Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Somethings missing......?

« on: September 14, 2010, 10:28:16 PM »

Testing

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Somethings missing......?

« on: September 14, 2010, 10:12:16 PM »

These are my settings on my comp for Mach 3

My port address is 0x378, kernal speed 25000hz
enabled             step pin#    dir pin#    dir low active            step low active    step port    dir port
X-axis                      3             2               on                         on                       1             1

Y-axis                      5             4               on                         on                       1             1  

Z-axis                      7             6               on                         on                       1             1

E-stop enabled         1            15              on  

enable1   on        port#1      pin#2                                        on

Output#1           port#1      pin#16                                       on
Output#2           port#1      pin#17                                       on

                  Motor Tuning0
            steps per           velocity        acceleration                          
X-axis-     4000                  60                 20
Y-axis      4000                  60                 20
Z-axis     12000                 50                 10
                                                                                
These are the settings from Alignrite via Don

When I press the directionals on the key board and jog, the DRO's move but no movement on the step motors, I am aware that the settings are in the XML files to run the mill, but it still doesn't move.

I'm not able to post the XML and Dat files I have, don't know how to get it to you.  except e-mail                     Arnold

3

General Mach Discussion / Somethings missing......?

« on: September 14, 2010, 01:46:28 AM »

Aloha  stirling ,Chip,or anyone that can help

I've been off the forum for a while, good to see that the questions and answers never end. By the way thanks
 for the input last time I was here it was the
controller, Testra corp 4x483 Motion control system, my problem was that  moisture got in the box because
of a flooded room, they took it and rebuilt it , and I  was cutting point and clutch covers again  for Harley's and
Honda's also belt buckle's for our local M/C. I am running  Wolverine 3 with Mach 3 with lisence from Art
I thought I had all the codes and files I needed to ressurect my mill. I took a break from tbe mill, when
powered up the comp was dead, the mother board fried and the info on the hard drive was not recoverable, it was
an old comp, but it did the job. I've
 been downloading version  R2 41 of MACH 3 off of Artsoft website that I am familiar with but
 connot seem to get any movement
 on the step motors. I've done config, ports and pins, motor outputs, input output signals, motor tuning, steps
acceleration and velosity, changing the numbers, active, inactive, just no movement, the info was from  a previous install tha I wrote down to recover the mill if needed , but still
 no movement. I remember a window that asked if I want to reset the settings to run Mach 3, but I have not seen
it appear since. I am useing Winxp, emachine with more than the needed specs for running thr program and mill
 and it is
only for running the mill no other programs.I have downloaded several versions,no success so I'll use the one I know.
I like XP.I've tried the back-ups I have, still no movement, I run a straight parralell port cable, no crossover.
 The reason I do not construct my own controller with Servos is because the hands don't work very well cause of a
 spinal cord damage years ago, quadrapligia, and sitting in this wheelchair doesn't help, but I manage and I like what I do,
I just want to get back to work, anyone with the answers please I could use the help. I can send  the xml and
dat files that I have and Thanks Arnold

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Steppers DEAD!

« on: April 06, 2008, 07:04:56 PM »

Howzit Chip,

 Got your message, again thanks for your patience, moved the X and Y to 6400 steps per 1 inch, did it with a ruler too!, acceleration at 20, and velocity at 50 and still adjusting till I get it right ,L O L .Does not the Z double the steps, I have Z at 6400 steps too, just a question here, to deal with gravity and the weight of the spindle and metal frame work, I thought thats what I was told, just have to fool around with the velocity and acceleration, did a test cut and it seems to be going good, just need to keep an eye on the feed rate so I don't jump any steps. I am grateful for your expertise on this matter of CNC. Thanks for being a friend.  Mahalo.............................Arnold

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Steppers DEAD!

« on: March 13, 2008, 12:02:01 AM »

Hi RICH,

Spoke with Chip this morning to recheck some settings, did some tests,rearranged some numbers , figuring it could be the driver box......quote author=RICH link=topic=6153.msg40748#msg40748 date=1205358267]
Hi H-Wheeler
Quietly on the sideline till after you talk to Chip.

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Steppers DEAD!

« on: March 11, 2008, 11:50:28 PM »

Hi RICH,

I posted the settings to see if anyone could see any screw ups on my part in my settings, when I mentioned Don, that happened months ago , we tried to get it going, but still no movement even following his settings, but still NO RESOLUTION, I was frustrated They are in New Mexico and I'm in Hawaii, after a few weeks of settling down I decided to come to this forum for help, Matt just wanted to charge me with no guarentee of getting it going, Ive had this driver box for about 2 years, the driver box before this crapped out on me because 2  stepper drivers went south in the box, so I had to replace it with my current driver box, when the mill is going I'm good. THE STEPPERS ARE STILL DEAD  . Iv'e been e-mailing the MAN at TESTRA, and he said:

  Hi,
 
I am running a wolverine3 from Alignrite, my motors are not getting any power, the fan works, but no movement, how can I test it. I am running Mach3 with the settings on the cover in ports and pins, but still no movement. How can I test it to see if power is going to motors?
 
  Do I need a breakout board, or is this it?


No breakout board is needed.

Question:

There are green lights by each of the motor connectors.  If lit they indicate that

the drivers are running.  What is the status?

There is a red light next to the output connector.  Is it lit?  This indicates

that the drivers should be enabled.

If the above is true, you can try turning the motors by hand.  If they are powered

this will be difficult.

If all above is ok, I would bet on your settings in Mach3.

Align-Rite is supposed to be providing you support on this.


Have a Great Day!

Thomas W. Hart, Jr.
President

Testra Corporation
1201 N. Stadem Drive

>>  There are four green lights from left to right next to the motor
 >>  connection
 >>  outputs, I'll number them 1 2 3 4, only 2 and 3 are lit, the red light is
 >>  on, I do not use a 4th axis. The motors clunk for a second or scream for
 >>  about 20 seconds then go silent, then the wheels can be turned manually,
 >>  no
 >>  resistance.

It appears that you may have more than one problem here.

Output 1 (X-axis) light should be lit indicating a bad driver.

Question: With Mac3 disabled what happens when you just turn on power to the box? 

 Describe the lights.   Then turn on Mac3 and enable and disable the drivers.  The

red light should be able to be turned on and off.  When you do this the drive to

the motors will also be turned on/off.  Describe what happens.


Have a Great Day!

Thomas W. Hart, Jr.
President

I'll do what he said, and get back to you..............MAHALO PLENTY

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Steppers DEAD!

« on: March 10, 2008, 11:34:01 PM »

Just a Question........in the diagnostics page , is the pulse frquency suppose to move as in 25455-25451-25461-25453 etc. etc.etc, because I have 2 computers that run Mach 3, but only one is hooked up to the mill, and that one does not move, the one not hooked up to the mill is for checking the code runs. I have tried to use this comp but it's the same problem. I'll send a screen captures of my pins/ports pages if that will help, and no I do not have any limit switches at this time. Thanks though.....Aloha

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Steppers DEAD!

« on: March 10, 2008, 10:46:08 PM »

Aloha Guys, 

I'll take each one as they are, I just tested the DB25 for continuity, It's straight through, checked the connections from the back of the driver box to the stepper connections and their good, , unchecked and disconnected Y and Z in motor outputs,changed the X settings in motor outputs, step-7 and dir-6 to step-9 and dir-8, it gave me an error message in the  config. check facility under output signals check, I put it back to the original settings and the error message was gone, after i rebooted, "no port/pins error found. I need to know how do you check for the 5v going to the steppers with the multimeter, at the connection of where? Do I do it when it's hot, I'm no electrician, and the multimeter's not mine(lol). I'll take everyone's advise because it hurts not to be cutting. Thanks again GUYS, I'll let you know what I find out.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Steppers DEAD!

« on: March 08, 2008, 05:49:20 PM »

Hi C,

Yes the system has run before , but when a new CPU is used I have to re-tweek it to get it going, can I send the videos to you, if I can?

Hey H-Wheeler,
 The video would probaly help. Has it ran at all on Mach3.

Brett

10

General Mach Discussion / Steppers DEAD!

« on: March 07, 2008, 08:37:26 PM »

  Hi guys,

I'm in Hilo, Hawaii not much CNC pros here but I'm still looking for some help, started with Master5, crashed a few times over the years and got up and running with Art's help and the guys at alignrite, NOW in 2008, I'm running an older IBM cpu with Windows XP pentium3, 1.70 GHz, 128 MB of RAM, DB25 Printer port cable, CPU male and into a Testra 4x483 SoftStep female running the stepper motors of a Wolverine3 from Alignrite, by the way takes 4 complete turns of the dail to move 1 inch, spindle is an AStro 250. I have some capture video of my system if anyone wants to see if they can help me figure it out. My steppers useto scream when I turned the cpu on, now it's a clunck sound when it comes on for a second, and then turns with no resistance or torque, when the mill is running right I'm in CNC heaven, I'm good, I only bother people when the mill is down, like NOW!, can you guys take a look, do I still need a breakout board with the Testra 4x483 and a new port cable, my steppers are DEAD!......H-Wheeler, Wheeler means I'm in a wheelchair for the past 30 years , vietnam vet. The reason I'm into CNC is, I did casting hot metal, but was limited to size, a friend said to go billet for Biker stuff so here I am, HELP.