Messages

471

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: Edge Probing

« on: July 21, 2010, 10:34:46 PM »

I snuck off from family and did a little testing.

Installed beta 2, all went well, but nothing changed with my probing issues.

For extra stuff, I have my 4 brains to run analog pots for FRO and SRO and a bunch of buttons on my panel. I have an iMach III pendant that uses a plugin, that's it.

I set slow probe FR to ZERO. X/Y/Z clearance .100. I set probe feed to 5 IPM.

Probing -X seems pretty OK, touches, sets, backs off to .1625. My probe tip is .125, set in TO. Jogging back to touch X edge it should be at X+.0625, it's close to that, maybe .058. Not close enough for real work, but close enough for this test.

Y is another story, Probe -Y, it touches, sets, backs off to .1625, but it's way further away. Jogging back to the edge with the probe, Y reads -.020, should be +.0625, so it's off by like .082.

Z, I set up pink foam and a small washer to probe to, just probing to the foam, the probe just keeps going, #6 washer gives it some stability yet pushes in if the probe goes down.  Probe cycle goes down, hits, probe LED on, stops, starts and goes FURTHER DOWN all the while the probe LED is ON. It goes down maybe .1 or something, moves up, sets Z0, but it's not .1 above like Z DRO reads, it's closer. Hard to check with the foam getting pressed by the probe tip/washer! That second down move all the while with the probe active is what's super strange. Where's it going and what's triggering it to stopo. Seems like it is moving the clearance dim. but in the wrong direction.

We'll see about hooking up tomorrow to look at logs or debug info or whatever.

472

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: Edge Probing

« on: July 21, 2010, 08:26:17 PM »

I am on a SmoothStepper

I will turn off Slow Probe Feedrate

Probe did NOT crash, Big Red Button hit fast enough

The LED on the screen and the LED on the probe itself light when the probe tip is moved. The probe has worked in the past with HossMachines probing screens/macros, so the probe and interface to the BB all seem well.

I've got family company this evening, so I won't be able to work on this tonight. I don't know what time you're at it in the AM. I'm in Central Time, 2 hours later than you.

This is probably something I don't have setup right, just need to figure out what. I'll bore something to use for probe calibration if that'll help. Let me know some things, other than above, to try, or be aware of and I'll do that. I'll be here all day tomorrow so perhaps we can figure something out.

473

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Edge Probing

« on: July 21, 2010, 05:53:55 PM »

Dave,

I bravely tried edge probing WCO's today. I have a Wildhorse probe, Tool 250, tip dia .125. BP conversion with knee CNC'd. The machine works well otherwise, and the probe worked with HossMachine screens previously.

Probing simple -X, no problem. I have X/Y and Z clearance set to .100. Fast feed 15 IPM, slow feed 4 IPM. It probed, twice, backed off. X showed it was at +.1625, where it should be, .100 clearance,  plus half the probe dia.

But, doing -Y or +Y, it probed OK, but when it got done and said it was at +.1625 or -.1625, it wasn't, it was further. It SEEMED to be off by half the X/Y clearance extra. Jogging back 'til the probe light came on at the edge seemed to confirm. So what have I got wrong here?

Also, and this is the bad one. Tried probing Z, it went down to touch, stopped, then seemed to want to apply the Z clearance negatively, it moved down!! I hit the big red button before it smashed the probe so I don't know how far it WANTED to move, but I'm guessing the Z clearance plus half the probe tip, or at least the Z clearance. Now, of course, I'm afraid to try again. I tried off the part, out in the air,  just hitting the probe manually, but I don't know the routine, so I get a probe error, probably because I don't know the timing to hit the probe, it moves so little. I tried with no slow feed, so it would maybe just hit once, but I couldn't get it to work by hand.

Now I did NOT calibrate the probe, I don't have a ring gage. Is that my problem? Not sure why X works and Y does not, it that's the problem. And no explanation for Z. I set the probe tool length offset manually with a 1" gage block after setting Z and using the block on that.

I don't need a negative Z clearance, do I?

474

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: The Brains

« on: July 21, 2010, 10:42:37 AM »

Well, this is indeed strange, but I can't repeat the MDI input thing. I have my brains active, they work, and the MDI works. I did some tool changes, moved X and Y around with MDI, everything worked fine.

The only thing I can think I did was clean out my brain directory of unused brains so I could see what I was doing. I didn't deactivate my SRO/FRO brains or do anything else. Just started the machine, ref'd all, tried MDI.

I'm sure I had the problem last week and never put it together with the brains, so I was anxious to see what I could learn. Alas, nothing to learn to help you.

Now, I guess, try the brains I attached above, without the timer section, and see if they work for you.

Tom

475

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: The Brains

« on: July 21, 2010, 07:58:40 AM »

Steve,

Here are my two Feedhold brains if you want to look, try.

476

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: The Brains

« on: July 21, 2010, 07:54:02 AM »

I don't think I said, sure didn't MEAN to say, that the display reset, if that's what the Timer Module in the brain does, isn't needed. Just said/meant that my brain doesn't have that, but still the MDI input line doesn't work, so I don't think that's what's causing it.

I'm not a very good brain creator. I mostly get something from someone and try to use it, or modify it slightly. And I'm sympathetic to editing them, what a pain. Really no editing, just delete back and do over!!

I ordered two of Jeff Birt's MPGs and emailed him, awaiting a reply.

I'll get down there and see what I can learn some time today!!

477

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: The Brains

« on: July 21, 2010, 07:23:08 AM »

Which one caused the problem, although if they're like mine, they need to work in duo, right?

I'll look at your feedhold brain, see if they're both like mine. Edit, the feedhold is the same as mine.

Tom

478

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: The Brains

« on: July 21, 2010, 06:52:19 AM »

Steve, great find that it was Mach 043.010. Have you posted on the Yahoo Group to see if Brian has any input?

I have the same setup as you, almost. Physical pots, PoKeys55 with CNC4PC M2/M21/M23, brains for pots, but my brains don't have that timer in that yours do, so it's not the timer although it's nice yours have the timer as it let you figure out it was the brain. So for you, disabling the brain fixes it? I have some time today, so I'll try some stuff and see what I can learn.

I'm going to check into Jeff Birt's pots (http://www.soigeneris.com) that work with plugins instead of brains. I'll email him and see if they work with Mach 043.010, SmoothStepper, and one thing I'd like to know, do they STOP axis motion STOPPED, not just slow it way down.

If Dave would rather us take this off the forum now that you've figured out it's NOT MSM, we can go to the Yahoo group, or email.

479

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: The Brains

« on: July 20, 2010, 09:17:57 PM »

I believe I have the same issue as Steve, can't type fast enough in the MDI line, but never put it together that it was the brain, or brains, for FRO and SRO. Mine were also originally from Hood's brains.

Steve, which function of the brains do you think is causing this, and how, exactly, did you arrive at the conclusion that it was these brains causing the problem? I'd be interested to figure this out as I love these brains and have NO IDEA why they'd cause the MDI line to go away.

480

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Re: Number of MPG axes?

« on: July 19, 2010, 06:59:26 AM »

One MPG will work for me in mill.