Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need Help If Possible --- Tormach pcnc 1100 and ESS Smoothstepper

« on: September 01, 2015, 10:24:17 PM »

Well after two long days of trying to figure out how to make the tormach spindle work through the ESS smoothstepper I am no closer that I was before. I have the tormach software and Mach 3 mill software on my computer and I can make everything work in both programs with the machine hooked up through the LPT port. If I connect the ESS to the mill, the tormach version and the mach 3 mill will control everything except the spindle. I am not sure how tormach controls the spindle in there version of mach but just copying all the settings and xml faile is not working. When using the LPT port, when you reset the machine power is supplied to the BOB board. When you hit the spindle start button the C2 contactor makes up putting power to the spindle contactor and the spindle starts. Using the smooth stepper I cannot get the c2 contactor to energize from the control software but I can make it energize with a jumper or from the front panel but even then with the contactors energized I still cannot get the spindle to start. Bout ready to pull my last few hairs out. I am sure there this has been done successfully and I hope someone has some ideas to share.

Thanks again

Barry

2

General Mach Discussion / Need Help If Possible --- Tormach pcnc 1100 and ESS Smoothstepper

« on: August 31, 2015, 09:57:47 PM »

Trying to install a smooth stepper on my PCNC 1100 mill. I have everything working except the spindle. I cannot make any relays energize from the control software to make the spindle run. Does anyone have a Tormach that has successfully made this work. I am using the Mach 3 stand alone version as Tormach does not support there mach platform anymore and someone from Tormach told me the ESS plugin will not work with there legacy mach program.

I can run the spindle manually from the front panel of the machine. Once I start the spindle, power is applied to the VFD and the spindle starts. I still have no control from the control computer. If I shut the spindle down from the front panel, power remains on the vfd but I still have no control from the computer. I am hoping someone on here has gone through this and has some answers and please forgive my ignorance. I have very little electrical knowledge, just enough to get me in trouble. Does anyone know how Tormach supplies and applies power to the vfd contactor. There are also 5 ice cube relays on the bob so any help with which if any of them feed the VFD is appreciated. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Barry

3

General Mach Discussion / Needing Help

« on: December 31, 2009, 04:58:29 PM »

Can some tell me how to change my table display. I would like for x to display north and south on the display and y to display east and west. Right now my x displays east and west and y is north and south. I had it working this way but something caused it to change and I can't remember how I changed it before. When jogging the machine, all movement is correct. Up and down arrow moves x north and south and left and right arrows move y east and west but the display shows opposite and when running a program x is east and west and y is north and south. Hope this makes sense and thanks for any help.

Barry

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Zero X & Y axis based on laser cross

« on: December 29, 2008, 07:35:17 PM »

Hello.everyone. I have a homebuilt cnc router that I would like to put a laser cross on to zero the x and y axis. I have the buttons and the script that should work. What I need to know is how to power the laser and turn it on from mach. I am using a Bob Campbell bob. I have the touch plate for the z axis set up and it works great. I have a laser that is 5v. Can someone explain how to connect it to the bob. I have some relay outputs on the bob. Do I just find 5v and put it through one of the output relays? Man this is a great site with a world of knowledge and I am sure someone can help me. Thanks in advance.

Barry Sims

5

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Shuttle Xpress Problem

« on: April 27, 2008, 03:54:58 PM »

Sid, sorry about that. I am not sure what that XML file is for. It may be one for another MPG I was trying. See if this one looks right. I am running the latest version on Mach 3.

Barry

6

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Shuttle Xpress Problem

« on: April 26, 2008, 05:01:01 PM »

Sid, attached is my xml file. Thanks

Barry

7

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Shuttle Xpress Problem

« on: April 25, 2008, 10:17:56 PM »

I have a contour shuttle express and run Mach 3 on a DIY router. The shulle express is working but the outer ring is spotty. I can turn the ring a little bit and the axis will move. If I turn it a little more the axis stops. Turn it a little more and the axis moves a little faster. This happen all the way to the outer rings travel limits. I have a tormach mill with the tormach shuttle running tormachs version of mach3 and it works perfectly. I can switch shuttles between the router and the mill and the tormach shuttle acts the same way on the router and the contour shuttle works perfect on the mill. Anyone have any ideas. Everything else seems to work fine except for the outer ring. Thanks in advance.

Barry