Messages

721

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creeping Y position. Anyone know something else I can try?

« on: August 07, 2008, 01:27:00 PM »

Hi, Dave

Ouch !!, When your Brain, Eye's, Keyboard and Calculator aren't in gear = Bad Numbers, Bad Day in "Bed-Rock".

You stated earlier that setup's per for X = 4750 and Y = 4100.

If there geared the same then the steps per should be the Same in the End, As "Jim" stated, Your X, Y axis may have Backlash,"Belt Sage" Issues.

None of that is causing your Lost Step's though.

OK, "Direction" and "Step" "Low Actives" Are all set to the "Same State", In Config, Port's & Pin's, Motor Outputs.

I think with Gecko's it's "Checked" not sure.(Just to be different)

Also this "Checked" State may just be needed to have the BOB work It's OPTO's Properly.

Now your BOB may have a way to set the Output's State to your Gecko's
Do you have a link and part # for your BOB.?

I've also seen on some "Brake-Out-Board's",With Bad OPTO Isolator's (Slow response Time issues). Did you try the Sherline 1/2 step Mode.?

It may be time to Wire your Gecko's Direct to the printer port, Try a different computer, Get a bottle of Whiskey.......

Chip

722

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creeping Y position. Anyone know something else I can try?

« on: August 06, 2008, 11:09:21 PM »

Hi, Dave

Looks to me you have 5 stages 10 to 36, (36 to 10), 10 to 24, (24 to 10), 10 to 24, The first 4 cancle each other out.

Stepper 1 turn = 2000 * 3.6 / 3.6 * 2.4 / 2.4 * 2.4 = 4800 Steps Per. Inch, So you only have a 2.4 ratio at the end.

If both axises have the same ratio then 4800 steps per is the number.

You really need to change the ratio around to get the step count up

You Will\Can get DRO not quite showing the full move on the display with under 10,000 Steps Per Value.

Is your error on the DRO or Actual measured loss at the cutter.?

Your pins should remain as you have them , Only addressing the Low Actives and Pulse width settings in my post.

Some drives are sensitive to "Step Dir pulses",  "All" the  Step & Dir "Low Actives" need to be in the same State ether (X or Checked).

If you need to "Revers" an Axis direction, It should be done in "Homes & Limits" (Reversed coll- um).

Missed the drive type "Gecko's", Pulse width Of 2 or 3 should be Fine.(This adjustment just gives your drives more time to see Mach's Pulses).

Thanks, Chip

723

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creeping Y position. Anyone know something else I can try?

« on: August 06, 2008, 03:07:37 PM »

Hi, Dave

Some drives are sensitive to Step Dir pulses, In ports & pins, Motor Outputs, All the  Step & Dir Low Actives need to be in the same State (X or Checked).

Reversing an Axis direction should be done in Homes & Limits (Reversed coll- um).

Have you tried 5 for Step/Direction Pulses in Motor Tuning or Sherline 1/2 step mode in Ports & Pins.

Things to Check, Chip

724

General Mach Discussion / Re: mill retro HELP

« on: August 03, 2008, 02:47:59 AM »

Hi, Ed

In your E-Stop setup, You can add a latching relay,(4 pol double throw relay) to Re-set the Gecko's and on E-Stop it Gnd's the Err/Rst pin's.

With your E-Stop in "Normal State", This Relay is wired to On/Closed, The Common Term's, One to each Gecko Err/Rst pin, NC's to Gnd and NO's to Blocking Diodes to a NO Push Button with 5 volt's on the other terminal, (Push & hold till the Drives Reset).

This allows all drives to be re-set only when in non E-Stop mode.

The 4th pol of the relay can be wired to Mach to E-stop Mach's Reset Button if the Maine E-Stop is Pushed

If you wire in an additional Relay (small 5 volt) contact's wired into this 4 pol Relays Coil, Mach can control the Drives re-set also.

With some Zener Diode's, Should be able to Halt Mach with a single drive faults also.

I've got a diag. around hear somewhere, Looking for It.

Hope this makes some sense, Chip

725

General Mach Discussion / Re: mill retro HELP

« on: August 01, 2008, 06:37:55 PM »

Hi, ED

Yes, Updates.

Chip

726

General Mach Discussion / Re: mill retro HELP

« on: July 31, 2008, 05:01:19 PM »

Hi, ED

I think they would prefer the power off switch/relay on the AC side of the power supply.

Don Gartlits, That's a name I remember also, Good old day's.

You can get it pretty close with out the scope.

Chip

727

General Mach Discussion / Re: mill retro HELP

« on: July 31, 2008, 03:58:11 AM »

Hi, ED

Don't just start hooking this Stuff Up, It Can Get Scary, Some slow step's Now, Please !!!

Do you have the encoders wired up, Verify the A B signal's at the Geckos are good, Move the axises to mid point if there hooked up.

Do the Drives "One At A TIME". Gecko usually sets the adjustment pot's to mid point, Probably a good starting point.

The Err/Reset, If Grounded will hold the drive in Fault/Inhibit/No motion, It needs 5 volt to reset the drive (Just long enough to Re-set Fault Led).

If your encoders aren't working properly , Be Prepared to Turn The Power Off, Servo may run Away.

If the Servo Jumps and Faults, The encoder A,B's are  Backwards (In dis-agreement with the Motor Polarity/ Direction).
You can swap the A B's Around or Motor Polarity, "Just not Both".

If your Lucky, It will just Reset and Hold Steady.

Don't let the Drives or Servos get to Hot, The Adjustment's Limit, Dampen and Gain are as follows, More or Less.

Limit, Sets the max current to the motor.

Gain, Sets the initial motor current (bottom of the torque curve/holding current/at rest Temperature),

Dampen, Set's the Servo motor response to movement, (Over/Under Shoot of Motor to Encoder Position/Follow Up/Error's in Commanded Position).

Gain and Dampening, It's a Balancing Act, Not set properly, You'll get allot of Opinion's on this.

If the Gain is to high the motor may/will vibrate and needs more dampening.

If the Dampening is to high/Low the motor won't follow it's commanded position moves.

A Scope is nice, Then you can see what's going on, Re-Read the Manual.

Don't get in a Hurry, Just some basics Hear.

Just a Start, Chip

728

General Mach Discussion / Re: mill retro HELP

« on: July 31, 2008, 01:00:38 AM »

Hi, ED

When you apply power to your Gecko's, It's normal to see the Fault led lit, You need to re-set them after power on.

If this is the first time you've powered them up, There is some testing you need to do, Read over there manual first.

Hears a link to the manual  https://www.geckodrive.com/upload/G340-REV-7-Manual.pdf

Tell us, Have you connected the Err/Reset terminal up at this time, It's used to reset/stop/fault the drive and there are several ways you can connect it.

Llet us now how you have it wired so-far.

Hood should be up soon.

Chip

729

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LAZYCAM toolchange problem (bug) - reporting

« on: July 28, 2008, 08:18:04 PM »

Hi, Dave

Anytime.

Chip

730

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: July 27, 2008, 10:27:34 PM »

Hi, Art

How dose a cutoff type tool look.

Thanks for the up-date.

Chip