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Topics - kawazuki

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General Mach Discussion / Connecting MPG to PC or G540 - I'm confused!
« on: February 25, 2023, 11:39:40 AM »
Hi Guys - i'm not a frequent visitor as i'm usually able to resolve problems myself but this is stumping me completely, probably due to my lack of electronics understanding!
I bought a 'Chinese' MPG marked as suitable for Mach3 and it came with a USB plug which when plugged in, powers the device, flashing LEDs that change in response to switch positions and movement of the handwheel BUT it doesn't show up anywhere in Mach3 although 'Device Manager' sees it as connected to Port 3. There were no included instructions so I sort of gave up! (picture of unit attached)
I then recently checked out a few YouTube vids that showed MPG's being used with Mach3 so I had another search and bought a different unit, this one looking like it would use a parallel port connection (second picture)
From YT video I obtained one wiring diagram (pic 3) and with the MPG a separate schedule (of which, what is supposed to go where is a mystery)(pic 4)

So what I need is (in really short words and sentences) if I follow pic 3 and connect the MPG to a parallel plug where does this get plugged into, as my set up is PC with parallel port - cable to - Gecko G540 - Stepper motors. It would appear if the PC is disconnected the MPG would have to drive the Gecko but without power? Do I need a BOB to go between that will have 'two inputs', one from PC, the other from the MPG that will output to the Gecko ?

Whilst reading the Mach2 manual it referenced a 'key grabber' contained within Mach to facilitate connection of encoders / MPG's but didn't really elaborate for the electrically incompetent like me! I can glue wires together if I know where they are supposed to go and can select devices and answer simple queries but all this 'seems' way harder than it needs to be (to me at least!)
Ian.

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General Mach Discussion / Ok Ok! Limit switches AGAIN !
« on: August 28, 2008, 03:17:04 PM »
Sorry but after trolling through what seems about a hundred pages of posts - I couldn't find an answer to my question.....
I'm not a complete mechanical or electrical numpty but Mach is written in some wierd off world language that confuses me totally ;D

Q. As the Gecko 540 has only 5 inputs, can 2 switches be used for each axis and wired in series and connected to ONE pin only ie. ++x,
--x and home x all set to, say, pin 2?

Will Mach recognise that it is travelling in a minus direction and trigger --x & home and when its travelling in a plus direction, trigger the ++x?
If it needs 2 pins per axis - i'm gonna run out, bearing in mind one is the e-stop!

Or is it best just to use --x / home and set soft limits for opposite limits of table movement and only take 3 of the 5 available pins? ???

Any diagrams or pictures of set-ups on a X2 mill would be appreciated 8)

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