Topics

21

SmoothStepper USB / Slaved axis homing with the SS

« on: February 03, 2009, 06:31:08 AM »

This is a copy of a post I made on the SmoothSyepper site.

I think there are more users on this forum.  Perhaps we can get this fixed if a few users post what results they are getting with SS slaved axis homing.

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OK I have been doing some testing and have discovered something interesting.

Here I an talking about the X axis which has A slaved with it. Both X and A have their own home switch. Gantry gets "auto squared". For now I will disregard Y and Z.

When using the LPT,

DoOEMButton(1022) 'ref X
Only the X side gets homed. A just moves in unison. Gantry does not get squared.

RefCombination(9) 'ref X and A
Both X and A get homed. They both do it in unison. Gantry is squared.

DoOEMButton(1022) 'ref X
DoOEMButton(1025) 'ref A
X homes with A following along. Then A homes on it's own while X stays still. Gantry is squared.


Now with the SS here is what I discovered.

DoOEMButton(1022)'ref X
DoOEMButton(1025)'ref A
X homes with A following along. Then A homes on it's own while X stays still. Gantry is squared.

However this leaves Mach in a hung state. Manual jog will work. MDI will not work. Gcode will not work. Pressing "Stop" or "Reset" gets things free again.

RefCombination(9) 'ref X and A
X homes with A following along. Then A homes on it's own while X stays still. Gantry is squared.

Notice this is different to LPT. Mach is hung same as above.


DoOEMButton(1022)'ref X
This is the interesting part.

Even though this only calls X to be referenced, X homes with A following along. Then A homes on it's own while X stays still. Gantry is squared.

Notice the difference? The SS is somehow taking over the homing routine and deciding both X and A need homing even though only X has been called.

The LPT does not do this.

Greg

Mach R3.041  and Plugin v015ogb

22

Mach Screens / Call for G-code display window

« on: July 26, 2008, 07:31:45 AM »

Scott,  I am sure you will be able to help with this one. 

Latest versions of Mach have a htm file with the Gcode explanations.  I find I look at it often.

This is the code behind the button,      HtmlDialog( GetMainFolder()+"Mach3MillGcode.htm" )

It opens in what looks like a restricted Internet Explorer window.  It is painfully small and not resizable.

My preferred browser is Firefox.  Is there a call that will open it in my choice of browser window?

Greg

23

Mach Screens / Pause or Feedhold LED ???

« on: July 23, 2008, 07:34:12 AM »

I asked about this a year or so ago.  Thought I might try again. 

The wiki lists OEM LED No  805 for pause.   You can also select Pause direct from "System Function"

Neither of these work for me.  Anyone know a way to get this to work for Pause or Feedhold ?

Greg

24

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Format strings for sliders ???

« on: July 22, 2008, 04:32:26 AM »

Is there any info anywhere on the format strings for sliders in Screen4?

Greg

25

SmoothStepper USB / In praise of SmoothStepper customer service.

« on: July 21, 2008, 05:18:02 AM »

I have two SmoothSteppers. 

With one of them I was chasing some tuning problems and decided maybe the USB was not providing enough current at 5v.

The SS can get it's 5v supply direct from the USB or an external source so I hooked up an external 5v supply to see if it made a difference.

However I did something really stupid and by mistake hooked it to ten volts.

Well as you can imagine my gross abuse was more than the SmoothStepper could withstand and I damaged three small driver ICs on the board.

I told Greg at Warp9 Tech Design about my stupid mistake and asked about the possibility of replacing the driver ICs or ordering a new SS.

Greg said "No worries I will replace it for free"   and he did.  You can not ask for better customer support than that.  Thanks Greg.

Goes with out saying I have no interest in Warp9 Tech Design, only a very happy customer.

Greg  (running two SS and they are great)

26

NC Pod / NCpod to Xylotex

« on: April 13, 2008, 05:14:32 AM »

Anybody running an NCpod direct connect to a Xylotex driver board?

Wondering if there are any issues I should be aware of.

Presume I just connect step, direction and ground for each axis.

All limits, estop and outputs direct from NCpod to relevant purpose.

Greg

27

General Mach Discussion / Backlash compensation for a rotary axis ?

« on: March 08, 2008, 06:16:15 PM »

I've always been of the opinion that backlash is something you deal with via mechanical design and not software.

However I have a worm drive gearbox that I would like to use as the basis for a rotary axis.

It has a very small amount of backlash which I can not eliminate by mechanical means.

I am interested in any ones experiences in a similar situation using backlash compensation in Mach.

The main driven shaft which would become the rotary axis spindle is quite stiff and for engraving
on a cylinder and other light jobs I think it would be OK.  It won't slop back and forth.

But I still have to account for the small amount of movement in the driven shaft before the main shaft will change direction.

Anyone with an informed opinion?

Greg

28

Brains Development / Terminating a brain with "Execute Button Script"

« on: March 05, 2008, 05:06:36 PM »

I am revisiting this idea where I wanted a brain to set a script going.

Poking around the brain editor I found "Execute Button Script" in the Button Press selections for Lobe Terminations.

How does this work? Does it work? How do I specify the button script to execute?

Thanks for any help, Greg

PS:  I have also asked this on the Yahoo group.

29

Brains Development / Terminate a brain with "run macro M650.m1s" ???????

« on: February 20, 2008, 06:42:45 PM »

Can I terminate a brain with "run macro M650.m1s"  ?

I want a simple LPT input to trigger a macro.  Are brains the way to do this?

Greg

30

NC Pod / Slow jog speed with NCpod

« on: February 20, 2008, 06:44:55 AM »

I have just got back to using the NCpod after a long break.  Nearly a year.

Jog speed when using the keyboard or the tab screen is only about 20%.  Shift jog is 100%

I am familiar with Mach and know about the jog speed setting on the tab screen.  Using LPT has no slow jog issue.

Can't get it to jog at 100% without using shift/jog.

Is this a Ncpod issue?  Is there a setting in the plugin that I'm missing?

Using the latest plugin from artsoft site.  Mach R2.63

Greg