Messages

61

General Mach Discussion / Re: Softlimits

« on: September 16, 2006, 02:31:13 AM »

Whoops

I try again Monday

Cheers

Chris

62

General Mach Discussion / Re: Softlimits

« on: September 15, 2006, 05:57:42 AM »

Thanks for trying Brian but unfortunately it isn't working on my computer.

I'm still getting the same problem it's like I've got the axes reversed or something, I'm running in Max CL mode if that makes any difference.

I've attached the test file I'm using to see if it works, the code runs fine with no work offset, if I put a positive offset in the machine runs on to its softlimits but doesn't warn me, if I put a negative offset in it warns me of exceeding the softlimits but goes no where near them? This happens in all the axes.

Thanks again for your efforts so far

Chris

63

General Mach Discussion / Re: Softlimits

« on: September 14, 2006, 06:15:39 PM »

Brian

Any luck with this? or have you sorted it already, I notice there is a new version of Mach out will test it tomorrow.

I guess with you not getting straight back it not something silly that I'm doing wrong but something thats testing your skills.

Cheers

Chris

64

General Mach Discussion / Re: New here and have a few questions

« on: September 13, 2006, 06:14:22 PM »

Chad

I'm no expert on this matter but I guess it would be quicker and cheaper to sort the rs port out and run it with the original control. I've got a old Bridgeport boss that I've swapped over on to the Mach control but I don't think I could have done it without the help of hillbilly who I got the break out board off, he suppied me with instruction which made the process dead easy. I swapped over to make the machine easier to use and to be able to run decent length programs, the old boss was very limited in memory space.

A break out board can be just a simple board with wire connectors and a db25 plug to connect your PC's printer port to your machine, some boards are a lot more complex with opto isolators to help prevent you frying your PC if something goes wrong, have a read of this it explains why you need one http://www.campbelldesigns.com/breakout-board.php

As far as I know Mach can control any motors, it's the drivers that are the problem you'll have to find out if they accept step/direction signals or something else, I don't know alot about servos but I guess they have encoders for feedback and I haven't got a clue about what happens with them.

Cheers

Chris 

P.S. Just had a look at your website, freaked me out a bit, same age, same surname, same initials, love my bikes and I'm just starting to try and set up making bike bits to sell. Freaky

65

General Mach Discussion / Re: New here and have a few questions

« on: September 13, 2006, 01:42:47 PM »

Hi

Are you talking about setting the pins up on your printer port or a rs-232 port on your machine, if your on about the one on your machine then I think your on the wrong track.
I don't know anything about your machine but generally the rs-232 port on a machine is used to transfer programs to the machine control unit.
To connect your P.C. to your existing drivers you'll have to find out how and where the original control sent signals to the drivers.
You will probably need to find a suitable breakout board as well, I'm using hillbilly's one he posts on here every now and again, campbell make a good one too.

Cheers

Chris

66

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need help in setting up a Maxnc 15 CL (older model 5 years old) with mach3

« on: September 13, 2006, 03:50:21 AM »

Hi

As far as I know the motor pinouts are set and you can't change them in maxnc mode, you have got mach in maxnc mode its a tick box under config, ports and pins.

Cheers

Chris

67

General Mach Discussion / Re: New here and have a few questions

« on: September 12, 2006, 01:54:56 PM »

Chad

Have you watched the tutorial video, that would be a good starting place.

What are you intending doing driver whise i.e. do you intend hooking your existing drivers to the PC or buying new drivers?

Chris

68

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can you stop release on outside jogging

« on: September 12, 2006, 01:47:35 PM »

Thanks Brian, the latest version works a treat.

69

General Mach Discussion / Re: Softlimits

« on: September 12, 2006, 01:42:20 PM »

Hi Brian

I get this problem with all of my programs unless I don't use tool offsets and work offsets, I also have tried on different computers and even version D1.90.081 but they all have the same problem.

Here's the last program I used which didn't go near the softlimits but did have the warning message, I've also attached my tool offsets and work offsets. Oh yeah I was using G59 for the work offset.

Many Thanks

Chris

70

General Mach Discussion / Re: Softlimits

« on: September 09, 2006, 09:59:49 AM »

I've downloaded the latest version D1.90.090 and it does as you say warns you that "softlimits may be exceeded" but it seams to warn of this even when there not going to be exceeded.

Been having a play with it and it works well until I use a work offset or a tool offset, it seams to take these into account the wrong way around i.e. softlimits are set at +-100 in each direction, tell the machine to go to x100 with a work offset of x20, machine sets of without softlimit warning message but then hits the softlimits, tell the machine to go to x-100 with a work offset of x20, machine dissplays softlimit warning message but then doesn't hit the softlimit.

In this latest version when the softlimits are hit the program carries on running but stops the machine from going passed the softlimit, is this new or is it just me who's only just spotted it. For my machine this could cause problems as when the machine runs into the softlimits it losses it position.

Hope this helps you to sort it.

Cheers

Chris