Messages

661

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting Disillusioned with Mach3.

« on: January 18, 2012, 03:37:48 AM »

Mach3.. Ron and Steve  talked to me at the show and they have the idea that we should post the bugs that we are working on..  . . . make a webpage where he can post what we will be working on so you can see what the heck it is that we would like to do for the next rev (Bug fixes).

An indispensable tool available in many development environments. My number one frustration with Mach has been spending hours fighting with an issue only to find that it is a known bug. Until my current motor controller project, where I had no choice, I have avoided building anything around Mach for that reason. With a known bug list, which is at least as important as any other debugging tool, I would go to that resource at the first sign of irregular behavior to see if debugging the issue will be (temporarily) futile or more important, if there is there a current work around . .  which should be part of a known bug listing, incidentally.

Other than staying focused and prioritizing fixes over features . . . . and perhaps further organizing the still splintered and incomplete documentation . .(hint, hint) . . . this bug list is probably the very best tool you can provide for developers who want to work with Mach. It demonstrates that ArtSoft is acting to respect a developers time.

Kudos . . .

662

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parallel port for PCI bus that works with Mach3 - just passing along info

« on: January 18, 2012, 02:53:32 AM »

Is anyone using a working PCIe card with mach?

Hopefully someone will post a specific known working card, but I can give you some general guidelines. First, I would suggest using the card mentioned in this thread if it is still available and you have a compatible slot. That would be the safe choice.

If you must use PCIe, and you must choose an untested card, I would advise choosing a card with only parallel ports and not a 'multi function' card with other I/O on it. The fancier the card is the more 'tricks' and redirections the vendor uses and the less likely Mach will be able to talk to the card directly as is required. Since MOSCHIP is known to work, so you can seek out a card that uses their chip . . if possible use the same chip on the card referenced in this thread.

Lastly, get a dual parallel port card as you may find more success using both ports on the card and disabling any existing built in port. In my case, that proved to be the most stable and by far the fastest way to run.

edit: also you may have better luck using  a basic driver from the chipmaker's site and not the 'enhanced' driver that usually comes with the card.

663

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting Disillusioned with Mach3.

« on: January 17, 2012, 04:54:13 AM »

Just want to ad my (usually controversial) two cents worth to this topic. I don't have a dog in this fight and I am not a Mach guru by any means, I do have a lot of experience in machine design, manufacturing processes and programming. I have recently taken my first foray into some basic 'bare metal' programming of Mach using Modbus (both serial and TCP), brains and screen mods. I have a need that Mach does not fulfil, so as I have done previously, I extract the data from Mach and create my own solution.

My observation is this; Mach is extensible and open, yet when someone has a specialty application, instead of using that open architecture to tap into the data that is available and using it to create their own application, they lay their special needs on the shoulders of the developer.

While I have to say that I am also distressed by the general instability of Mach, I can see now where some of it comes from; namely catering to the 'lobbyist's' instead of bulletproofing the existing code for those who dare to try use it in a production environment, or those who are foolish enough to invest a lot of time in developing around it, and let the 'special needs' group do their own customizing.

As an example of how pervasive the 'save us' attitude is, I made two suggestions for solutions to the issues raised by the OP.  Not a single comment on those ideas. Not even to blast me and say they suck and won't work? Nothing. No other ideas were put forward, yet the complaining continued unabated that Mach was not solving every problem.

Certainly there are going to be exceptions to this rule, but so long as the data is retrievable from withing Mach, people should use that capability to create their own special applications and not pressure the developer to refocus resources on the few to the detriment of the many.

664

General Mach Discussion / Re: X-Y moving before Z finishing it's plunge

« on: January 12, 2012, 11:08:48 AM »

Based on my expericne rounting PC boards, I believe Hood's solution will work.

I wanted to retain CV becuase I use arcs at each change of direction, so my solution was to ad a short G4 delay after each Z down move. You can quickly add this to the existing G-code with any text editor

665

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting Disillusioned with Mach3.

« on: January 12, 2012, 11:02:17 AM »

And . .  just to 'throw another shrimp on the barbie', I am working on a motor controller that talks to MACH, but is essentially autonomous.

Based on that (rather limited) experience, it *seems* to me that it would be possible to have a PLC 'snoop' the actual step streams and turn on the laser directly with an infinitesimally small delay. IN this way, you would have immunity from anything the 'powers that be' break now or in the future and also such a method would work with any CNC software and for that matter probably with any external motion control as well.

 . .  just thinking out loud.

666

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting Disillusioned with Mach3.

« on: January 12, 2012, 10:55:03 AM »

My requirements, as a laser user, are pretty basic – I just need to switch an output on when an axis moves and switch an output off when an axis stops – without any delay. Is this too much to ask ?? 

At the risk of displaying my ignorance here, would not a simple brain be capable of doing this?

667

General Mach Discussion / Re: High Speed Servo as Spindle - My Solution

« on: January 08, 2012, 10:24:06 AM »

Some notes on Smoothstepper use with 4th axis motor controller:

CNC4PC has a custom BOB for the SS and it is convienient to use, but for some reason they decided to lock port 2 permanently as inputs.

The only solution is to cut the traces on the board and put jumpers between the pins. See photos below. If anyone knows of another custom BOB for SS< please post it.

THanks

668

General Mach Discussion / Re: High Speed Servo as Spindle - My Solution

« on: January 08, 2012, 10:20:27 AM »

Quick Update: After numerous simulations, the Alpha software (1,800 lines of C code) is running live tests on the 4th axis. The test programs run all night and so far are stable.
Working features (so far) are:
 *Communicating with MACH thru serial Modbus, one MACH Brain and a series of macros.
 *'Wait states' implemented. PLC genrates a 'Speed Reached' signal used to make MACH wait until accell/decel events are completed before MACH continues.
 *Interrupt driven E-stop forces immediate signal to MACH regardles of what the PLC was doing at the time.
 *Accell/Decel is autonomous and completely independent of MACH. Controlled by two parameters configurable 'on the fly' via macro.
     example: Speed set to 450 RPM (spindle RPM) M3 to M4 causes automatic smooth Decel to a stop, dir change, accel back to set speed.
 *RPM max limit is configurable 'on the fly' via macro. User enters spindle RPM (or SFM in AutoSpeed) and back gear is calculated automatically.
      commanded RPM that exceeds  RPM max is held at RPM max and a warning indicator (or LCD message) informs operator of overspeed.
      no error or E-stop need to be generated and when RPM drops back, indicators go off and operation continues without interruption.

*'AutoSpeed Mode': user supplies desired SFM and speed is automatically controlled via position of the Z or Y axis
                      Speedmatch feature allows switching 'on the fly' into or out of AutoSpeed and the spindle will accel/decell to the set speed of the new mode.
                      Z or Y axis coords are fed to the PLC and the PLC feeds back current RPM via MACH Brain. This is another 'machining center' capability brought to the benchtop.
                         One step further =  G95 feedrate results in automatic feedrate changes based on PLC reported RPM.

*'Manual Mode':  full manual control 'uncoupled from Mach via control panel. Accel/Decel, max speed, E-stop fully functional even in manual mode.  There is lots more, but this is the basics so far.

669

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link

« on: December 13, 2011, 01:24:12 PM »

The tailstock frame is only 4" wide. In the case of using the tail stock as a 'mini' 4th axis, there would be no need for the rails and therefor, the base could be 4" wide and bolted down from the front and back like the 4th axis base.

I would not consider using a mill spindle because you are going to have R8 or MT which are not good choices for a 4th axis. These are designed to hold cutting tools, not workpieces. 5C is better because you can pass stock thru it and also there are an amazing array of collets available for 5C, including square and hex, as well as 5C mounted chucks.

There is a fundamental difference between a motorized rotary table and my 4th axis in that a rotary table is strictly for indexing. It cannot rotate any where near fats enough to do turning. With a 5C spindle sitting on ballbearings and a tooth belt drive, you have indexing and also turning in the same device.

A paradox inherent in this chameleon is that to get speed useable for turning, you need a servo motor and servo motors, while vastly more powerful and faster than steppers, do not hold as well. that is the reason for the spindle lock.

670

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link

« on: December 13, 2011, 11:17:40 AM »

Some pics of the latest tail stock. Redesigned to eliminate positioning redundancy and to add spindle grag/lock mechanism.