Messages

151

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Configuring Mach4 with Hitachi WJ200 without Modbus

« on: March 19, 2020, 08:53:43 AM »

As right as Craig is about getting the RPM down to THE RPM, yours is nearly 4x. Should be able to get somewhat better than that!! I wouldn't chase parameters in the VFD, I'd chase PWM frequency in your setup or something. Perhaps Mach4 Pulley setup, or whatever it's called now. If you put a volt meter on the output and you're getting anywhere NEAR 0 to 10 volts, the VFD with default parameters, should be way closer than 4x.

Actually, with a 4x discrepancy, I'd be looking at the VFD's motor plate and pole parameters, parameters B012 and H004. Other than that, you lost me;

The problem with chasing VFD parameters is you BETTER remember, write down, everything you changed so that when you figure out the Mach4 setup and your electronic equipment setup/wiring, you can get the VFD back to where it was!!! Just my experience. When the VFD comes out of the box, other than matching your motor pole/nameplate settings and frequency of your electricity (60hz and default in the US), then setting your control input, it should just work.

152

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Configuring Mach4 with Hitachi WJ200 without Modbus

« on: March 18, 2020, 06:07:52 PM »

No, no, set VFD parameter A001 to 01...Control Terminal, NOT 06...Pulse Train Input. Set A002 to 01...Control Terminal

Page 41 of the manual shows how to wire, but you must have that, and Craig showed it again, a couple times!!

Tom

153

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Configuring Mach4 with Hitachi WJ200 without Modbus

« on: March 18, 2020, 09:05:37 AM »

I SUPPOSE you could say it's not controlled via PWM! It's controlled by 0-10v which is, in turn, controlled by PWM!! I actually own that inverter and it works just great with PWM/0-10v controlling it.

Would you explain how you have the WJ200 configured and how you have configured Mach4.
Thanks
bill a.

Wow, where to start? Page 41 of the WJ200 manual shows how to wire 0-10v, so there's that. But you need to specify things like motor poles, accel/decel values, base frequency (60HZ?), max frequency you want to use. Only you will know these values. So, briefly, WJ200 manual page 81 for motor poles, page 51 for input source and frequency you desire.

As for setting up Mach4, Jeff Birt had a nice write up for a G540 and Mach3, don't know if there's something around like that for Mach4. Google is your friend here. Here's Jeff's Mach3 write up.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=2ahUKEwjv35SrhaToAhVH2qwKHRJmAvQQFjADegQIBBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.soigeneris.com%2FDocument%2FGecko%2FUsing_the%2520Gecko_G540_VFD_Output.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2K_aYtD6ctlpFYAj2BLKON

From that you should be able to figure out pins to use and basic setup, which will apply to Mach4, sort of!! The Warp9TD web site has wonderful Mach4 setup info for their SmoothStepper, much of which would apply to YOUR setup regarding PWM setup, so lots to learn there.

Frankly, if you know nothing about VFD's, you have to start a bit more basic, learn how to wire it, learn how to use it to control your motor from the VFD control panel first, maybe. Then, once it's setup and your motor is wired correctly and working from the control panel (the VFD basically COMES setup for this, but you will minimally need to specify your motor poles, base frequency, max frequency), then venture off into externally controlling it.

If you know nothing about this and don't want to dig in, then you might need to get someone local to you to come and set it up for you. These things are complicated to figure out and the manuals are written such that the info is THERE, but you have to figure out how to apply it all. You only need 5% of the stuff in the manual, but figuring out where that 5% IS is the problem.

All that said, you bought likely the BEST, most versitile, VFD you can buy. Open the PDF manual, from the CD or the web, and print out the entire parameter section along with the HOW TO PROGRAM section, and study it, with highlighter in hand, until you understand it. I don't think it'd be TOO hard to blow up your motor or maybe even the VFD by NOT understanding before you get your screwdriver out.

154

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Configuring Mach4 with Hitachi WJ200 without Modbus

« on: March 17, 2020, 10:33:56 AM »

I SUPPOSE you could say it's not controlled via PWM! It's controlled by 0-10v which is, in turn, controlled by PWM!! I actually own that inverter and it works just great with PWM/0-10v controlling it.

155

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Integrating Clearpath SD Motors With Mach4

« on: February 10, 2020, 09:35:53 PM »

Did you run the Clearpath auto tune once your mechanics were setup, to get the servo tuned to YOUR setup? It works pretty slick as long as you have some room in your mechanics for them to move a bit to auto tune and determine how to act with YOUR mechanics. You shouldn't need any functions in Mach to determine when they are in position, that's what they do, move to a position, move to another position, move again, ad nauseam. I know nothing about a tube bender, but I'd guess it just moves at a speed to a position, done, but even if more complicated, surely not as complicated as 3D milling 100 blocks of gcode per second, and MY ClearPath's do that all day. You might also want to look at your Mach4 speed and acceleration.

And.....IF these are ClearPath SDSK fractional HP, they're DC, not that it matters.

156

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: What did I do wrong?

« on: February 04, 2020, 12:44:35 PM »

Hmmmm......Every time I install a new version of Mach4 I rename the old Mach4Hobby directory to something memorable and install from scratch and copy my old stuff in just like you did. I've NEVER had to reconfigure. So I don't know what to tell you!!

157

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: CP motor, PMDX126, ESS...Limit Switch ++ tripped when touchplate gets grounded

« on: January 13, 2020, 08:53:49 AM »

.... how do you handle the "enable"? ....

I don't really "remember" how I handle "enable"!! One thing I do remember, I consider the machine NOT REFERENCED once I hit eStop....period, and my Z does NOT drop.

I have two sets of contacts on my eStop. One signals Mach4, one shuts off ALL power to the drives. So when I eStop, I assume I need to re-home.

158

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: CP motor, PMDX126, ESS...Limit Switch ++ tripped when touchplate gets grounded

« on: January 12, 2020, 11:54:06 AM »

I didn't mention, but maybe should have. You have to setup Inputs in Mach4, you have to setup Port x and Pin x for your inputs, and the code goes in the screen start script from the screen editor. And, of course, you have to actually WIRE them to the input terminals of whatever you choose to use for said inputs, C10, PMDX-108Input, or whatever.

159

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: CP motor, PMDX126, ESS...Limit Switch ++ tripped when touchplate gets grounded

« on: January 12, 2020, 08:37:33 AM »

Craig is right, as is usual:)

Here's my code for my 4 Clearpath SDSK motor HLFB error signals. As you can see, I use a PMDX-108 for the extra input, a more expensive alternative to the C10!! I don't think you want the servor error inputs on Limit inputs! Once you get them going on "normal" inputs, you can tell which one is giving you the error and trouble shoot from there. All that said, you'll have to work at faulting these motors, they're very nice motors and their tuning software should have "figured out" your mechanics. You'll maybe need to get acceleration figured out in Mach4 so suit. I could "push" these harder than my old servos so I got cocky and found the high limit, so had to back off a bit!! The HLFB inputs will help you adjust accel, just write a gcode snippet to G0 back and forth in an axis a bunch of times, start working on accel to test!! Good luck:)

My code, commented so I remember this years later!

--PMDX-108 Port 2 Pin 6 Mach4 Input 10
--HLFB_X ERROR
[mc.ISIG_INPUT10]= function(state)
    if (state==1) then
          mc.mcCntlCycleStop(inst)
          mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "HLFB_X Servo Error")
    end
end,

--PMDX-108 Port 2 Pin 7 Mach4 Input 11
--HLFB_Y ERROR
[mc.ISIG_INPUT11]= function(state)
    if (state==1) then
          mc.mcCntlCycleStop(inst)
          mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "HLFB_Y Servo Error")
    end
end,

--PMDX-108 Port 2 Pin 8 Mach4 Input 12
--HLFB_A ERROR
[mc.ISIG_INPUT12]= function(state)
    if (state==1) then
          mc.mcCntlCycleStop(inst)
          mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "HLFB_A Servo Error")
    end
end,

--PMDX-108 Port 2 Pin 9 Mach4 Input 13
--HLFB_Z ERROR
[mc.ISIG_INPUT13]= function(state)
    if (state==1) then
          mc.mcCntlCycleStop(inst)
          mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "HLFB_Z Servo Error")
    end
end,

160

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Tool Change macro M56 and T0101 etc. problem

« on: January 10, 2020, 06:03:01 PM »

I really don't know how lathe works, but in mill there is an M6 macro that is actually the M6. Did you write that M56 or did you get it from somewhere? Perhaps your tool change is somehow setup to require this M56, or IS this M56. Greater minds than mine will have to chime in here.