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Messages - brightstarwwcnc

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Thanks guys!!! very helpful.

Don

2
Is there an updated PDF that accurately describes the Mach3 software & functions and features of LazyCam Pro?

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Hello Mach3 Users:

I've been working my way through the Mach3 Software a step at a time. Several of the features discussed in the documentation are missing from my Mach3Mill lock down version 3.042.020. I have copied the license key file to the Mach3 folder to unlock the full program.

The first "feature" that appears to be missing is from the menu options. I click on "File" and have no option listed for importing DXF, JPEG, HPGL, or anything else. The only File menu options showing are "Load G-Code", "LazyCam...", "Entib", "Close File(s)" and "Exit".

Also missing from the screen is the window for the Automatic Z control family or the "MultiPass" options box on the "Run Program" window.

If anyone has any insight how I might access these "features" I sure would appreciate it!

Thanks,

Don

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Shielding Issue and Mach3
« on: July 03, 2009, 10:54:11 PM »
Naaaahhhhhh... I wouldn't give anyone the bird unless they ordered and paid in full for one.

Well, completed the rewiring with shielded cable and ... have successfully shielded against the extra noise that the limit switch wiring/E-stop wiring was picking up causing all kinds of problems.

Now I can do a reference home all with limit switches active.

BTW, I used 22gauge two conductor limit switch wire. I wired each axis (two switches home and away) in series. It was a total of 5 runs including E-stop and Probe wiring.

Thanks for the help.

Best regards all,

Don

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Shielding Issue and Mach3
« on: July 01, 2009, 10:25:51 AM »
Looks like I'll have to bite the bullet on this one and rewire. That's going to take some time. Hopefully shielding the wire will take care of this.

At any rate I was able to get some things accomplish... heres one: http://www.brightstarlinks.com/006%20cropped.jpg

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Shielding Issue and Mach3
« on: June 30, 2009, 08:52:11 PM »
Thank you for replying Greg.

Sadly, changing the debounce had no affect what so ever. As soon as power is applied to the breakout board, controllers and steppers the message "limit switch triggered" begins flashing and an emergency state is present. I reset and within 2-3 seconds another message "limit switch triggered" happens. I carefully installed all the wiring and rechecked to make sure there are no shorts. Again, in diagnostics, the green LED's are lit indicating a signal from the parallel port is present and no yellow LED's are lit for the limit switches.

Any other thoughts?

Also, HimyKabibble ... I appreciate the input... I wired the limits normally closed since it was part of the instructional video as the "safest method" to use, Also, it allows me to run home and away limits in series since I am limited in the number of inputs on my parallel port. The break out board only has one hook up for one parallel cable. As far as running separate wiring for the 5v's that's no problem.

Now to the shielded cable, what size would you recommend for the signal wire? 22, 20, 18 gauge? Solid core or stranded?

And, excuse my ignorance of acronyms, but what is a "BOB".

Thanks for the help,

Don

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General Mach Discussion / Shielding Issue and Mach3
« on: June 30, 2009, 02:38:56 PM »
Hey Mach3'ers,

I'm new, but learning quickly.

I built a 4 axis CNC Router Table 4.5' x 8.5', installed mechanicals, electronics, wiring, router, computer and Mach3/Lazy Cam software. I've been working toward perfecting the setup in conjunction with Tutorial Videos. I'm running limit/home switches in series, hence NC w/5v constant. I have an E-Stop that is NO. The diagnostics show pins are green on the parallel and lyellow ed's from my switches are out. So here's the configuration... X pin 15, Y pin 13 and Z pin 12 and all share common 5v wire.

When I have the limit swtiches selected for active and plug in the power supply for the motors I immediately get a limit switch message and an E-Stop condition, but no LED's are lit except for the solid green inputs from the parallel port which I believe is as it should be. Even so, resetting doesn't cure the problem as the message again shows a limit switch activated.

If I unplug the power supply for the stepper circuitry and manually trip the switches, the yellow LED's light up with the corresponding Axes indicating that I've configured and wired switches properly.

So then I deactivate limit switches to begin checking whether I can reference home. What happens is, the steppers begin moving Z towards home, but before reaching the switch, Mach3 changes movement to Y-axis and same thing happens, before hitting the home switch for Y Mach3 switches to X/A (actually only X is moving even though I've changed the button to RefConfigure( 9 ).

I believe there is enough noise coming from the Power supply wiring to the break out board and steppers to affect signals from the limit/home switch wiring which is constant 5v feed since it is NC.

My question is, What exactly needs to be shielded to prevent the "noise" from dropping the voltage which triggers limit/home switch signals? Or, is there an entirely different problem here that I'm not aware of since I'm relatively new to this stuff?

Unfortunately, i've used 18 gauge stranded unshielded wiring for all runs for the sake of saving cash on the initial build.

I've been pouring through the posts searching for similar problems but have not found anything like I'm experiencing.

Thanks,

Don

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Can Anyone Help? Motors not moving
« on: June 28, 2009, 04:02:55 PM »
Hi,

Don't know if you've solved the problem yet, but I had the same problem and discovered I had not wired up the enable pin to 5v when I initially set up my break out board.

I hope this helps.

Don

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Hi, My name is Don Phillips and new to all CNC stuff... I've been fabricating a homebrew CNC machine since I came across www.buildyourcnc.com website. I'm excited about the possibilities in the CNC realm. I've recently purchased Mach3/Lazy Cam and am on a huge learning curve. My CNC is set up to run 4' x 8' material. Pretty big for a beginner. My background is in Vector Graphics Imaging and old school drafting and design (before computers). I'm no stranger to computers, but have taught at the college level. A few years ago I published with Corel Draw Magazine and helped on a Project with Illustrator 7 (dates me).

A couple of questions arose out of the training videos for setting up and zeroing the machine coordinates. I've slaved a 4th axis to the x axis since I'm using a gantry. I noticed that when I "reference" the x-axis, only the "x" side is moving and not the a-axis which is slaved. This is a definite problem since I need them to both move when zeroing the machine coordinates. What do I need to do to correct this?

The second question is ... about Measuring units. I set up the system to be on the English system and not the Metric. But when convert the .dxf to go codes it loads as Metric and everything is miniaturized. Again, I'm new, and need some help in exploring how I can "fix" this problem.

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