Topics

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Doing deadly unexplained rapid moves after Manual Tool Change

« on: August 09, 2021, 11:09:31 PM »

So, I just finished upgrading to a Ethernet SmoothStepper from a PMDX dongle and everything is working fine except my basic manual M6. Using Mach4 Hobby version 4.2.0.4612 with ESS 275. I just copied the old M6 macro from my profile that I was using before (which I think is just the standard one that comes with Mach4...no fancy mods).

I ran 2 programs tonight that each have 2 tools:

1st program: Tool 1 paths all work perfect > Machine pauses and moves up for MTC > Changed tool and zero'd Z > Hit resume and Mach 4 move some in X and Y and then RAPID MOVED down to Z=-25mm or so! It drilled the 4mm shank of a 0.5mm engraving tool through a 2mm piece of aluminum. Pretty impressive really. There is no Rapid Z-25 in my code... So what was this?

2nd program: Tool 1 paths all work perfect > Machine pauses and moves up for MTC> Changed tool and zero'd Z > hit resume and Mach4 rapided X and Y all the way to crash into the X limit switch and the machine stops. Again there is not this motion in my code.

Any idea what the hell is going on here? I'd like to not destroy any more $30 engraving tools .

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Updated PMDX-411 firmware, now constant Motion Underrun errors

« on: July 29, 2021, 08:18:51 PM »

During my trying to troubleshoot my spindle sped PWM not working (which turned out to be user error), I clicked the box in the PMDX plugin config to allow the PMDX-411 to update firmware. It reported that the new version was the exact same one as before, but I let it update anyway. The update went off without issue.

Now, whevenever I jog (key or arrow mode), it instantly hits a Motion Underrun error. I tried maxing the buffers out and it made no difference. I have been running this machine for over a year now and never saw this issue before so I don't think there's anything wrong with the PC. Literally the only thing I did was let this firmware update run. Any ideas?

3

Mach4 General Discussion / How can I test spindle PWM to determine if my SmartBOB is bad?

« on: July 29, 2021, 02:24:54 PM »

So, I have a PMDX-411 SmartBob going to Gecko G540 with Mach4 and out of the blue the spindle is not getting a PWM signal. I have ruled out the VFD and my Gecko G540 and just today I probed pin 14 of the SmartBob with my o-scope in situ (with everything connected, Mach4 booted up, etc..) and I always get 0 volts regardless of if I'm sending a spindle on and speed or not.

Now I know this is the issue, but I technically have no way to prove that Mach4 is actually telling the SmartBob to send the PWM on pin 14. I only know that I'm not getting that signal. So, is there a way I can confirm that the software is indeed sending the signal?

I ask mainly because I've had ZERO success trying to contact PMDX for help with this (are they even still in business?) and am feeling like I'm kind of stranded here with this thing.

Thanks for any help!!

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Zeroing Z not taking when I do manual tool change?

« on: September 21, 2020, 10:48:05 PM »

So, I've been cutting all kinds of stuff on my router with multiple programs (1 per tool), but now that I got the basic Mach4 manual tool change working, I am trying some programs with 2 tools. Both times I've had the same problem where the program pauses and says to load tool 2, so I do so, then find the top of the part with the new tool using jogging, using a piece of .3mm shim and then offsetting .3mm and hitting Zero Z, but then when I resume the program, the height is off, too high.

The program is supposed to cut all around a 2mm thick panel and go Z-2.1 (I opened the Gcode and verified), but I watched while the prgram was running and it was at some weird number like Z -1.2475. I don't know why it would do that. Even if I had forgotten to re-zero, wouldn't the program still just go to Z-2.1 and then have the offset be all screwed and possibly crash? Where the hell did it get -1.2475 from? It's not even in the code.

Any help much appreciated!

5

Mach4 General Discussion / "tools" tab in configuration won't apply or save

« on: August 04, 2020, 11:50:36 PM »

Like the title says, if I change ANYTHING In the tools tab of config, the "apply" button remains greyed out. If you hit ok and come back, none of the settings stay. This is the case in numbers field like "Max tools" or the radio buttons. All the other tabs work and save fine. What the hell am I doing wrong?

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Won't generate tool paths

« on: August 01, 2020, 07:20:21 PM »

I am trying to open an g code in Mach4 hobby and it always just sits at "tool path progress" at 0% and never loads. If you cancel and hit Regen tool path , same thing.

I've tried the sample codes that come with Mach4 and always the same result. Somebody please help me!!

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Sometimes an axis doesn't zero after a home

« on: July 31, 2020, 02:10:45 AM »

Anyone else seen this? I click to home all axis and it always works, but sometimes one or more of the axis doesn't zero, it'll just have some random negative number for position. You can click and zero it and it's fine, or re home and it's usually fine. No communications errors or anything. Just seems pretty sporadic.

This is using a PMDX-411 smart Bob for controller

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Intermittent chokes with PMDX-411 and new Mach4/Win10 installation

« on: July 29, 2020, 12:33:39 AM »

Hi all! I'm fairly new to the CNC world, so please bear with me! I just installed Mach4Hobby on a brand new little mini PC with Windows 10 and using a SmartBOB PMDX-411 with a Gecko G540. After some head-against-a-wall moments (the biggest being that the "Enable" button in Mach4 turns RED when it's enabled.... Forgive my french, but what the flying ********* kind of logic is that??) I finally can job all 3 axis of my machine, but there is one big problem: The whole computer briefly hangs in 2 to 5 seconds bursts fairly randomly but consistently every 20-30 seconds or so. If you happen to be holding or clicking a jog button while this happens, the machine keeps moving until the hiccup is over AND you click the opposite jog button to stop it. Super dangerous!!

I think it has to do with the PMDX because if I start Mach4 with simulation mode, the program and PC never hiccups. As soon as I select the PMDX as the control, the spasms begin.

Here are the things I've tried:
1) Manually installing the 1.4 USB driver from PMDX by their instructions. When I open device manager I see the SmartBob Virtual Com Port (Com 3) under device manager/ Ports(Com&LPT).
2) Rebooting the computer several times
3) Trying a hardware USB keyboard and mouse just in case the wireless mouse/kb was causing an issue.

And still the problem persists.

ANY help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!!