Messages

71

General Mach Discussion / Re: Another 2nd parallel port question

« on: October 13, 2011, 02:07:05 PM »

I swapped the cables around. Added the ribbon cable & header for the 3 parallel port.

Tried Mach on all 3 ports, no luck on #2 or# 3.

Called them all port #1,2 or 3 at one time. Went through all of the assigned addresses in device manager, too.

Pendant didn't work on port #1 ( motherboard provided port).

I have noticed that the LED on the pendant come on when you start the machine.

It stays on while Windows is booting up. A couple of seconds before  the Main Windows screen ( with the icons) comes up, the pendant LED goes  out.

I'm not sure but that sounds like something to do with the "charge pump" circuit.

There are (2) different CNC4PC brains. One is with charge pump, and the other W/O charge pump.< I've tried both 


About an hour ago I sent an e-mail to Steve @ PMDX. This may be impossible, or he may have a 10 second fix.

I would be willing to wire this pendant pin-by-pin if takes that.

The only  thing really needed is:

MPG

Axis selector

Axis increments; .001, .01, 01.

The E-stop had a relay that is wired outside the comm cable.

Stay tuned for further updates.


JAckal

72

General Mach Discussion / Re: Another 2nd parallel port question

« on: October 12, 2011, 07:11:10 PM »

Hood,

I wondered about that. Could I just swap the Break out board parallel cable and pendant cable, then go into device manager and switch names on the ports?

 Or would I need  to go in and change/check each individual pin? It  would seem that if ports addresses were changed, just a swap of the cables.

BR,

I will try this change of ports and then get in touch with PMDX. Steve Stallings (PMDX) is super quick on the electronics stuff. Maybe what I'm wanting to do can't be done with a 126 board. The expanded mode and several different header plug-ins on it, may make this impossible to plug-and play.

If so, Steve can probably tell me how to take the end off of the pendant cable, and wire up the axis switch and MPG direct.

When  asking him for help, I just want to be able to say I've tried most things already.

I'll try the port address thing, and then get in touch with  PMDX.

You'll know in a few days how it works out.

Thanks to all of you for your help.

I am a little deeper involved in electronics that I had intended, but it pulls you in and you have to go deeper to understand  it.

Maybe some day I can return the favor.

JAckal
 

73

General Mach Discussion / Re: Another 2nd parallel port question

« on: October 12, 2011, 03:24:01 PM »

Thanks Tweakie.

I looked at that link you posted several times before starting a new thread.

Every available address has been done.

It could be that the pendant is bad or the c22 board, but I don't want to   send  parts back  without being able to test them.
Maybe someone else will chime in with the same problem and the same Break out board & stuff.

With the pmdx board set on normal mode it leaves the maximum amount of usable pins for the  2nd parallel port.

Does the C-22 board & brain take in all of the info from the pendant and decide what goes where, like a Modio or modbus?

My pendant has like 21 wires in it, and they can't all be functioning through the few available pins at once. < (Overlook my stupidity on this. I have never really studied the modbus or modio).

Thanks for everyone's help,

JAckal

74

General Mach Discussion / Another 2nd parallel port question

« on: October 11, 2011, 08:25:14 PM »

I ordered the Rosewill  parallel port that was recommended and tested by Simpson:

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

My Mach is up and running with a PMDX 126 board & 107 spindle controller. I have the machine where it will jog around on all  3 axis.

Spindle & VFD are  working fine.

The computer won't recognize the 2nd port. I've installed and removed the drivers, 2 or 4 times.

The pendant is a cnc4pc :

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

It is connected by this pendant board recommended by Arturo at cnc4pc:

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

I have installed all of the brains associated with the c22 card and pendant. Disabled and enabled all or some of them, at various points.

The port doesn't seem to be recognized.   I don't want to mess with running the sample .xml from cnc4pc, because all of my settings for my motors and VFD/spindle are already  there.

When you turn on the PC/Controller for the machine, the red led on the pendant lights up.  As windows starts to boot up, the led goes out.

The address for the 2nd parallel port card is :

A800-A807
AC00-AC07

A00-A007
A400-A407

I only use the first part of the address # ex: A800

In the hardware manager, there is (2) new ports listed: Port #2 & Port#3

The pin connector on the board must be for a ribbon connector to add another port   through the header.

Why is it showing 4 addresses for (2) new ports?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am running the pmdx in "normal mode" with charge pump.

Is this asking too much for a second parallel port, to have a pendant on it?

Not sure how many open inputs I have left, or outputs either.

The C22 board is supposed to  intercept  all of the commands and communicate through the second port.

There may be some conflict between pins on the pmdx board and the CNC4pc c22 board.

Thanks for all of the help,

JAckal

75

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3, PMDX 107 spindle board & Teco VFD configuration help

« on: October 08, 2011, 12:29:12 PM »

That switch was it!!!

 I have it running now, it reverses, and everything.

From high to low range makes a big difference, but it did before,too.

The spindle reverses direction, etc.

It was that way before with my g-codes, so I'll adapt easily.

M3 & M4 reverse for hi/low range.

Thanks for all of the help, guys.

ESPECIALLY HOOD!

You guys are quick to help, plus you teach people to think and try to solve their own problems.

JAckal

76

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3, PMDX 107 spindle board & Teco VFD configuration help

« on: October 08, 2011, 11:01:00 AM »

Hood,

One thing I found out last night, there is a mini switch behind the panel/keypad, for selecting  NPN -PNP control. It is set default from the factory for PNP 24+ volts from the VFD to trigger the spindle and I have mine wired for NPN to use "ground" for the trigger.

Later, I'll go to the shop and try that.

The written manual is OK, but the manual on the disc has a lot more info.

Thanks,

JAckal

77

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3, PMDX 107 spindle board & Teco VFD configuration help

« on: October 07, 2011, 06:50:40 PM »

I bought a Teco JNEV-203 H1 VFD.

I hooked it up and programmed all of the settings manually, and it runs my spindle very well.

Now, I am trying to get Mach 3 to operate the spindle through my PMDX 107 card.

The 107 card is a daughter card that mounts piggy back on the PMDX 126 Breakout board. It is for spindle operation.

Here is a wiring diagram of how I have it wired:





This is the screen-shot of the MACH3 spindle  page:




It is probably something  set wrong.  I went through the programming of the vfd. It is really neat all of the different settings you can do.

After trying the different on/off/fwd/rev stuff, I quit before damaging something.


Does this need a relay to turn the spindle on/off & then the PMDX board just tells it which direction?

Thanks for all of the help,

JAckal

78

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is this sound dithering?

« on: September 20, 2011, 01:27:41 PM »

Thanks Ray,

I had a few minutes today and checked it. It does this when power is applied to the machine. After MACH is booted up and I jog the X- axis ( slightly either direction) it stops making that noise. It only makes the noise when the machine is stopped.

I left it on for about 45 minutes and the noise never came back.

Maybe  this is ok. I'll have my wife go and listen to it sometime. It may be more of a growl or something else.

My hearing isn't trustworthy.

I can't even hear a cricket in the house.

Thanks,
JAckal 

79

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is this sound dithering?

« on: September 17, 2011, 09:42:26 AM »

Thanks Hood,

I am hoping someone else can say it is.

I took the brushes out and blew all of the dust from the motor and  put each brush back into the same location in the same order, etc.

At first I was afraid it was arcing of the brushes.

But the  way it comes & goes intermittently,

Hopefully someone else has had the same thing happen.

Thanks,
JAckal

80

General Mach Discussion / Is this sound dithering?

« on: September 16, 2011, 11:10:07 PM »

Not all of my motors are mounted on my machine. The x axis servo is mounted and has a Gecko 320x driving it. When the machine is powered up and Mach resets, my X- axis motor makes a small clicking sound. It is similar to a Morse code message.

I can jog the motor a little bit and it goes away. It may come back in 5 minutes or 1 hour later.

My hearing is too bad to compare to Youtube videos of dithering.

Let me know of some of your experiences.

Maybe my machine is  sending me a message:

1) JAckal,
Hurry up and get me finished so that I can make some chips.

2) JAckal,
You lazy bum. Are you ever gonna finish this retrofit.


Thanks,

JAckal