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Topics - Chris D

Pages: 1
1
Good afternoon all,

I posted this on the Zone the other day and didn't get any suggestions so I thought I would try here.  I know Mach 3 is somewhat "extinct" but thought maybe someone could chime in.  Even if the solution lies within MACH 4, I would like to hear about it.

I have MACH 3, been using it for a decade or so. My current setup is: Windows 10, Mach 3, ESS (Ethernet Smooth Stepper). For the MPG, I am using a FANUC MPG wired up using "A" and "B" etc.

Regardless of what computer, what MPG, what machine, what configuration, I have NEVER been able to get the MPG to behave as it does on any industrial control.

I can set the distance per step, and if I slowly rotate the MPG, I will get a near perfect step with every click of the MPG. However, if I rotate the MPG any faster than "SLOW", not all clicks translate into an increment of motion. On industrial CNCs the machine will move 1 increment / click of the MPG.

I know there are settings for velocity mode, multi-step, single step, etc. I believe I have tried every combination of these and I cannot get the machine to perform "correctly". The best is in Velocity mode and the machine will move some distance greater than a single increment, however, it still starts and stops crudely.

I have tried the tuning function as well with no luck.

Has anyone found the magic combination to getting industrial MPG performance on MACH 3?

Thanks in advance!

Chris D.

2
Good morning all,

I am having a very strange problem with Mach 3. My system has been working but I also have been working on it so I could have introduced something into the mix. All other behavior of the machine is fine.

This is all about spindle control, and again, this was working...

Here is what happens:

I turn on the spindle in Mach, the spindle starts for a brief moment, then Mach3 E-Stops.

Here is what I have:

Mach3 - ESS Smooth Stepper - C25 BOB -- Dual relay board -- PWM to Analog board -- Huanyang Chinese VFD

This is what I have done to isolate the problem:

  • I removed the PWM board and replaced it with a POT, this leaves only two control wires between MACH and the VFD - DCM (Common) and FOR (spindle on-fwd).
    Problem continues - as such, output triggers relay, Relay closes, PWM signal starts, MACH3 E-stops.
    I removed the two wires for DCM and FOR at the relay (Thus the spindle can't start)
    Problem gets 'better", the output triggers relay, Relay closes, PWM signal starts, MACH3 is happy.
    I then connect the two wires (DCM and FOR) together (twisting wires together) and the spindle starts and runs fine - no E-Stop


Phase 1 Summary:

  • Mach3 can control the relay, the relay can operate fine with no problem.

    The spindle drive can operate fine by manually wiring together the wires for (DCM and FOR).

    Mach3 will E-Stop if the Relay is used as a switch to connect the DCM and FOR wires together.

-----------------------------------------
Further tests and attempts:

  • Reconnected the analog control circuit
    Problem and behaviour was exactly the same as above

-----------------------------------------

  • Also turned off the input for E-Stop (thinking there is a power surge or drop), problem persisted.


-----------------------------------------

  • Being that the problem is around the relay and that there are two on the board, I tried both relays - same problem.


It is so strange that:
  • the relay can actuate perfectly fine by Mach3 and never cause a problem
    the VFD can be turned on/off by twisting the wires together and never cause a problem
    if the relay is used to connect the two wires - Mach3 goes into E-Stop



Anybody got any suggestions as to what is going on here?

Unfortunately I am away on business for a couple of weeks and won't be able to test further until I return.

Chris D

3
Good morning all,

I have been working on my lathe trying to clean some of the configuration and screens up and I broke something somewhere.

Here is roughly the program I am running...

G90 G95 G97
T0101
M3 S1000 (X dives to zero - Centerline of part)
G00 Z.1
X1.0
G01 Z-1.0 F.005
G00 X1.1
G91 G28 X0
G28 Z0
G90 G95 G97
T0202
M3 S1000 (X dives to zero - centerline of part)
G00 Z.1
X1.0
G01 Z-1.0 F.005
G00 X1.1
G91 G28 X0
G28 Z0
M05
M30

The lines are commented with the unexpected X move.  Aside from that, the program runs as expected and positions correctly.

Any idea what I screwed up to cause that?

Thanks in advance!

Chris D

4
General Mach Discussion / XHC - wireless Pendant - MPG question?
« on: July 11, 2017, 05:43:28 PM »
Good afternoon all,

I have used a variety of different MPGs with MACH3 over the last 10 years or so.  I have never been able to get them to work as well as they do on an industrial control such as a FANUC, Siemens, etc. 

It seems that the machine's movement will never be exactly 1:1 with each click on the MPG.  In other words, it seems as though MACH can't keep up with the moves as fast as you can turn the MPG (even for small step amounts like .0001" or .001").

Using the wireless XHC pendant, the problem is even worse.  It is certainly useable, however, it isn't anywhere near as reliable or rsponsive as an industrial CNC control, then again, I never used a wireless MPG on an industrial CNC.

Has anyone been able to "Tune" the wireless pendant so that it is more responsive with the MPG and Machine movements?

Chris D.

5
Good morning all,

I am looking to add some addition operator controls to my CNC router.  I am running MACH3, UC100, BOB, on Windows 10 laptop.

On the older parallel port controlled machine, I used an IPAC and Keygrabber to add operator controls (joystick, buttons, etc.).

I see there is now a USB version of an IPAC, however, looking through the forums, I don't see many (if any) posts about using the USB IPACs.

Does this type of configuration still work?  If not, how is everyone adding additional Inputs for making operator panels?

Thanks much.

Chris D

6
Hello all,

I am hoping someone can direct me to a solution.  Here is what I have:

Windows 10 - Laptop
Mach 3 software
UC100 controller

The UC100 looses connection frequently.  Sometimes within a minute, other times it might take 10 minutes. Seldom, if ever, have I been able to run for more than 10 minutes without a failure.

I have tried this so far...

Different USB cable
Different USB Port
Running a program with the spindle
Running a program with the spindle off (assuming noise from comming from the controller 0 chinese unit).

Yes, everything is grounded to earth.

The UC100 & breakout board is located in a metal cabinet with all the other electronics (power supplies, stepper drives, spindle drive, and fan.

The USB cable passes through a hole into the metal cabinet and plugs into the UC100.

Any ideas?

Chris D

7
Hi all,

I am setting up a mill with Mach3 (current download - registered) using the UC100 motion controllers, and the Wireless MPG HB04.

I have things moving pretty good but because this MPG appears to use the Step jog function (which I like because of accuracy / click), I can't seem to figure out how to make thos step moves faster.  There was one DRO - OEM 126 that I thought would help, but didn't seem to do anything useful.

Any ideas of what I can do?

Thanks!

Chris D

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