Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 05, 2009, 03:41:33 PM »

Hood -- I will email Gecko right now and ask them what they suggest.
Bob

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 05, 2009, 03:16:49 PM »

Chip -- I went through the list and they sound the sam -- the y axis is fine, but the x and z still sound horrible. I started a file to see if by chance it was just happening in jog mode, but it's there too.
Bob

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 05, 2009, 02:59:33 PM »

News: I got an email from Xylotex, which of course said I should check the ports/pins/acceleartion, etc. I wrote back asking them to call me .
Hood - the motors are 425s with 1/8 microstepping.
Chip -- I will try what you outlined and post back.

14

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 05, 2009, 01:28:41 PM »

I've got a real bad feeling re: Xylotex....After waiting all morning for them to answer my emails, I looked up their number and called. Their phone is disconnected. I guess I need to assume that they're out of business. I guess what I will do is take my office computer to the shop and copy the mach file to it, and see if that changes anything. If it doesn't, then I can eliminate the pc along with the bob, and I will buy a new drive box. Question: for a plug-and-play type unit, can I use the existing steppers or do they need to be factory tuned to it? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for a good unit, brand-wise?
Thanks again, Bob

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 05, 2009, 09:45:41 AM »

Morning Everybody,
Maybe today will be my lucky day. Re: Chip's last note, I rechecked all the step/dirs for active high pulse and axis direction , and they are set correctly. One thing I noticed, however, is that whenever the Reset button flashes, there is a message that says "No shuttle detected of type selected". Is that important?
Also, I'm hoping that Xylotex will respond this morning to the email that I sent them on Saturday...if they do, I will update everyone.
Thanks again, Bob

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 04, 2009, 10:47:12 PM »

Also, I didn't get your PM, that is, nothing came to my email address. Are they somewhere else?
Bob

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 04, 2009, 10:46:04 PM »

Hi Chip,
OK, I found the info sheet that came with the Xylotex steppers and drive box. It says,"
The STEP impulse must be an ACTIVE HIGH signal. The DIR line must be stable 200 nanoseconds BEFORE AND AFTER the rising edge of the STEP line. The STEP signal should be high for a minimum of 2 nanoseconds." (capitals theirs). It also goes on to specify the step and dir pins, which I have correct.
So, with that in mind, what I did was enable the Sherline pulse, make sure I had the other stuff correct, and try the steppers. No change.
I don't know what the info sheet means about the dir line being stable 200 nanoseconds before and after, etc., and I don't know if there's a setting for that, but one thing to remember is that everything worked perfectly yesterday, and I made no changes to the pins/dirs/low actives, or anything else. It ran a program, finished, returned home when I clicked on Go To Z, and then started acting up when I tried to jog the z axis up.
Still baffled, Bob

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 04, 2009, 09:49:54 PM »

I also just realized that I missed some messages -- I guess I skipped ahead a page. However, Chip, I just printed out your message and will try what you suggest.
Thanx, Bob

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 04, 2009, 09:45:47 PM »

I just rethought the whole good motor/bad path scenario and you're right -- it doesn't tell me anything. Which means that all I've eliminated is the BOB board. Maybe I need to go to bed.
Thanks again, Bob

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: Buzzing steppers

« on: January 04, 2009, 07:38:26 PM »

Watch out, Hood, the next thing you know you'll be having to teach me how to use a scope, too.