Messages

21

General Mach Discussion / Any CNC4PC C6 users? I have some connection questions.

« on: October 05, 2008, 03:19:08 PM »

OK, I watched the videos and I think I have the outputs configured to send the step signal and the spindle on/off out to the CNC4PC board.   When I do this, I see the CNC4PC board turn on the LED 2.  When I increase the speed of the spindle I see a very small (.2 volts) change in voltage when the spindle is running, and a small voltage change when I increase spindle speed. 

I didn't know where to connect the ground terminal on the CNC4PC input ground.  Is this the problem?  Does this ground go back to the Parallel port and if so what pin?  Also, Mach 3 provides step and direction outputs.  I assume the C6 speed controller doesn't need the direction output.  Is this correct? 

Second, I'm sending the Spindle on/off and CW/CCW signal thru output pin 16.  This connects to the CNC4PC input CW terminal.  It turns the LED 2 on/off when I turn the spindle on/off.   But I can't find a voltage change at any of the CNC4PC outputs that I need to energize the spindle on relay on the VFD.

Mostly at this point my questions are about connecting to the CNC4PC C6 board.  If anyone can help that would be great.

Wayne from White Salmon

22

General Mach Discussion / OK, what video tutorial covers spindle installation?

« on: October 05, 2008, 01:47:49 PM »

I must have asked the question in the most convoluted possible way.  What I really should do is read the manual, or at least watch the tutorial videos.   .  I'm doing that now.  Hopefully I can fix my own problem, or at least ask an intelligent question in 200 words or less. 

So, which video tutorial covers installing a spindle?  I've watched the basic config tutorial, and the one on ports and pins.  That one gives some of the info, but if there is another that covers spindle install fully I'd  love to know which one it is.

Thanks for takeing a second to help me out.

Wayne

23

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

« on: October 04, 2008, 06:06:27 PM »

I'm trying to connect my fancy new spindle and VFD to Mach 3 and I'm not getting something right. 

I have Mach 3 running an Ascension 1000 breakout box that runs Gecko 201s.    I'm trying to connect the Step and Direction output for spindle speed control to the CNC4PC speed control board.  I'm also using a DB25 Dual Breakout board from Winford Engineering that lets me connect to pinouts of the parallel port, making wiring much easier than trying to find pin out locations inside the Ascension box.  At this point, I just want to verify that I'm getting voltage at the pins I select that varies as I adjust the spindle speed in Mach3.   

So, I'm not sure how to set the pinouts to send Spindle Step and Direction signals to the parallel port, and then on to the CNC4PC speed controller. 
On the Spindle Setup tab I set the Motor control to Use Spindle Motor output and checked step and direction.  This is what the CNC4PC needs as input.   On the Motor Output tab I enabled the Spindle motor, and set the Step Pin to Pin 1, and Direction to Pin 14.  Step and Direction ports are both left at 1. 

With this configuration I get no voltage at between pin 1 and 14 when I turn the spindle on in Mach 3. 

I'm not sure what else to check.  I know that the Ascension controller iis turning on my Porter Cable Router right now when I turn on the spindle or run a file.  It simply switches power to an outlet on the back of the box, but does not control speed.  I'm not sure if this is related or not.

I'd appreciate any help.  Right now, I have a fancy new spindle, VFD controller, speed control interface and so forth all sitting in a pile.  Arggh.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Wayne from White Salmon

24

General Mach Discussion / Maybe my board does this...

« on: September 28, 2008, 04:50:24 PM »

I have an Ascension 1000 controller from Alan at Custom-CNC.  He's out of biz now, but the product seems to work pretty well.  Its a breakout board with Gecko 201 drives and a power supply.  I wonder if it has an estop capacity that I'm not aware of. 

I do agree that whatever I do can't be a momentary switch.  The Estop I have has a mechanical interloc, so that it locks off until you twist it to release it.  But I have to agree that a relay that requires deliberate action to restart would be best.  I'll work that direction.  This is all very good input, and valuable to others as well I'm sure.

I'll see if I can find out if the board I'm using has an additional relay or can trigger a relay in this fashion.   Wish me luck finding some help with the Ascension controller. 

Thanks for the valueable insight.

Wayne C

25

General Mach Discussion / C11? Will the C6 do this as well?

« on: September 28, 2008, 11:42:57 AM »

Kabibble, no offense intended at all- you gave sound advice with the limited info you had, and I'm grateful.  So, I have the C6 board.  Does it have similar dedicated E stop port?  That would be perfect. 

If it doesn't, can I put the Estop in series with the Spindle on wire and shut the spindle off that way?  I guess I'm imagining the Estop breaking the circuit to ground, and thereby triggering the relay in the VFD to shut off the spindle.   

Can I also take the 'output' of the Estop switch to the limit switch input on my Ascension controller?   Right now, if any of the limit switches are closed the controller shuts down the steppers instantly.  I think its doing this thru the Mach3 software, but I'm not sure.  If I put the Estop switch in series with this as well, it should trigger a stop just like the limit switches do. 

If I do this, wire both circuits to the same Estop switch, will I have interfernce from one circuit to the other- i.e will the operation of VFD relay be affected by the presence of the limit switches and their cabling? 

It must be obvious to all that I'm no electrical engineer.   I appreciate your help to get me to understand this. 

Wayne from White Salmon

26

General Mach Discussion / So now what?

« on: September 28, 2008, 10:12:38 AM »

Peter,
 
Thanks for the heads up.  I understand exactly what you mean.  If the software goes awry, the Estop may not work.  That's not really the safety stop that an emergency stop should provide.  I've had a couple instances where the Z axis dived into the spoilboard and Mach reset didn't stop anything.  A non-software Estop would fix that. 

So, my Ascension controller has limit switches that stop the motors and Mach3.  Could I put the Estop button in series with that stuff?  Or am I back to using the software to stop things? 

Also, my speed controller (CNC4PC, sorry) has relays that use a signal from Mach to start/stop the spindle.  Can I wire the same Estop switch to turn off the spindle with these relays?

In general, how should one wire an Estop circuit to shut down both software, spindle, and steppers? 

No small question, I know.  But I'd like to get as real an Estop as I can get. 

Thanks for your input- I'm glad you posted before I got going on the install.

Wayne

27

General Mach Discussion / Does this send a stop signal to the VFD as well?

« on: September 27, 2008, 11:10:57 PM »

Thanks Kabibble,  that's exactly what I needed.  Does this also send the stop voltage to the relay that controls the spindle on/off/Direction?

I'm guessin it does, but just want to be sure.   

This is good.  I don't have an estop now.  It will be nice to have this increased measure of safety.

Thanks for your help.

Wayne

28

General Mach Discussion / E Stop and my new VFC and Spindle

« on: September 27, 2008, 09:51:43 PM »

I'm in the process of wiring up my new VFD and Spindle.  I'll be using a CNC4PC speed control board to provide control voltage to my Chinese VFD.  I think I get how to wire this from the instructions. 

My question is How do I wire an Emergency Stop button so that when I hit the button it stops the steppers AND the spindle at the same time?  The VFD suggests that I E Stop the control voltage on the lead that controls direction/stop.  But if I put the Estop on this, what stops the steppers? 

I'm hoping that Mach 3 has a port or some way of sending stop signal to the VFD stop input as it also stops the steppers. 

Thanks for any help.  Setting up the spindle is a bit of a challenge for me, but I'm leanring alot about Mach, and what options I have to control things. 

Wayne from White Salmon

29

General Mach Discussion / Adjusting Z Depth while cutting a file -or- What is FeedHold?

« on: April 01, 2008, 12:52:21 AM »

I'm trying to make sure I understand how FEEDHOLD works. 

Sometimes when I"m cutting a sign, I'll run a second file with a smaller bit.  Even though I zero the Z before running the file, sometimes I need to stop the file, adjust the Z depth, and then resume. 
To do this, I should
1) Click FEEDHOLD
2) Move the Z axis to some piece of material surface that is at start, or Zero height.
3) Jog the Z axis down to the surface or deeper as needed (router still spinning)
4) Push the Z axis DRO to re-zero at the new corrected depth
5) Push Cycle Start and watch the  Z axis return to the point stored by the Feedhold click and resume cutting, but this time from the new Z Zero reference point.

Is this correct?  Is there an easier way?   Thinking out loud,  can I input a Gcode depth correction as an MDI and then resume?  And what is that proceed from box for? 

Lot of questions for someone from Washington State.

Thanks in advance

WayneC
Mach 3 on an upgraded Shopbot with Ascension controller. 

30

General Mach Discussion / Re: Toolchanger and Artcam

« on: January 09, 2008, 09:38:57 PM »

Gary-  Yup.  I did get a post that was a good working post- thanks.  It didnt have TC in the file name though.  When I tried to post a multiple tool file in Artcam it wouldn't let me save the toolpath.  My tool database in Artcam has its tools numbered differently.  Is there some other Artcam setting I need to do?    Thanks for your help.  The post works well otherwise, and your CV settings seem to be working well. 

Brett-   I have a Shopbot clone CNC router table that uses Mach 3 software on an Ascension 1000 controller.

Hope this helps.

Wayne from White Salmon