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Topics - BrianW

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I'm trying to generate numbers around a handwheel dial.  Got Fusion to do the design and it simulates fine and even tells me how long it will take to machine.  But when I try to generate the G code, the standard Artsoft "Mach3Mill" post processor generates code with inverse time functions for A axis movement.  My Gecko 320X driver does not accept this and faults out, even if I slow the speed to 25%.  Does Artsoft provide a different post processor that will use G93 instead of G94?

I saw where it was possible to edit the Post Processor to change "var useInverseTimeFeed = true" to "var useInverseTimeFeed = false"  but this did not work for me.  The next attempt to post failed with the odd message "This post configuration has not been customized for 5-axis simultaneous tool path".  I see no reason why that change would introduce an extra axis.

Any help would be appreciated.

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Mach4 General Discussion / Hazardous Motion - Mach4 Software
« on: May 09, 2021, 05:45:52 PM »
I've recently switched from Mach3 to Mach4, so the following problem may be due to my inexperience with Mach4 or some incorrect software setting.  However, I encountered a very serious "runaway" situation today and would like to get some advice.

Using the Jogging screen that comes with Mach4, I was setting the tool to the part origin,  I had switched to incremental jog mode with increments set at 0.001".  (The attached photo shows the preset jogging conditions.) However, when I went to jog the X axis the motion was continuous, not a jog.  Worse, it did not stop when I released the button

I used the hard-wired E-stop to halt motion but by then the tool was destroyed and the part damaged.  I'm very glad my fingers were not in the tool path!

But it gets worse...

After releasing the E-stop, I used the jog button for the A-Axis (the Knee) in continuous mode to drop the work clear of the tool collet.  Once again, the motion did not stop when the key was released.  Neither the Stop Button nor the Reset Button on the main Program Run screen would do more than pause the motion.  As soon as they were released, the A-Axis motion continued.  Finally I had to use the E-stop to halt the motion.

Can anyone suggest what might have caused this problem and suggest how to avoid it in future?

PS.  I'm using ESS to drive DMM servos and motors.


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I have configured my 4th axis as linear to control the knee on my milling machine and am having an erratic problem with motion in the negative direction.  (This problem occurred some time ago and has gotten worse.)   Motion upward seems to work fine most of the time, but occasionally will not move at all.  Motion down may not work at all, may go up instead of down and will not stop when reaching the commanded point.  Of interest, these problems do not occur when using incremental motion from the jogging control screen.  I have checked everything I can think of, including testing the connections and continuity of the "DIR" wire from the break out board to the servo.  All other axes work flawlessly.  I have swapped the 4th axis servo for a new one with no change in the problem.  I have tested the servo output on another motor and it shows the same symptoms.  I have concluded the problem is not with the motor, the servo or the wiring back to the ports on the breakout board.  I checked that all chips are firmly seated on the breakout board but have not changed them out.

I should mention that I am running Ethernet Smooth Stepper between Mach3 and the break out board to drive all the axes.  I'm not sure how to test that.

None of the tests I have done can account for why the axis does not stop when the target reading is attained (only going down).  This made me wonder if there is a bug in Mach3 so I reverted to an earlier build but that made no difference.

I have run out of ideas for diagnosis and have found no one else with the same problem on the forum.  I would really appreciate advice from all you wise members.

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