's pace. It can take 5 minutes just to shut-down. Just wondering?

Thanks all

-Robert