Messages

971

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing questions, Help!

« on: October 04, 2009, 08:25:04 PM »

Ok so my last questions about probing went unanswered maybe I will rephrase and pray someone can help. I have my probe connected and on the diagnostics page, the probe led is lit until it the styli is touched. Upon touching the probe led goes out and an led in the pins section lights up. Is this correct? 

You need to have the probe LED come on when the probe is active - i.e. - when it touches metal.  So, flip the ActiveLow state in Config->Ports&Pins

Regards,
Ray L.

972

General Mach Discussion / Re: Draft Mach3 v3.x Programmers Reference Manual

« on: October 03, 2009, 02:06:53 PM »

Latest version below.

Regards,
Ray L.

973

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probe/Tool Setter Info

« on: October 02, 2009, 07:14:18 PM »

HERE GOES. Place 10K resistor on end of wire coming from touch plate to Input Pin#10 on my controller board (Hope that is it).  Go into Mach3/Config/Ports&Pins...then into Input Signal/Activate Input#1..into Input Pin/input pin#1/Port1 & Pin#10(this is the pin on my board I used). 
After above is done when I use Mach3 and place plate on workpiece then move spindle/tool down to touch plate??what happens???  Does DRO Z Axis zero out?
I really appreciate the help and hate to ask so many question.  Thanks, Ray   PS: If all of above is not right, let me know please.

Ray,

In Config->Ports&Pins, scroll down until you find "PROBE" in th left-most column.  That is the only input signal  Mach will use for probing.  Configure the PROBE input to Port 1, Pin 10.  Connect your touchplate wire *directly* to Port1 Pin 10, and connect a small resistor, perhaps 220 ohms, from that wire to +5V.  10K is way too big for a pullup.  You can use the G31 G-code command to cause the Z axis to move until the probe contacts the touchplate, but you're much better off using one of the many existing macros to do that, plus zero the DRO, etc.  Search the archives, there are LOTS of probing macros and screensets available.

Regards,
Ray L.

974

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probe/Tool Setter Info

« on: October 02, 2009, 03:03:42 PM »

HimyKabibble(RayL), Appreciate the info.  Where is the Probe Input to connect the wire?  Do I have to have another board or is it on my Xylotex board?  I said I didn't know diddly about what I needed.  Thank you,  Ray

Ray,

*Any* input can be the PROBE input.  It would normally connect to any input on your breakout board, with a pull-up resistor to +5V, then go into Mach Config->Ports&Pins->Inputs, and configure that input to be the PROBE signal.

Regards,
Ray L.

975

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Beginner looking for a place to start

« on: October 02, 2009, 02:22:45 PM »

This seems to be simple for others, but for me it took forever to figure out:

You can create a button with screen 4   double click the button and tell it you are assigning VB to it.   Then in order to assign said VB you have to go back into mach 3, bring in your new screen then under the operator drop down, there  is a vb script editor to actually write the code.   

Why you cant write it in Screen 4 is beyond me, but finally I figured that part out.   

Other than that I think knowledge of the language is all you need.

Good luck

I would really recommend NOT using actual button scripts for one simple reason - they are embedded in the screenset itself.  Lose the screenset, and you lose all your button scripts.  You want to use the same script in more than one button on muliple screen pages, or in multiple screensets?  You have to copy and paste the code.  You now found a bug?  You have to go find and edit ALL those scripts.  Instead, put the script into an M-macro, and make the button script nothing more than a 'Code "M*********"', and you can now edit the script all you like, using any editor you like, and call it from as many buttons, or anything else, you like.  You then also have the ability to have a single script perform multiple functions, since you can pass arguments to the M-script when you call it from the one-line button script, by doing 'Code "M********* Pn.nnn Qn.nnn Rn.nnn"'.  The P, Q, and R arguments are accessible through the Param1(), Param2() and Param3() functions.

Mach3 v4 will very likely support calling scripts by name, rather number, which will make things even nicer...

Regards,
Ray L.

976

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probe/Tool Setter Info

« on: October 02, 2009, 02:14:56 PM »

???I use Macxh3 on my micro mill and been thinking about purchasing a Tool Setter (ENCO 308-0391) and reasonable priced Probe (Know nothing about Probes) with the thought they would help reduce setup time and increase accuracy of positioning and accuracy of part being machined.  Am I on the right track or should I just go with the tool setter?  What kind of Probe would I use?  Here is the Toll Setter.  Thanks,  Ray

You can use that, but it's completely unnecessary.  Go to your local electronics store, and buy a small piece of copper-clad PCB material.  Solder a wire to one side of it, connect that wire to the PROBE input of Mach3, and you have the equivalent of that tool setter for a cost of about $0.  There are many sets of macros floating around for making use of that for doing your tool length setting.

Regards,
Ray L.

977

VB and the development of wizards / Draft Mach3 v3.x Programmers Reference Manual

« on: October 02, 2009, 11:58:33 AM »

All,

Below is the first draft of the Programmers Reference Manuals for Mach3 v3.x posted for user comment.  This manual documents almost all of the existing Mach-specific VB functions for Mach3 v3.x.  The Modbus and Serial chapters are still in-process, and will be posted in an updated version shortly.  Everything here has been tested against Mach3 v3.042.020, so, as pointed out in the introduction, you may find some differences with other, particularly earlier, versions.

Brian and I have had a significant shift of focus since this project began a few months ago.  Our original intent was to thoroughly document the existing interface in a Programmer Reference, and add to that a detailed step-by-step tutorial manual, aimed at making it possible for almost anyone to learn to write Mach macros.  However, as we started working on the documentation, we realized the interface itself, as a result of its rather "organic" growth, actually made learning to write Mach macros much more difficult than it needed to be - there were missing functions, duplicated functions, and the function naming and argument conventions had little consistency.  For example, Feedrate() returns the current feedrate in units/minute, while SetFeedRate() sets the new feedrate in units/second.  GetRPM() and SetRPM() don't actually Get and Set RPM, but the S-word value.  In addition, there is the need to insert delays in certain operations, in order to get the result you expect.

As a result, we made the decision that Mach3 v4, while it would continue to support the v3 interface, would also begin the shift to a completely new VB interface with very regular naming and argument conventions, and a GREAT deal more functionality.  This new interface will make it far easier to write well-documented macros, to do more with less code, and to make maintenance and updates of the underlying code far easier.  It will greatly simplify macro writing, and enable you to do many things that are difficult, if not impossible, with the current interface.  And, it will be much easier to learn and use, with far fewer of the quirks that those of us who've done a lot of macro programming have torn our hair out over.

This manual is being published to document what is there now, primarily so that existing macro code can be more easily maintained and, if necessary, extended.  But development on this interface will eseentially cease.  So, what you see is what you get, and there will likely be no further updates or bug fixes to this code.  Instead, all efforts will be focused on the new v4 interface going forward.  The v3 interface will continue to be supported, and you will be able to enable the "legacy mode" on a script-by-script basis.  Once Mach3 v4 is released, it is *strongly* recommended that all new code be written using the new v4 VB interface.

A v4 Programmers Reference will be published in the near future, as a preview of the great things to come.

So, happy reading, and comment away!

Regards,
Ray L.

978

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need HELP Steppers Stalling on Shallow Moves

« on: October 02, 2009, 11:04:58 AM »

See below in []:

Ok Himy, I understand what you're saying but help me clarify some things. I want the shield on each cable going to one lug on the metal body of the control box I have everything in. Now can I slide a copper wire up into the shielded cable as most of the shields are a foil, I think, then zip tie it so it has contact? If they have a drain wire for the shield then I'll just run off of those off course.

[That should work OK.  The important thing is that the shield be connected only at the source end.]

Now for the grounding of the power. Here are all my devices what wire should go to a ground location.

Main Power Supply -- It's a transformer so there are a ton of wires. Do I want to ground the actual ground coming off of the plug coming out of the wall? Then you mention bridging the grounds on the power supply, but there is only one 120V ground, or do you mean I should run the NEGATIVE from the DC side to a ground point on the metal cabinet?

[Yes, the AC ground should absolutely be tied solidly to the machine itself, and to your E-box.  The wire used for making these connections should be as large as the largest wire used in the system.  This is for safety as much as anything else.  The - ouput(s) of your power supplies also should be tied to the metal case of your E-box, and to a buss-bar for making all the ground connections to the devices.]

Next I have 4 Stepper Drivers what wire do I use on those to ground? And which on the VFD Speed Control and BOB? And I have a 5VDC power supply coming in for the power on the BOB and for the Steppers, nothing is daisy chained. And I have a 12VDC Power Supply for the VFD Speed Control.

Each stepper driver should have a motor power - connection.  This should be tied directly back to the main ground buss bar from each driver.  If there's a logic ground as well (e.g. - for the step/dir signals), that should be a separate wire, even though it goes to the same place.  The VFD will also have a ground connection, that needs to tie back to the ground buss bar.  The control signals for the VFD should be run through a shielded cable.  If your input is single-phase AC, twist the two wires together with a couple of turns per inch - shielding should not be necessary.  If that 12V power supply for the speed control is powering the computer-side of the circuit, then it's - output should also be grounded.  If it's powering the VFD side of the circuit, then its - output should be connected to the - connection on the VFD analog input terminals.]

Thanks. Oh you said have all electrical grounds together, do you mean the NEGATIVE side of the DC goes to the same spot on the metal cabinet as the 120V GROUND?

[Yes.]


Regards,
Ray L.

979

General Mach Discussion / Re: Draft Mach3 v3.x Programmers Reference Manual

« on: October 01, 2009, 06:04:48 PM »

New version of the document below:

Fixed the first round of bonehead errors and typos.
Added headers and page numbers

Regards,
Ray L.

980

General Mach Discussion / Re: DynoMotion KFLOP

« on: October 01, 2009, 04:05:25 PM »

I'm looking for a way to get my count rate up.  SmoothStepper has a few problems (like requiring the cable to be pulled out and wait 20 sec. to get it to reboot after an error).  Galil works well but is a bit expensive.

So, what about the KFLOP.  Has anybody out there used these with a Mach interface?  How does it perform?

Why are you worried about reboot time for the SS?  You should practically never have to do that....  I've been using mine for over a year, and I've had it crash maybe a half dozen times, and usually when I was doing things that had not been fully tested yet.  For quite a while now it's been quite solid.

Regards,
Ray L.