Messages

591

General Mach Discussion / Re: Acceloration, cv settings and cut speed

« on: April 29, 2011, 10:12:39 AM »

That says your servos do not have enough torque to do the job.  Either your motors are too small, you're not driving them properly, or the PID settings are far from ideal.

Regards,
Ray L.

592

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help sorting out axes.

« on: April 24, 2011, 09:25:56 PM »

CNC axis directions ALWAYS assume it is the tool that moves, NOT the table.  When facing the front of the machine X+ would move the tool to the right, or the table to the left.  Y+ would move the tool away from the operator, or the table towards the operator.  Z+ would move the tool up, or the table down.

Regards,
Ray L.

593

General Mach Discussion / Re: burned out stepper motor? Symptoms.

« on: April 24, 2011, 06:17:53 PM »

You should be running a slaved axis.  Let Mach send step and dirextion signals to the A axis on the BOB and connect your A axis drive to the A axis on the BOB.  You already have the parts to do it.  You just need to rewire a little and set up the A axis in Mach.

What he's done should work just fine.  AFAIK, the only thing he's lost by NOT setting it up in Mach as a slaved axis is the ability to "zero" the slaved axis through the GUI.

594

General Mach Discussion / Re: burned out stepper motor? Symptoms.

« on: April 24, 2011, 03:22:33 PM »

why wouldn't that work reliably Ray?  The signal (from a C23 board) is split and both motor drivers (gecko 203v's) receive that signal.  Or were you thinking I was using one motor driver for two motors?

"The controller is the same for both X axis stepper motors, so if it works on one, it should work on both." - So now you're saying it's NOT the same controller for both.  Each motor has it's own G203V, right?  So swap the motor wires between the two G203Vs.  If the problem moves to the other motor, then you have a G203V that is either hosed, or improperly setup.  If not, then swap the motors themselves.  If the problem follows the motor, then you have your answer.  If not, then the problem is mechanical.  Steppers will almost always either work correctly, or not at all.

My money would be on a mechanical problem....

Regards,
Ray L.

595

General Mach Discussion / Re: burned out stepper motor? Symptoms.

« on: April 24, 2011, 12:47:08 AM »

If you're really running two motors in parallel on a single controller, that could well be your problem.  That will not work reliably.

596

General Mach Discussion / Re: burned out stepper motor? Symptoms.

« on: April 24, 2011, 12:17:22 AM »

It is FAR more likely to be the controller, or wiring than the motor.

597

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool setting....?

« on: April 10, 2011, 02:26:24 PM »

Yeah I seen those posts. How accurate is that though and is there risk to damaging something since there is no "spring" area? Is there any advantage to using the actual tool setter vs the copper clad pcb?

I use a circle of PCB material, mounted by its edge.  So, when Mach's probing routine loses its mind (which it sometimes does), and tries to drive the tool through the PCB, the PCB just breaks, and I put in a new piece.

If you use tool holders with some kind of a reasonable reference surface (i.e. - CAT, ISO, etc.), you can just use a simple height gauge.

Regards,
Ray L.

598

General Mach Discussion / Re: Power Supply Unit

« on: February 18, 2011, 09:14:53 PM »

Looks OK, except:

1) The wire gauge you used on the secondary circuitry looks light.  It should be the same gauge as the wires coming out of the transformer.
2) The way you have the ground wired is fine, but it will make connection easier if you also run it to the terminal strip.
3) It gives me the willies seeing those AC line wires so close to that sharp sheet metal edge in the last photo....

Regards,
Ray L.

599

General Mach Discussion / Re: Power Supply Unit

« on: February 17, 2011, 12:10:48 AM »

I’m on 110/120V so when you say connect to one side of AC supply does it matter if it is Line or Neutral (Black or White)?
>> Correct

You say to connect Orange and Black together and connect to one AC input of the rectifier. Then connect the Red and Black (you mean the YELLOW) and connect to the other AC input of the rectifier.
>> Yes, I meant Red and Yellow, not Red and Black.  Sorry!

So I take a piece of wire and connect it to the PLUS of one Capacitor then continue and connect the same wire to the PLUS of the next Capacitor and then the same wire I connect to the PLUS of the rectifier.
>> Correct

Then I do the same with the MINUS
>> Correct

By wiring as Ray suggested, do I take care what is mentioned above by Ian?
>> Yes.

Regards,
Ray L.

600

General Mach Discussion / Re: Hold Down Clamps

« on: February 16, 2011, 10:34:22 PM »

That's a good alternative Jeff but kind of expensive since its a very good quality

Another alternative I had in mind is like the attached picture but they are out of stock until April. I used them on my 1st CNC and they worked very good

http://www.busybeetools.com/products/HOLD-DOWN-FOR-B238424%7B47%7D36.html

Perhaps other members may come up with more ideas

You can get that style of clamp for a few $ each from almost anywhere that sells woodworking supplies.  Rockler.com is one good source.

Regards,
Ray L.