Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Mech Home before Go To

« on: January 10, 2009, 04:23:21 PM »

A couple times now when I first start my Router (a modified Shopbot) I have forgotten to home the machine to mechanical zero, and pushed the GoTo button, expecting the machine to move to the Zero xyz work position that I had last time I worked.  Always, the Z axis is WAY OFF and I proceed to bury my spindle into the spoilboard.  In my case this means I lift the gantry off its rails.  No permanent damage yet, but I know this is not good for my spindle bearings at a minimum. 

So my question is, can I set up some sort of routine that forces me to mechanically zero my axis BEFORE I can do something stupid like push the GoTo button?  I only need this to happen on start up, not every time I use the GoTo button. 

Along that line, if I could set up a start up routine that engaged the mechanical home to limit switches routine, and then moved to a preset work zero location, and maybe poured me a cup of coffee? 

Would this require a VB script? 

Thanks as always.  As much as I love the flexibility, interface, and features of Mach 3, its this support forum that is really the best part.

Wayne C

12

General Mach Discussion / I may be totally out in left field here..

« on: January 02, 2009, 07:08:28 PM »

I may be totally out in left field here, but I installed a VFD not long ago, which required pulse output from Mach 3 to control spindle speed.  I found that the Dell parallel port was putting out a lower voltage, and was causing way too low of a speed at the spindle.  I measured the voltage at the pinout of the parallel port and found it was just 3V. 

I bought a parallel port buffer from CNC4PC for $11 bucks or so. It takes 5V from the USB port, and brings up any signal thru the parallel port to that level.  This instantly fixed the speed at the spindle.

Maybe your parallel port is a 3V output, when your control gear is wanting a full 5V.  That could cause things to trigger intermittently, or otherwise cause probs.

Good luck with your problem.

Wayne C

13

General Mach Discussion / Exactly what I was hoping for!

« on: December 26, 2008, 07:52:45 PM »

Wow, thats EXACTLY what I was hoping for.  The program is simpler than I thought.  I knew there was a G or M code to pause, but I thought that somehow I needed to take some manual action to end the pause.  I can see here that I can determine the length of the pause, and that the next line of code restarts with its command or function.  That's great.  Hood, RC, thanks for the tips. 

A quick question.  Is there a start up string that I need that preceeds these GCode lines, or can I just create a notepad file with the code you and RC created (inserting the start location of course) and run that?  I notice the CAM program I use has some code- G90, G20, G49, that start the file.

Thanks for the help! 

14

General Mach Discussion / Spindle Warm Up program help

« on: December 26, 2008, 03:47:57 PM »

I'm not a GCode guy, but I can see now how I could use some basic knowledge.  Because I need to write a simple GCode program that turns on my spindle, runs it at a particular RPM for a set amount of time, and then changes that RPM and runs for that same amount of time.  Basically, I'm wanting a simple program to warm up my water cooled spindle for say 12 minutes. 

I'd like to run the spindle at about 6000 rpm for 4 minutes, then run at 12,000 rpm for another 4 minutes, and finally at 18000 rpm for a final 4 minutes.  Then I'd like it to shut off.  Maybe it would also be good to have it go to a particular safe position before I start this warmup.   

My problem is that I'm so used to running ALL my programs thru my CadCam software that I NEVER write any GCode.  I'd like to start learning some basics, and this seems like a good place to start.

Can someone here get me going in the right direction, or write a simple program and maybe explain some of it? 

Thanks so much! 

Wayne from White Salmon

15

General Mach Discussion / Pulse fluctuates some. How do I optimize?

« on: October 15, 2008, 08:35:55 PM »

I do have some fluctuations in the pulse freq.  I'll check that out more and see how much.  What do I do to optimize?  The machine has almost nothing on it.  No net access, no network or wireless card, no internet access, no fun at all.  Just Mach 3 and basic WinXP home.

The machine is a Dell Optiplex 210L.  It has 1gb ram and is a Pentium 4  running at 3GH.  Should be more than enough.

Thanks for your help with this. 

Wayne

16

General Mach Discussion / Mouse movements change spindle speed

« on: October 13, 2008, 09:16:20 AM »

I know, its wierd.  But its happening.  I now have Mach 3 controlling my water cooled spindle thru a CNC4PC C6 speed control board and a Chinese VFD.  It works now.  I can change speed in Mach 3 and the spindle responds.  I can change Gcode, and I can use the spindle on button in Mach.  All good.  But when I change speed with the override, using the mouse to click on plus or minus buttons, or when I just move the mouse around the screen, I get CHANGES IN SPINDLE SPEED. 

Nothing drastic, just enough to be an audible difference, and maybe a spike of 100 cycles or so.  Its too fast to get an accurate readout, and it is spikey, and comes and goes with mouse motion.

So, what can cause the mouse motion to change spindle speed?  My mouse is not wireless, BTW. 

Thanks for any help. 
Wayne C

17

General Mach Discussion / Its working now! Yippie!

« on: October 12, 2008, 02:33:15 PM »

Thanks to Carl and Arturo and others, I got the spindle and VFD connected and working today.  Mach 3 connects to the CNC4PC C6 board, and then to the VFD.  I can use Mach 3 to turn on the spindle and set the spindle speed.  I can adjust speed using the on-screen override, and I can use GCode S commands to change speed in a file.  The VFD has a stop button that still works while the spindle is controlled by Mach 3.

I needed one tiny bit of info, and Carl provided that for me.  I needed to know what the VFD   provided or needed to turn the spindle on and choose directions.  The manual gives instructions on which terminals to connect to, but doesn't say what those terminals need to operate.  I was assumming they needed a voltage from somewhere, but it turns out that they provide voltage that the relays on the C6 switch.  When the voltage goes to ground on the Com terminal on the VFD, the spindle turns on. 

Speed control is actually pretty easy.  You configure pins to output step direction from the spindle panel in Configuration, and connect this step output to the step input on the CNC4PC C6 board.  Its a pretty small voltage, but its there.  When you look at the C6 variable voltage output, as you increase spindle speed in Mach 3 the voltage output increases.  This output goes to the VFD inputs, and varies the speed.

I haven't done exhaustive testing, but I did warm up the spindle and vary the speeds.  Its very stable, and runs cool and quiet.  A big improvement over my noisy Porter cable.

Next comes wiring an Estop system, and doing a clean install of all these parts.  But the big hurdle is finally crossed.  I'll post more details so others considering the Chinese spindles and VFDs can have more detail on what's involved.

Thanks for all the help here.

Wayne from White Salmon

18

General Mach Discussion / Update and maybe a little help

« on: October 10, 2008, 08:03:32 PM »

I'm almost sorted out.  Mach 3 is sending step info to the the CNC4PC C6 speed control board, and Spindle On/Off direction that triggers a relay on the C6 board.  Groovy.  The C6 board now converts that step input to the voltage output, and when I change speeds in Mach 3, the C6 board output changes.  Woohoo! 

My silly question now is about getting the VFD relay to turn the spindle on.  Mach 3 outputs a spindle-on voltage of about 5V.  The VFD wants 9V at least to trigger the spindle ON/ CW switch.  Can I use the same 12V that powers the C6 board as the voltage to turn the spindle on?  Seems logical, but because I'm not perfectly clear on isolating grounds and such, I'm not sure I can use this voltage.    I suppose this is a question for the CNC4PC people, but if you know, that would be great.   

This has been a great learning experience.  I appreciate your patience with me here! 

Wayne from White Salmon

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: Configuring Mach 3 for a VFD and Spindle

« on: October 06, 2008, 09:52:28 PM »

Thanks for just the right advice.  I did finally end up joining the CNC4PC forum to get some answers from Arturo Duncan.  I'll try tonight to see if I can figure things out.

Hopefully I'll get things going soon.  Thanks for taking a second to point me in the right direction.

Wayne from White Salmon

20

General Mach Discussion / I need some CNC4PC C6 connection help.

« on: October 05, 2008, 07:58:30 PM »

I just looked up some info on parallel ports, and wired a ground wire from the DB25 pin 25 to the CNC4PC input.  This should provide ground if the parallel port is conventionally wired.  Mach 3 doesn't appear to use pin 25, so I assume its function is the same as when the parallel port is configured for a printer.  That would make pin 25 a ground.

So, I think I have the ground and step signals arriving at the CNC4PC speed control board.  I think I have the spindle on relay output arriving at the CNC4CPC board.  But I get only a very small voltage reading at the output, and no voltage at the relay output. 

I don't know where to go from here.  Anybody have experience wiring Mach 3 to a CNC4PC? 

Wayne