Messages

91

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 14, 2007, 06:58:06 PM »

It is not the spindle speed that is erratic but the DRO displayed figure.
Under Spindle config. there is on option to use rpm averaging which I use but the indicated RPM still jumps about.??

tmsmith

92

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 14, 2007, 05:14:24 PM »

Hood & vmax,
I have followed Hoods sugestion and installed the latest version, Mach3v2.075 after changing the name of the old Mach3 folder.
Moved my mill.xml file into the new Mach3 folder and removed the one already in the folder.
Having rebooted the xml file was not recognised and I had to reconfigure ports&pins manually.

On the MDI screen entered S500 and M3 and the spindle revolved CCW; M5 and it stopped; M4 and it revolved CW!!!! - Hurray.
It should be easy to change the direction of revolution.

Thanks very much for your and persistance, and I am pleased there was no fault with Peters cards - must now post the spare back to Oz.

One question while I am here.
In the spindle section of the main screen there are DRO's for RPM, S-ov and 'programmed speed'.
Hood could you explain what the first two mean, my RPM is about 4 times the programmed speed and very erratic. And S-ov ?


tmsmith

93

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 14, 2007, 03:44:42 PM »

Thanks Hood,
I will try that.

tmsmith

94

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 14, 2007, 03:25:12 PM »

Chip,
I have applied 5v and 0v to the digispeed board and the relay then functions as expected, so the board appears OK.
checking or X on pin 17 in config only alters the direction( if I remember correctly) but does not give CW and CCW

tmsmith

95

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 14, 2007, 01:32:26 PM »

Vmax549,
Starting with your last point, yes you have the problem correctly.
The spindle always runs in the same direction, which is CW so I can use the mill.
The dir LED on the DS board does not change when M3/M4 is altered.
Going further back in the system pin17 of the computer parallel port does not change either so the DS board is doing what it is asked to do.

So the problem appears to be in the Mach3 config, or is a fault in the actual computer.
What would help would be some way of testing pin17 outside of Mach3.
This would eliminate Mach3 (or condem the config).

tmsmith

96

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 14, 2007, 09:23:40 AM »

One odd looking setting is the output signal 'Enable1 which enables pin14 active low. Strange because pin 14 does *not*  appear to be used further down through the system.
Pin 1 is wired up, and I am guessing it gets its signal from one of the config settings in Mach3. The 'Motor output' spindle enable step pin 1 must be most likely.


tmsmith

97

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 13, 2007, 06:34:33 PM »

Hi Vmax.
Yes I have talked to Peter who in fact sent me  a replacement DigispeedXL board.
He asked for photo's of the setup prior to sending the new board so he had not spotted anything obvious.
I was also getting info from Graham Waterworth who runs a similar setup.
Myself, I have very little experience so can easily be wrong/make mistakes.

The direction relay is part of the XL board and is used to switch a larger power relay which is mounted separately.
The speed control appears to work OK using the 'S' gcode.
I am using the pinout as it is in the user guide except I am using port 1 instead of 2(not fitted)

Motor outputs     ticked step pin 1  dir pin 17 both active low

Input signals        index ticked  port1  pin 15  active low

Output Signals     enable1 ticked   port1  pin 14 active low
Output#1            enabled port 1 pin 16   active low

Spindle tab         Disable spindle relays is unticked
Clockwise(M3)    set Output#1
CCW (M4)         set output#1
Motor Control    Ticked, Use spindle motor output
                       PWM control ticked
I have read these settings from my records but I will confirm them tomorrow when I can get out to the shop, since I have played around with the setup to see if I could find the fault.

Thanks for your interest vmax

tmsmith

98

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 12, 2007, 05:30:01 PM »

Thanks Hood, I will see what type I need.

tmsmith

99

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 12, 2007, 05:12:20 PM »

Yesterday when the 'writing was on the wall, I asked about them in the local computer shop (I am in the UK too).
I was told that nowadays the ports were on the mother board and he hadn't seen one for about 4 years.!!!
I was very sceptical.

tmsmith

100

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle direction control

« on: June 12, 2007, 04:57:16 PM »

I have tried chips suggestion and the spindle goes either CW or CCW but there iis no difference whether I use  M3 or M4 , shame.
Thanks for your reply Hood.
I will try that once again on my system. Since my pin is always high the cable must be OK; well thats how I see it.
I will have a look in the box but dont expect to be much wiser.
I guess it means a computer upgrade when I have the need to rotate the spindle both ways for a job.

tmsmith