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Messages - Chris Buchanan

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1
SmoothStepper USB / Re: How ready for prime time?
« on: June 19, 2008, 01:56:24 PM »
Carl,  I have had a Smooth Stepper running my 5' X 10' Ganrty CNC for several months now.  I was using 2 LPT ports previously with a spindle speed control board, 4 axis motors(x slaved),Tool height touch probe, MPG, coolant and Vacuum.  All running nicely with Mach 3 via the LPT ports with the exception of the speed.  My machine needs 36,285 pulses per inch...so I had implemented electronic gearing within my servo drive to get it down by a factor of 5 and could only run at around 372 IPM that way.  I literally removed the 2 db-25 cables from my LPT ports on my pc, and plugged them into a ribbon cable adapter then into the smooth stepper, and loaded the smooth stepper plug-in and was right back up to running.  The only change was I eliminated the pulse multiplier in the servo drives and changed my steps per inch to actual (36,285) and re-tuned my motors from mach.

Everything worked as expected but now I can rapid @ 1200 IPM which is my servos max rpm, not a limitation of the smooth stepper.  The main differences are the homing is slightly different and the software limits do not ramp the motors down to a stop prior to encountering a limit switch.  I have not even checked to see if there is an update for this yet.  As I said I have been running for a couple of months and have not checked for an update so this feature may be working as it should now but I don't know.

In my case I needed speed with a high steps per inch count, so the SmoothStepper was a perfect solution for me even if I had to give up software limits for a while.

Overall I am very impressed, and the reliability seems to be rock solid as I have had no issues with the usb.

I hope this helps,

Chris





2
SmoothStepper USB / Re: WOW
« on: March 22, 2008, 11:17:26 PM »
Thanks to Chaoticone who loaned me a beta test unit to try......
You know it's going to be hard to get this thing back now don't you!!!!!!

3
SmoothStepper USB / Re: WOW
« on: March 22, 2008, 11:10:55 PM »
Here is a short clip of my very first test of the Smooth Stepper interface. 
I have been running with Mach via an LPT port for about 2 years @ a max speed of 370 IPM now I am @ 1000 IPM thanks to the Smooth Stepper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaG3pd8xuWw

4
General Mach Discussion / Re: Odd spacebar behavior?
« on: May 23, 2007, 03:24:01 PM »
Problem Solved.......... I just left Brett's and he informed me that under the system hotkeys setup screen the scan code for "code list" cannot be the same as feedhold....Apparently having the spacebar as a hotkey for the code list window and feedhold does not work. No, all kidding aside that was not the intention, I must have at some point clicked the "code list" button and then tapped the spacebar to check to keyboard scan code for the spacebar and left it there.  I also was mistakenly referring to the "code list" window as the Gcode window.  Duh I never drew the conclusion that the 2 were the same. Also the XML I checked on the other computer was indeed not the same as the one I was currently running that had the problem with so the problem did follow my Xml file.

2 very important lessons here: 1) pay close attention to what you are screwing with even seemingly small changes you may not even remember doing still have an effect.  2) keep your backed up files sorted out, I apparently had several copies of my xml all named the same thing some with changes and some without, so good housekeeping when it comes to file management is essential. I have preached this way more that I have practiced it.
Well, even though I feel stupid my problem is fixed!  It seems the spacebar was only doing exactly what I told it to do, have a look at the screen capture if you are unfamiliar with the system hotkeys screen and are having this, or a similar problem.  Code 32 is spacebar.

Thanks Brett for the help!
CB


5
General Mach Discussion / Re: Odd spacebar behavior?
« on: May 23, 2007, 10:08:24 AM »
Brett, I don't think the problem resides with mach at all but here are my XMl and screen set files.  The problem started when I switched to a usb keyboard and mouse with PS2 adapters instead of the old straight ps2 keyboard and mouse.  No big problem I can select another key for feed hold but I think a re-load of windows may be on order.  Or perhaps I can uninstall the keyboard and mouse drivers.  Its just weird that if I set a hotkey in Screen4 and press the spacebar the scan code 32 is set, but when in mach if I press the space bar the Gcode window gets highlited.  If I clear the hotkey for feed hold on the main screen and press the spacebar in mach the Gcode window still gets highlited.

Thanks,

CB

6
General Mach Discussion / Odd spacebar behavior?
« on: May 22, 2007, 10:59:18 PM »
Has anyone experienced any issues with their space bar not working as feedhold but instead bringing focus to the Gcode window?  I am using Mach 2.0.065 with XP Pro.  This almost has to be a windows issue or perhaps a keyboard driver.  I copied my xml and screen set files to another pc running mach and the problem is not there.  I have aslo reinstalled mach from scratch.  If I check the scan code the space bar is 32 and it does work in other applications.  I have tried several keybaords and get the same results. When the spacebar is depressed the Gcode window gets highlighted and no feedhold.

Any Ideas?

Thanx CB

7
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Proper M code Macro?
« on: February 24, 2007, 11:49:23 PM »
Thanks for the Welcome Guys!
Brett thanks for helping out I have had the M88 thing as a task on my list for a year and finally decided to implement it. Now I can fall asleep on the couch and not have to rush out to switch off my Vacuum pump after it has idled for 2 hours.

And thanks Brian for the code.  I read about the Isloading() function in the wiki but I had the formatting totally wrong....
Your solution works perfect! and with a minimum amount of code.

Thanks A Ton Man!

Chris

8
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Proper M code Macro?
« on: February 24, 2007, 10:22:32 AM »
Thanks Grahm, 
I tried:
If getOEMLED(804)=0 Then
  DeActivateSignal(output4)
End If

I get the same result or if (804)=1 then it simply doesn't turn off the Output at all.

I am curious How does an M9 work?  I know it is not listed as a Macro, but I need an M88 linked to Output#4 to
work similar to an M9.  M9 doesn't turn coolant off upon loading Gcode.

I said similar to an M9 because Upon pressing Stop M9 turns off and I do not want that with M88.

Yeah Brett, I'll post some pics ;)

9
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Proper M code Macro?
« on: February 23, 2007, 08:26:47 PM »
I have a Vacuum pump activated from Output 4 
I created a Macro M88.m1s which contains;  DeActivateSignal(output4)
I wanted to put an M1 and then an M88 at the end of my gcode to turn of the vacuum when the part was finished provided optional stop is not active.  That works fine.

However, If the Vacuum is running and I open a Gcode file into Mach, Mach somehow acts upon the M88 shutting down the vacuum, without running the Gcode.  It seems as if the quick run through mach does to generate the toolpath view calls the M88.  This is not the case with M5 for instance though.

Any Ideas as to how I can prevent this?

I am running Mach 3Version R2.0.040 now but I first noticed it with version 1.83.041
the end of my Gcode files looks like this:
N99 G0X0.0000Y0.0000Z3.0000
N100 M9
N101 M5
N102 G0Z3.0000
N103 G53 Z-1.000
N104 M1
N105 M88
N106 M30

Thanks!

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