Messages

1

SmoothStepper USB / Re: StepperSpeed control on A axis

« on: September 08, 2011, 01:06:40 PM »

Happy;
Be sure you check on the operating voltage, current and power output in oz-in of your stepper so you don't under or overpower it
Doc

2

SmoothStepper USB / Re: StepperSpeed control on A axis

« on: September 08, 2011, 01:04:27 PM »

Happy;
I would suggest a fob / jog dial or one of the pulse-generators wired into your stepper driver board. With steppers you energize 2 or more coils at once so just a regular resistor type speed control will only activate 1 coil limiting the power output of the stepper.
If your into electronics and programming look at the arduino.cc website and see how they wire up steppers to the arduino micro-controller. I have used the arduinos with nema 17 steppers with great success.
good luck
Doc

3

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Updated SmoothStepper Installation and Upgrade Tips

« on: August 26, 2011, 05:47:35 PM »

CNC Dan;
Does your driver board have 4 outputs?? if your using Y and A outputs then you might not have enough driver/stepper outputs. Worse case hook it up like you think it should be and put a volt meter across the 4th axis output run 2 or 3 g code statements and see if the voltage on the output changes
good luck

4

SmoothStepper USB / Re: USB JoyPad and game devices plugin now supports SmoothStepper

« on: January 04, 2011, 08:30:58 PM »

rwind;
did you copy the macros over to the Mach3 maco file for your machine that you created when you installed Mach3?? If you copied all of the macros then when you push a button you should see the label for the button pushed on the status line below the reset button on Mach 3. Be sure to restart Mach3 after you make changes. If you don't see the button labels when you push a button on the joypad then go to configuration and click config plugins and make sure the joypad plugin has a green check mark beside it
if not just click on the red check mark and it will turn green. Be sure to shutdown and restart Mach3 after making a change.
good luck
Doc

5

SmoothStepper USB / Smooth Stepper and digital touch probe

« on: January 03, 2011, 05:57:37 PM »

I want to connect my touch probe to port 3 pin 1 on my SS. Do I connect one side of the probe to pin one and the other to +5v or gnd?? Or do I need to add a resistor in series with the +5V or ground connection??

thanks
Doc

6

SmoothStepper USB / Re: USB JoyPad and game devices plugin now supports SmoothStepper

« on: January 02, 2011, 06:46:46 PM »

Joakim;
Thanks for the quick reply. Can't wait for the next release!!! Great Job on the gamepad plug-in. I paid $16.00 for my logitech gamepad at Best buy. With your plug-in it makes my sharkpro setups a lot more fun
thanks for all your hard work
Doc

7

SmoothStepper USB / Re: USB JoyPad and game devices plugin now supports SmoothStepper

« on: January 01, 2011, 06:30:00 PM »

area51l;
I have set up the macros using DoOEMButton *********x but I find that after I press the Run button Mach 3 no longer responds to the gamepad?? is their a way to have the gamepad stop or pause the executing G-code once Run has started??
thanks
Doc

8

SmoothStepper USB / Re: New CNC member – – Mach3 crashes/unstable

« on: December 31, 2010, 06:43:23 PM »

What driver board are you using between the motor and the smooth stepper??? Also are you using a breakout board BOB between the SS and the driver board?? Sounds like something is missing connection wise.
Good luck
Doc

9

Finished Plugins for Download / Re: USB JoyPad and game device plugin - new version!

« on: December 30, 2010, 04:59:54 PM »

area51;
Thanks for a great plug-in/macro it worked right out of the box just like the instructions described. I have decided to just output a button function message unless button 5 or 6 is pressed. Question I would like to change the right hand joystick axis to swap the Z and A joystick positions. Is this possible??
thanks
Doc
 

10

SmoothStepper USB / Re: USB JoyPad and game devices plugin now supports SmoothStepper

« on: December 30, 2010, 04:45:23 PM »

Great Plug-in/Macro thanks for all of your great work area51. I have modified my macros to just write the function that is going to take place to the status bar until I press the button and either 5 or 6 since and the button since I am getting older and forget!!! what button does what!!!