Messages

421

SmoothStepper USB / Re: How to use closed loop spindle rpm with SS

« on: October 21, 2010, 12:23:44 PM »

So what this boils down to is there is no way in Mach to control spindle speed with the index signal? Or am I missing it?

The doc linked by Jeff talks about tuning spindle speed and stuff, but I don't think it mentions if we can actually adjust the spindle speed to the index signal. I guess that is "closed loop" and it simply doesn't work. It seems that if one has an index signal to Mach, Mach should adjust the spindle PWM to achieve the commanded S RPM.

My problem is if I have a pulley setup, say Pulley 7, to 300-3000 RPM, at 2000 I'm pretty close, but at 1000 I'm low and at 3000 I'm high. If we can't have index feedback for spindle speed, what's the correct way to adjust linearity? I've read to delete linearity.dat and not use Calibrate Spindle. Is there a way to get the linearity better?

All PWM control with SS is done in SS settings, right? Mach settings ignored?

422

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed control

« on: October 15, 2010, 07:22:31 AM »

Is this discussion about step/dir or PWM spindle control? Or are the settings being discussed applicable to both?

423

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Smooth Stepper MDI problem

« on: October 11, 2010, 06:55:14 PM »

Hmmm......maybe time to look at what your steps per and velocity are in motor tuning and check the SS setup to be sure you're setup fast enough and not too fast.

Read thru Jeff Birt's SS setup doc here   http://www.soigeneris.com/Document/Installing_and_Configuring_the_SmoothStepper.pdf 

Read the last couple paragraphs on Page 9 and get your head around this. Check your motor tuning numbers, do the math, and be sure the SS setup matches. I'm not sure if something here can cause what you're seeing, but seeing as you're new to the SS, Jeff's setup doc is a must read anyway. It's impossible to know TOO MUCH about this stuff!!

Also, you stated you "started over" with a fresh XML. How did you do it? Clone the Mach3mill profile and re-enter all your setup info? That's the ONLY certain way to be starting fresh I know of. This exercise will give you cause to document your entire setup, too!!

An aside. I don't know how to do it, but someone who does should write a script or something to extract all the Mach3 settings, Ports & Pins, Motor Tuning, Homing & Limits, etc., to a text file or something. I do it with a combination of screen shots and Excel spreadsheet, but it's a pita amd every time you change something you have to remember to update your stuff.

424

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Smooth Stepper MDI problem

« on: October 11, 2010, 07:59:11 AM »

My oft feeble old mind seems to remember an issue with MDI and Gcode loaded or not loaded but I can't remember exactly when/where it was. It might have been in the dev versions while testing with the MachStdMill screenset.

Would it be possible for you to install the latest lockdown version of Mach, 040,  and try that? You could make a backup of your Mach3 folder beforehand and just replace it if the new version doesn't fix your problem and you really want 3.042.035 installed (don't try this folder swapping while running on PP, pp driver version problems!).

425

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: Screen Not Working, No Moves...

« on: October 09, 2010, 10:40:08 PM »

MSM installs wipe out your pulley setups? I've never had it do that here.

426

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Problems getting mach3 to talk to smoothstepper

« on: October 08, 2010, 11:10:44 AM »

I have UAC on DEFAULT and I don't get a prompt when starting Mach3. I've never set Mach3 to Run as Administrator and I don't get a prompt. Do you have UAC all the way to the top? Default is second position from top.

427

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Problems getting mach3 to talk to smoothstepper

« on: October 08, 2010, 08:30:17 AM »

That would be correct. I'm the only user on all my computers, so I'm administrator!! I forget about that because SOMETIMES, there is something, and I think drivertest.exe is one of those, that STILL wants Run as Administrator checked in the compatibility tab. Not sure I remember that correctly as I don't use PP any more so don't run drivertest.exe. I guess Administrator has two meanings.

428

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Problems getting mach3 to talk to smoothstepper

« on: October 08, 2010, 08:15:32 AM »

With Windows 7 you need to run Mach as administrator or it won't work properly. This is not a SS specific issue.

Really? I use Windows 7 32 bit and SmoothStepper, have for ever since Windows 7 released. I don't remember even having to run Mach3 as administrator even once to get something to save. Perhaps drivertest.exe, but not Mach itself. What exactly are the issues I'd be seeing NOT running as administrator? You DO mean right clicking the Mach shortcut, Properties, Compatability, and setting Run as Administrator?

429

General Mach Discussion / Re: March3 Directory structure question

« on: October 06, 2010, 07:37:22 AM »

I can confirm with certainty that you select Load, browse to the new file location, network drive, local drive, anywhere where Windows can find a file, open it. From then on, until you browse to a different location, Mach3 will go to the selected folder when selecting Load.

I've never personally had a gcode file anywhere other than a network location. If I need to do a clean install of Mach for some reason, once pointed to the network location, and for that matter, a file extension (.tap, .txt, .ncf, etc) it sticks.

430

General Mach Discussion / Re: March3 Directory structure question

« on: October 05, 2010, 07:59:02 AM »

You can store G Code anywhere you wish but it is better to be on the controlling computer, whether that be the same drive as Mach is installed on or another doesnt matter. If loading code over a network it is best to actually save it somewhere on the machines computer rather than running from the network itself.

More out of curiosity than anything else, does Mach3 "load" a Gcode file or "stream" or "spoonfeed" it somwhow? I was under the impression it "loaded" it. I store all my Gcode on my Windows Home Server and load from that location. I've never noticed any network activity while running Gcode, but then, my Gcode files aren't big.