Messages

31

General Mach Discussion / Re: newbe with 4th axis problem

« on: July 25, 2016, 11:44:02 AM »

The thing about rotary is that they are steps per degree.  Not full rotation.

For example, I have a Chinese rotary axis that is a stepper with 2 gears and a belt.
It is a 1.8 degree stepper which has like yours 200 full steps per rev.  No clue what the belt drive ratio is.  Micro stepping is at 10.

So to tune it, I started with a number, lets say 100 steps per.  
Zeroed te A axis in mach.  MDI G0 A360
Watched it rotate.  If it went to far then the steps per for A is to big.  Not far enough, then steps per is to small.
After each steps per change, you must SAVE AXIS SETTING.
Zero A axis work coordinates because it will change.  Then repeat the MDI.

Your 3.3 steps per sounds close to the right ball park.  I think I was in the 10 steps per range.

There is no logical reason why the steps per cannot be that low.  Just type it in  I just did it as 3.333 and it took the setting.

32

General Mach Discussion / Re: Motors are not operating correctly

« on: July 25, 2016, 11:31:49 AM »

one other thing to check is the motor cables.  I have seen this ALOT.  if you have the 4 pin plugs that have the locking screw on ring.  The plugs have a molded KEY,  so they cannot get plugged in wrong.  WELL,  that great except that they can be plugged in wrong.  It will cause funky issues.

Check to make sure that everything is lined up.

33

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Homing switches wiring with Gecko G540 and ESS SmoothStepper

« on: July 25, 2016, 11:27:47 AM »

I think you are over thinking it. 
The switches do not run on any type of voltage per say.  It takes that pin number and grounds it out.  The switch is just there to make or break contact. So the signal on the first input grounds out the input is triggered.  The real question is how do you have them setup in inputs?  I hope you are not assuming that since its labeled 1 that it is pin 1.  They will be pins 11, 12, 13 and 14  If you get them to react but they are on and go off when triggered change the active low in the inputs and they will go off and come on when triggered.

34

General Mach Discussion / Re: Motors are not operating correctly

« on: July 22, 2016, 11:13:20 AM »

One thing I have noticed is that if the UC100 is off of the port slightly, motors will reverse directions sometimes out of the blue.  Make sure there is a good connection between the UC100 and BOB.  Try and eliminate any cable between the UC100 and BOB if possible.

35

General Mach Discussion / Re: XY Datum Position

« on: June 23, 2016, 09:46:07 AM »

you are not giving enough information.  We do not know if you zeroed all the X Y Z and A work coordinates.
We do not know that your machine is configured to jog the correct directions.

36

General Mach Discussion / Re: 3D printing with Mach 3

« on: June 21, 2016, 01:06:35 PM »

Keith, after rereading your question..... In 3D printing the base of your table is the Z zero point.  Anything above that is a positive number.   So any and all 3D printing will be positive numbers as the Z axis moves up.  In mach 3 when you press the page up or Z+ jog button, the Z should go up.  You only reverse the axis travel direction if when jogging up, the Z goes down. 

37

General Mach Discussion / Re: Adding New Home Switch

« on: June 21, 2016, 01:02:13 PM »

that will work just fine as long as both switches are normally closed type of switches.  When either switch is triggered both X and A will light up but it doesnt matter as they will never home at the same time.  I put many switches in series like that.  You could effectively put them all on the same pin if you had to.

38

General Mach Discussion / Re: 3D printing with Mach 3

« on: June 21, 2016, 10:49:02 AM »

Keith,  Config Homing/limits   In the Z row change the setting in the reversed column. 

39

General Mach Discussion / Re: One last problem

« on: June 15, 2016, 05:34:38 PM »

William  Go to CONFIG>Homing/Limits  Change the setting for the HOMENEG for the offending axis.  This will make it home in the other direction.

40

General Mach Discussion / Re: figure port address with windows 10

« on: May 11, 2016, 02:08:09 PM »

Are you using a Ethernet smooth stepper?
The software plug in will use the standard LTP 378 port address.
You have to setup your network adapter and firewall to allow the mach3 plug in to use the network adapter