Messages

931

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Help Please to Stupid Question Number 2

« on: May 24, 2012, 10:54:08 AM »

I just checked the PWM output by Mach and it's relationship to what is entered in config pulleys and all is as it should be - spot on. I'd start to wonder about the quality/linearity of your kit in how good it is at converting the PWM into the control voltage needed by your spindle controller. Also - do you actually have an index pulse from your spindle? I haven't seen you mention one if you have. Without an index pulse I can't see how Mach can calibrate the spindle.

Maybe this is worth a read http://www.cjh.com.au/PWM%20Spindle%20Control%20using%20Mach3.pdf

Ian

932

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Help Please to Stupid Question Number 2

« on: May 23, 2012, 11:44:38 AM »

I'm no expert on this but AFAIK you need to set up ports n pins/spindle setup - which I think you've done. You also need to set up the spindle pin in ports n pins/motor outputs AND you need to configure your pulley(s) in config/spindle pulleys.

Thing is Mach has no idea how the mark/space ratio relates to an actual speed of a motor unless you tell it via pulleys.

So I think you'd create a single pulley def. with whatever min speed and 23000 max and select that pulley.

Ian

933

General Mach Discussion / Re: Indicator led lights

« on: May 22, 2012, 03:29:35 AM »

You're asking the wrong question. There's already a digitize LED. If you'd come back with your XML as I requested in your previous thread we could have continued trying to find the problem.

934

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Constructing a Low Profile Tool Height Setter.

« on: May 18, 2012, 11:54:42 AM »

I don't mind having my balls busted either.

Whatever floats your boat my man - drop yer trollies and get 'em out on the bench - Tweakie! - the lump hammer if you please...

935

General Mach Discussion / Re: m03 floating head programing

« on: May 18, 2012, 09:19:25 AM »

  Easy there Terry - no need to beat yourself up - you know that's what I'm here for 

Ian

936

Modbus / Re: Modbus and Timing

« on: May 18, 2012, 06:31:00 AM »

In interrupt driven slave would be a good way to do this, but so far I have not found any way to get a signal from Mach that a Modbus request has been sent. If such were available, it could be used to trigger an interrupt in the slave and add reliability to the comm.

But then it wouldn't be the MODBUS protocol it would be something else. Remember anyway that in MODBUS there can be ANY number of slaves - what would you do? have an interrupt line from the master to each and every slave? Also if your concern is that the master may "die" you'd have to monitor that with a third party (watchdog) anyway - something that's died can't tell you it's died.

I've looked at your other thread and if I've understood you correctly you're concerned what happens if the master "dies" for some reason then just have a brain (your watchdog) monitor a master/slave heartbeat reg/flag. That will tell you not so much whether the master has died or a slave has died - just that they're no longer playing catch for whatever reason.

Ian

937

Tangent Corner / Re: Extremely clever electronics.

« on: May 18, 2012, 05:16:45 AM »

LOL - now I've discovered how it's done I reckon he's got far too much time on his hands - mind you so have I for searching for the solution... and so have you Tweakie for finding it in the first place 

Ian

938

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can you help me make 2 identical components in one sheet?

« on: May 18, 2012, 04:12:59 AM »

Why would you bother? Write the cutting part as a subroutine, use two fixtures, cut one part then change fixtures and cut again. Five minute job to code that.

well the clue was in the original question

Using Cambam and Mach3

If your using CAM then it's a fair (100%) bet you're using CAD - so copy n paste - of course it depends how quick you're fingers can do a ctrl-c ctrl-v but I reckon about half a second with practice  

Ian

939

General Mach Discussion / Re: m03 floating head programing

« on: May 18, 2012, 04:01:01 AM »

OK - so now we're getting to the nub of the original problem (remember that?).

That's why YOURS works as desired and why the OP's is inconsistant - look at the G28.1 in HIS code. He will only get consistant results if the metal is ALWAYS BELOW Z=0.

Jeez this is hard work  

Ian

940

General Mach Discussion / Re: m03 floating head programing

« on: May 17, 2012, 03:52:21 PM »

All I'm saying is if your at z=0.1 then there's no point in doing a g28.1 Z0.5 cos all that will do is raise to 0.5 at rapid and then lower at % home speed until you get switch trip. You might as well have done a G28.1 Z0.1 - that would just do a % home downwards without going up to 0.5 first for no reason whatsoever.

The gcode button in Mach says:

G28.1 Reference Axis

Program G28.1 X~ Y~ Z~ A~ B~ C~ to reference the given axes. The axes will move at the current feed rate towards the home switch(es), as defined by the Configuration. When the absolute machine coordinate reaches the value given by an axis word then the feed rate is set to that defined by Configure>Config Referencing. Provided the current absolute position is approximately correct, then this will give a soft stop onto the reference switch(es).

Wrong!

Ian