Messages

111

General Mach Discussion / Do step & direction wires need to be shielded cable?

« on: May 23, 2011, 05:15:42 PM »

 It's time for the step & direction wires from the B_O_B to the Geckos.

Do these need to be shielded cable?

If so, what gauge?

I have some of the shielded cable  left from the factory wiring. It's not very heavy gauge.

Thanks,
JAckal

112

General Mach Discussion / Re: Do you have a ceratain proceedure for booting up you machine?

« on: May 20, 2011, 11:25:18 PM »

Thanks Hood,

I want to keep it simple.


JAckal

113

General Mach Discussion / Re: Yes, another home limit switch question.

« on: May 19, 2011, 05:19:57 PM »

kf2gd,

That crossed my mind  (3 separate inputs).

I really just want one limit switch on the X & Y axis. Have it in the middle (protected), and a ramp at each end of the axis to trigger it.

The Z already has 2 switches fully enclosed.

Thanks,

JAckal

114

General Mach Discussion / Do you have a ceratain proceedure for booting up you machine?

« on: May 18, 2011, 07:38:07 PM »

I know that you have to home it out at the start,etc.

At the first what is the procedure for  powering on? Right now on mine you have to open up the cabinet and turn the computer on.

I want to be able to turn the main power latch, then push a couple buttons on the panel and it's on.

Do you turn on the CPU, then the breakout board, then the servo power supply?

Or, do you have it on a relay where the CPU, B_O_B & servos all come on at the same time? Then, when the charge pump kicks in, it is ready to home out? 

These are just simple things that I haven't found in a search, but no one has really covered. < ( that I know of)

They may not be important. When learning a new machine I always go through the same procedure.

Thanks again,

JAckal

115

General Mach Discussion / Re: Yes, another home limit switch question.

« on: May 18, 2011, 07:29:59 PM »

OK, Then it homes out each axis in sequence.

That is too cool. Mach is really amazing!!!!!!!!!

Thanks,
JAckal 

116

General Mach Discussion / Yes, another home limit switch question.

« on: May 18, 2011, 05:04:46 PM »

 
On my mill, it will use (4) limit switches.   

 Z+, Z-, X , and Y. These will be NC switches connected to pin #12.   On X  & Y,  switch is mounted in middle and trip dogs will trigger them.

After reading some of the posts on here,  others tell of using the same switches for homing???

How does that work?

I know Mach disregards the limits when homing. My B_O_B has only 4 inputs for I/O, wouldn't you   have to wire  each axis  to the 3 remaining inputs separately?

 I am a little lost on this. Some say they have the home switches wired in series.  Once this gets clear in my head, it will seem so simple.

Thanks for the help,

JAckal

117

General Mach Discussion / Re: Question for Hood.

« on: May 14, 2011, 09:46:32 PM »

We can all know that it is for tea, then

C'mon guys let's buy Hood a tea.



JAckal

118

General Mach Discussion / Question for Hood.

« on: May 14, 2011, 06:08:59 PM »

Hood,

Have you thought about changing your profile on CNCzone  to add the " Buy me a Beer" option?

It has been on there a couple of months it seems. The other day I checked your profile to  buy you one, and it wasn't activated.

It puts $5 in your Paypal account when someone buys you a beer. 

It would be nice to be able to do that for all of the help you give everyone. 

 I spend a little time over there anyway, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal to go over and give you a brew.

There are probably others here as well that appreciate  all you do.

JAckal

119

General Mach Discussion / Re: PMDX and extra parallel port?

« on: May 14, 2011, 06:02:33 PM »

Thanks Guys.


Hood, that is good to know about the  parallel ports.  I kinda figured that because a search didn't show anyone running 3 ports.

Biermann,

What kind of pendant are you using?

Mine pretty much has to use the parallel port DB25 connector.There is a c22 board that goes between the two.

Are you going to run the 126 board in expanded mode?

From looking at the manual, you have to set it just right or the  test mode, charge pump, & relays won't operate correctly.

Steve Stalling's has a very thorough manual with his boards. They are a little intimidating, but  they have all the info you could imagine, and more.

He doesn't leave any room for errors of interpretation. If you re-read them a few times, along with your drive booklet, it starts to make sense.

There is a MACH 3  brain that runs with the 126 for expanded mode. It is on the PMDX website.

That along with the Spindle controller board ( also PMDX 107) it looks a little scary. 

Thanks for all of the information.

Keep it coming.

JAckal

120

General Mach Discussion / PMDX and extra parallel port?

« on: May 14, 2011, 10:45:40 AM »

I bought a PMDX  126 board. After looking at the  manual on it,  it says you can run it to (2) parallel ports for the extra I/O 's. Or you can run it in expanded mode and get the extra I/O's through one port.

I want to set it up  so  extras can be added later as needed. It would be aggravating to get it running and tuned, then need to add some items, and have to start over.

My second parallel port is the one Simpson recommended here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815166007

It isn't installed, yet.

Another problem is my pendant:

http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=162

It connects through a 2nd parallel port, using the c22 card:

http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=159

Now does this mean I need (3) parallel ports??

Is that even possible or just crazy?

Maybe I'm making this too complicated. I don't want machine looking like the space shuttle wiring.


Could I use the (2) parallel ports. One for the pendant, and the other for the PMDX 126 board ( running it in the expanded mode)?

This something that needs to be figured out now before the B_O_B  in mounted.

Maybe it is intimidating because I'm a newbie at this. That PMDX board is nice, but the instructions are  a little intimidating to me. The more you read it the more sense it makes.

I have the Gecko booklet next to me,  and checking where it all goes.

Thanks a lot,

Let me know if this is an overcomplicated mess, or something needs to be changed   before I get too far along.

JAckal