Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Question around operation and parameters

« on: March 05, 2008, 10:01:55 AM »

Got it...  I changed the lines to "call SetCurrentTool(x)" and it's working fine.

Can you tell me where I can get the "list" of calls and functions?  I looked all over the MachCustomizeWiki and did not see it?
   Thanks for the help.

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Question around operation and parameters

« on: March 04, 2008, 01:06:52 PM »

Thanks, that works great.  Now that I got that going I find that I can't seem to update the current tool number.
 probably wrong format for the command.

Other then that it works fine...

This is on a little EMCO TurnPC lathe with a 6 position tool changer that returns an index and a pulse per tool with
 a single drive signal that causes forward rotation and when dropped reverses rotation to index the tool.

My M6 program is:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
current = GetCurrentTool()
newtool = GetSelectedTool()

If current=0 Then      'syncs tool turret
  ActivateSignal(OUTPUT4)      'start turret moving
   While IsActive(INPUT2)=false   'wait for tool index
   Wend
  DeactivateSignal(OUTPUT4)   'reverse tool turret to index
  SetCurrentTool(1)   '<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< is SetCurrentTool(x) the correct format?
  current=1         'this initiallizes the tool changer on startup
End If


If current = newtool Then
   Exit Sub
End If

If newtool>6 Or newtool<1 Then
Message("Next Tool out of range")
    Code "M30"
    End
End If

Code "G53 X-.1"           'position X to safe area
While IsMoving ()
Wend
            '6 position turret - calc next tool count
movedist = (newtool - current) + 1
If movedist <1 Then movedist = movedist + 6
ActivateSignal(OUTPUT4)      'start turret moving

For I=1 To movedist
  While IsActive(INPUT1)=false
  Wend
 
  While IsActive(INPUT1)=true
  Wend
Next I
DeactivateSignal( OUTPUT4 )   'stop and index turret
'  While IsActive(INPUT1) = true
'  Wend
SetCurrentTool(newtool)         '<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< is SetCurrentTool(x) the correct format?

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

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Question around operation and parameters

« on: February 29, 2008, 12:56:16 PM »

I'm trying to do a script for a simple tool changer and running into the problem of finding the current and new tool DRO.
I'm using the code:
    current_tool = GetOEMDRO(824)
    next_tool = GetSelectedTool()
      ...

and when I step through it they don't seem to load the tool info.  I've tried several options for the current_tool.

On the 1024.lset screen when I use the  screen designer to look at the current tool DRO it dosen't have any information on what the DRO number is.  I'm a bit confused on what is a system, user or OEM DRO.  I've looked at the videos and they are very helpful but dosen't seem to work the same when I try it.
 Thanks...

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: PCI port card addressing woes

« on: February 29, 2008, 11:13:46 AM »

I was having the same problem with my pci port adaptor - set it to lpt2 and Mach couldn't see it.
I checked the resources and it was using E000h for the address.  I plugged that into Mach and it came up fine.
(0xe000 for the address)

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 using Galil servo card

« on: February 25, 2008, 11:27:52 AM »

Thanks, that explains it.  I was just manually moving the axis without drive enabled and I could watch the axis counters in the galil terminal program but not in Mach. 

This is looking pretty easy...
 Regards,
  Tom

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 using Galil servo card

« on: February 25, 2008, 11:02:26 AM »

I'm using a DMC1750 full version.
I wired the encoders to the main encoder inputs not the aux encoder inputs.  Do I need to also run them to the aux inputs for Mach to see them?
The limits are working correctly but I don't see the E-Stop (abort on the galil?)
How are the inputs and outputs mapped?  Dose the pin # = the input # on the galil?
  Thanks for the help...
    Tom

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 using Galil servo card

« on: February 24, 2008, 05:51:09 PM »

I'm looking for info on the Galil interface.
I have the Galil installed and working with the Galil servo tune package well.
The Mach3 can see all the limit switches but I don't see the axis encoders or the E-stop (abort) line.

What port and pin numbers do you use in the configuration/inputs page when using the Galil?
  Thanks,
   Tom

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed problem

« on: February 23, 2008, 11:57:41 AM »

Thanks, I looked at the toolchanger video and it was helpful.  However, I could not find the M6START.MLS they referenced as a starting point.  Can you tell me where it is or if there are any tutorials on how to call/ format a macro?   (I'm sure this is all obvious, just need a starting point)

Questions:
> how do you call a routine like an M command, for example  "M6 T0101"?
> where are the macros or command scripts located?   How do I access them to modify or add commands?  Are there individual files for each command?
> is there a listing of the variable references?  In reading some of the posted scripts I see the DROs for example are accessed by a variable number.
> is there a programming document that has all this in one place?

  Tom

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed problem

« on: February 22, 2008, 07:39:29 PM »

First, thanks for the quick reply.  Before I went further I double checked everything again and found that my index pulse was not getting through for spindle rpm.  I did run the spindle auto calibrate in that condition and that may have been the problem.  After fixing the index problem and got rpm info back I re-ran the auto calibrate and it went ok.  I now have normal speed control back.  I can't be positive these are related but it did seem to correct the problem.

I'm now trying to get my tool changer going and could use some advice on that.  It's a simple 6 position tool changer that provides a pulse per tool position and an additional index at tool 1 position.  It only requires one output to start it moving, wait for the correct number of pulses and drop the output to index that tool.    Question is: how do I control the output lines?  Is that done by assigning M-codes or is there a script language of some sort.  I see there are some tool changer programs posted but no info on how to call these from Mach.

Thanks again for the help.
  Tom Carlson

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed problem

« on: February 21, 2008, 07:57:22 PM »

To tmsmith and Brian...  I'm new here and hope this goes to the right place.

I'm having the same problem with my spindle.  I can't change the pwm speed output with the S input.  It was working for a while and then it quit accepting S commands.  I checked the configurations and I don't have the PID enabled.  The index input is working ok indicating the correct speed.  Watching the pwm output on a scope, it never changes.

On an M3 command (with S at any value) the spindle surges on then settles back to about 500rpm.  I also verified that I'm not in CSS mode.
Thanks,
 Tom Carlson