Messages

181

Modbus / Re: Hitachi SJ200 and ModBus Control Problems

« on: January 18, 2011, 06:50:03 PM »

I have being trying to get the Hitachi SJ200 VFD working with ModBus and a Spindle.
I have the unit working with no problems with the keypad, start stop the spindle and any speed set with the pot.
Now if I connect it by ModBus with in Mach3 Config ModBus the <Test ModBus> I'm able to write and read both Coils and Holding Registers with no
problems except when issue the coil 0001h Run command and the 0002h Direction Command the VFD goes into Alarm mode. and needs to be reset to clear the Alarm code.

This topic is getting spread out across a few threads.  However my post relates particularly to Paul's post above.

I admit I might be confused but it seems to me that there is some inconsistency with register/coil numbering.  This issue of triggering a alarm is related, I believe.

The Hitachi manual says the following,

List of coil numbers,

0000h  -  Reserved
0001h  -  Run Command
0002h  -  FW/REV Command
0003h  -  External Trip  (alarm mode)

But when I enter the coil data in this manner in the "Test Modbus" dilalogue it must be entered as shown in the picture below,  CoilNumbers.jpg

This to my mind does not align with the Hitachi manual.      

So what this means is, when you send a "1" to the third coil in the list, thinking that you are sending a direction command, you are actually sending an external trip command.

Greg

182

Brains Development / Re: Help with Modbus I/O with Brains

« on: January 18, 2011, 01:29:58 AM »

I have got Mach via modbus to turn the spindle on and off.  Yay!!!!!  At last!!!

The settings that I ended up with in the brain lobe termination made no sense but they worked.

I am using the X200 for testing, which does not have the removable control panel.  This means that the control panel is still connected when the cat5 cable is plugged in.  Unlike the SJ200.

So I set the A001 to 00.  Which means the potentiometer still controls speed manually.  And A002 to 03. which sets modbus to control run command.

This is what I had to do before modbus would turn the spindle on.  On the other hand, if A001 was set to 03.  (modbus speed control), then run command via modbus would not work.

I presume the reason for this is because the modbus controlled speed is sitting at zero revs.  Just as if the pot is turned all the way down.


When I "view brain"  I can see the output change with spindle speed override slider.    Also, importantly, the return value from VFD goes up and down too.

This says to me that the VFD is getting the speed signal.  But it is having no effect.

So am I sending the speed signal to the wrong register or something?      I wish I knew.   But at least I have some success.   

Greg

183

Brains Development / Re: Help with Modbus I/O with Brains

« on: January 17, 2011, 06:32:30 PM »

Paul I am not going to be much help but am very interested to follow your quest.

I have tried so many things that, for the time being, I have given up. 

Shouldn't  the source be set to "Serial Plugin Enabled"?

Greg

184

Finished Plugins for Download / Re: USB JoyPad and game device plugin - new version!

« on: January 14, 2011, 10:20:00 PM »

On the Logitech JoyPad I get speeds below 0.1 % of maximum speed (below 1/1000).
This is slow; but for fast machines I see the problem... or when sneaking up ...  

With my cheap JoyPad I doubt that I am getting that level of control precision.

Generally I avoid using screen only values as they are screen-set depend and not validated by Mach.
Only using Mach build in values will ensure the plug in works with any screen set.

The jog speed is just a DRO value, which I think will be found on any screenset.  Certainly on any that I have made or seen.  And even if it is not present, Mach reads it as if it is anyway.
Rapid speed, as set in motor tuning, is just a var that can be read or set much the same as a DRO, via VB.  Not so different I think.

Step jogging is a new feature in the coming release, honoring the step jog speeds setup in jogging screen (screen 50) - maybe you can use that in the final approach.
Step jogging is activated by another safety key and using the same joysticks - they will then be in single step mode using the current step size in the jogging screen (1.000/0.100/0.010/0.001 or user defined).

I have set up the POV and some other buttons with VB to jog each axis using the value of the Jog Increment DRO.  This works fine but does use up a lot of buttons.

Some way to slow the analogue jog rate would be good.  Utilising the existing jog rate DRO would make sense to me.  

Anyway thanks for the great work.

Greg

185

Finished Plugins for Download / Re: USB JoyPad and game device plugin - new version!

« on: January 14, 2011, 06:26:54 PM »

Joakim

Glad to hear that.

Can we have the analogue joysticks motion honour the maximum jog rate specified in the Mach slow jog rate percentage DRO?

I was a bit surprised to see this was being overridden.  This is a bit of a problem for me. 

Mostly for me, a pendant is useful for sneaking up on an edge whilst using a feeler gauge or such.  So I am looking for very small controllable movement.

As it is I can not get this without setting the plugin scale percentage low.  Then it is too slow for general jogging.

If it honoured the Mach jogging rate, I could assign a button to increase or decrease that.     I can not control the plugin scale rate via button.  Or can I?

Of course I can set up buttons to do small set steps, but I would use up a lot of my available buttons to do this.

It is possible that my super cheap Joypad does not have as finer analogue control as a Logitech one does.

What do you think?

Greg

186

Finished Plugins for Download / Re: USB JoyPad and game device plugin - new version!

« on: January 14, 2011, 02:16:16 AM »

Joakim

Bought a JoyPad off ebay, for the total price of $5 shipped to Australia.  Just for the fun of it, to try your plugin.   

Works great.  Love it.  It might even usurp my Shuttle Pro.   ($100)   Which I have dropped numerous times.  Not sure how many times I will get away with that.   

 JoyPad for $5........... I could afford to have a spare or two.   

Please keep the ability to assign macros to buttons.  I like the flexibility.

Great work and thanks very much for your efforts.

Greg

187

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can a slaved axis have different steps/mm in motor tuning

« on: January 13, 2011, 06:46:18 AM »

Keith

As far as I know the only "Non Normal Conditions" is when the slaved axis homing is done.

During this process the slaved axis is temporarily decoupled from the master.  And this is when different settings between master and slave will cause problems.  Even homing speed.

The rest of the time slave axis settings are ignored and master settings are used.

In answer to your real question I suppose it should be possible to have your CAM output individual position calls.

This,

G1 X100 Y50 Z20

Would be output as,

G1 X100 A100 Y50 Z20

So every time an X position was called, it would be duplicated as an A position.  Your CAM post processor should be editable to do so.

This way different steps per unit settings should be possible.  Acceleration rates would still need to match.

However not having the X and A slaved together would mean other complications.  There are button codes to jog X and A together.  Not sure how or if you could handle homing.

Any way this is all theoretical.   Not sure at all if it would work. 

Greg

188

Modbus / Re: Hitachi X200

« on: January 11, 2011, 06:18:06 AM »

Well you are one step ahead of me Skippy.

I get a time out when trying to write to the holding registers with the "Test Modbus" dialogue.

Can't help with the alarm.  Does it trip when using the panel, if you turn the pot right up, then hit start?

Have you tried C076  02-disable?

Did you remember to flip the dip switch to 485 ?

I know what you mean about wondering what settings to use in the brain lobe termination.  I just have not got that far yet.

Tomorrow I will try with your settings.  See if that helps with "write to holding registers".

What setting did you use for C077 ?

Greg

189

Modbus / Re: Hitachi X200

« on: January 09, 2011, 06:27:36 PM »

I also have a X200.  So I tried the modbus with that.

Exactly the same result.   Read and write to coils OK.   Read holding registers OK.  Write to holding registers results in a time out.

Doing something wrong but have no idea what it is.

Tried all sorts of settings for C077 and C078.   No joy.

I am shooting in the dark here. 

Greg

190

Modbus / Re: Hitachi X200

« on: January 06, 2011, 06:25:03 AM »

Zigmart

Can you tell me what settings in the Hitachi you have for,  (my settings in parenthesis)

C070  .....NA in SJ200.  set via dip switch
C071  (05)
C072  (1)
C074  (00)
C075  (1)
C076  (02)
C077  (50)
C078  (10)

Probably only the last two are questionable.

Greg