Topics

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Setting up Spindle/VFD control Issues

« on: February 07, 2019, 04:08:25 AM »

Hey all.
Mach4 4.2.0.3804
ESS Build 232
Gecko G540
Nowforever VFD

Ive been using the setup for awhile with just the Potentiometer on the VFD for spindle control, I want to setup software control with the ESS/Gecko/Mach4

Ive set it all up as I believe it should be (following manuals etc) but as soon as I connect the wiring from the GeckoG540 to the VFD it activates the spindle and sets it at 232hz no matter what I change?

My wiring is as follows:
Gecko G540 Pin 7 (VFD Ground) --> Comm Terminal on VFD
Gecko G540 Pin 8 (VFD Out) --> X1 Terminal on VFD (Spindle FWD Input)
Gecko G540 Pin 9 (VFD 10V) --> AIN1 (Analog Input 1)

Software setup:

Mach 4 ESS plugin config:

Spindle: Type = PWM
Frequency Hz = 400z (im not actually sure about this one? how do you know the base hz, I just choose the max hz

Pins Config:
Port 1 - Pin8 - Out - Active High - Spindle PWM
Port 1 - Pin9 - Out - Active High - Spindle FWD
Output Signals:
Spindle Motor PWM - Enabled - Mach Mapping ESS Only - Pin1 Mapping "Spindle PWM"
Spindle FWD - Enabled - Mach Mapping ESS - Pin1 Mapping "Spindle FWD"

Mach 4 Config:
Output Signals:
Spindle FWD - Enabled - Device = ESS - Output Name Spindle FWD

Ive tried setting different pins, setting active low, changing spindle FWD to Spindle ON, even swapped the wires on the VFD (x1 and AIN1)

Oh I should mentioned Ive changed all the setup parameters on the VFD to suit analog control through AIN1.

But yea no matter what I try it just turns the spindle on straight away at 200odd hz

Im out of ideas.

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Stepper motors interfering with each other using mach4?

« on: January 22, 2019, 04:11:38 AM »

Hey all, So had my machine running with Mach3/parallel port and all ran smooth and no sign of this issue.

I "upgraded" to Mach4 and a Ethernet smooth stepper and now if I manually jog one axis at a time there is no problem but say im jogging down the Y axis then while keeping the keyboard down arrow pressed I press the right arrow and jog X a little bit then let go of X (all while still jogging Y) the steppers make a very audible "doonk" noise (technical description)

same thing If I do X continuously then tap Y.

I realized If I do say Y continuously and hold my hand on the Y stepper when I start and then let go of X and hear the "doonk" noise I can feel it in the Y stepper so its as if stopping travel in another axis momentarily stalls the active axis?

It does not have any issues with running G-code whether in the MDI or a program.

It has been bad enough to cause me to loose steps while manually jogging and loosing my location. Now im very careful to not jog more then one axis at once.

Im thinking it may have something to do with the keyboard plugin?

Advance thanks for the help
-Clint

3

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach 4 keyboard increment jogging randomly swaps to inches?

« on: January 22, 2019, 03:58:05 AM »

Hey all, Using mach 4. my gcode is in metric, my machine setup units and units mode is in metric. But sometimes when I go to jog using the keyboard in increment mode I set it to say 1mm but the machine moves 1inch. which can be quite scary when not expected and near something!

I close and re-open Mach 4 and its back to normal.

Is this a known problem? or any ideas what could be causing it?

Anything I could try/check to nut it out?

Now im in the habit of always testing it out first in the direction away from my stock to make sure its in metric but I should not have to

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach 4 not stopping at manual tool change

« on: January 01, 2019, 02:06:39 AM »

Hello all, just upgraded from Mach3 to Mach4. Using the same post processor in Fusion360 as mach3 as it doesn't list one for Mach4?

During a manual tool change Mach4 is not stopping like mach3 did ie.

M1
T4 M6

Do I need to use a different code? Or change a setting? is there a Mach4 post for Fusion?

Just reading through the manual, it says M1 is a Optional stop... using WXrouter screenset under "run ops" tab do I need to have the optional stop button on???

If so is there a way I can make it always on? Id hate to forget to turn on it once and ruin a job

Thanks

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Steppers randomly stalling

« on: December 30, 2018, 05:02:46 AM »

So just upgraded to Mach4, new pc and Ethernet Smoothstepper

I can set my steppers velocity to 10,000mm/min+ and jog around for a little while but every now and then one of the Axis will stall. (not always the same one)

But even dropping the velocity down to 6000mm/min it still randomly stalls. If I stop jogging for a second it will let me jog around for awhile again... seems random

Any idea's what would be causing this? and how to fix?

Also I used the keyboard plugin and assigned the arrow keys to jog but they are a little laggy at times and do not seem as responsive as Mach 3 was?