Messages

31

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 12, 2013, 07:03:50 PM »

After an update from Vital Sytems the spindle is noe running as both a spindle and a rotary axis.  Once the tuning is better on the axis I'll try some tool changes.  As of now tho it is looking pretty awesome.  The C axis needs to be disabled (mach3 oembutton 255 i think) to run it as a spindle so i just added a couple lines to the m3 and m4 macros to make sure it was disabled.  I added an m13 that enables the C and homes it to get ready for positioning commands, m15 kicks it out of positioning mode.  Would be happy to share these, as simple as they are, if anybody is doing the same thing.

Still working on the z axis brake.  After a talking with Rufi on the phone we think a dspmacro may be the cure.  Unfortunately the computer has been without internet access for a few years and needs to be updated for the macro loader to work.  Will post back with updates.

32

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 06, 2013, 07:39:46 AM »

hi Tom,  why you have to run the spindle as open-loop spindle or rotary axis?  what kind of application is it.  I am looking into the issue here and I should have an update for you to email soon.

regards,
Rufi

Would it be possible to define a digital ouput as a brake output that could be adjusted to turn on after the pid is turned on and turned off before the pid is turned off?

33

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 06, 2013, 06:58:50 AM »

Haha...sounds about right.

 Need to look through the servo params again see if there is anything that can help hold at a zero input.  In speed control mode I can clamp the servo rpm at zero below a certain input, then the z doesn't drop.  May try switching back to speed control instead of torque.

34

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 06, 2013, 06:15:01 AM »

I don't know what kind of mill you have, but if it's a knee mill or something with a light z you may not even notice it.  On this little vmc tho the z drops like a rock without a brake or servo to hold it.

35

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 06, 2013, 05:28:01 AM »

That's how I initially had the brake set up, but it seems like the pid of the dspmc shuts down before the outputs, so torque goes to zero then the enable line goes down, this order of things allows the z to drop.  Didn't have this problem when the drives were step/dir because they held position on they're own, but torque mode it doesn't work.

 Will look into the dspmc macros for the toolchanger issue.

36

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 05, 2013, 08:55:26 PM »

The spindle drives the tool changer carousel.  There is a gear on the face of the spindle that engages gear on the toolchanger.  Then the spindle is used to index to the next tool.  In the system I ripped out I had to change parameters and settings in the vfd via modbus and drive it with step and direction signals from mach.  Sounded like it would be much easier with the dspmc and the spindle as gcode axis setting.  This afternoon I was able to run the spindle set as 0-10v, and also get some positioning using a (ch3) axis.  Tomorrow going to try the spindle as gcode thing some more.  One question, in the motor outputs tab of the ports and pins window, are values required in the step/dir port and pin for each axis?  The manual dhows a pic of numbers in x thru a, which I copied into mine.  Just curious if these being all 0 for the c axis could have anything to do with my not being able to get it to work on that one.

37

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: April 05, 2013, 01:13:20 PM »

After a plug-in and firmware update all is well in the estop world.  I have the X Y and Z axes running pretty well.  Z still needs a little fine tuning, but very close.

Two hurdles left to jump.

First, the Z axis brake.  With the servo drives set to torque mode they apply zero torque with no input signal.  This is bad news when the Z axis brake is the only thing that holds the Z axis up and it's reaction is delayed.  It seems that when Mach is reset, the PID goes down before the outputs, so when the enable signal goes off to the drive the Z is already on it's way down.  Moving the Z to an output from the dspmc has not helped, it has solved the problem of the servo drive not activating the brake in estop tho.  Currently I don't see a way around this one...suggestions from anyone are very much appreciated.

Second, the spindle. The spindle needs to run as both a spindle and a rotary axis.  As I understand the dspmc is capable of this.  I have the spindle defined as gcode axis with index 5, or same as the C axis.  I also have the C axis set up to use Machxx as an input and DAC Ch 5 and Encoder Ch 5 as inputs.  I can see the encode input working well.  I have also added a button and an M Code (both effectively push button 255) to deactivate the C axis as this is necessary to use it as a spindle, then reactivate to use as an axis.  I've made several attemps to get a voltage signal or some movement as an axis with no luck so far.  I did get a voltage signal when I switched the Spindle to 0-10v with index 7.  The manual states that to use it as a G Code axis it needs to be 0-5 tho.  This is kind of an important function as the spindle indexes the tool changer.  As before, any help from anyone is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

TOM

38

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: March 30, 2013, 11:04:19 PM »

Temporarily set it to 0:0 and I can't clear it, even changing the active hi/low setting.  The estop circuit isn't causing the estop state, has to be something in the plugin/dspmc.  The only way to clear it is to remove the plugin, but that obviously isn't going to help me much....

39

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: March 30, 2013, 09:59:29 AM »

Ok,  now supplying 5v to the 7535 on J4 from pin 14 of J2.  Using pin 22 on J2 as ground (17 is already being used).  That ground is also connected directly to earth ground via the green/yellow wire.  The Dspmc is also connected directly to earth ground via the green/yellow wire.  Still showing the same issue.  Emailing pictures to you guys, the forum keeps giving me errors trying to attach photos.  Sorry if a dozen or so posts pop up here eventually...

The z axis in on the home switch, as seen on the diagnostics page, i jogged it up with the manual jog on the servo drive.  I still have not been able to get motion from mach/dspmc.  I had the same issue before i did this so i do not believe it is contributing to this problem of mine.  I'm sure this is something simple staring me right in the face, just not seeing it.

Just an off the wall question, does the dspmc need a signal from the charge pump or anything of the sort?  I didn't see anything in the manual about it.

40

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Need Help! DSPMC Setup

« on: March 30, 2013, 07:40:57 AM »

I was able to tune out some of the drift in the drive.  The servo drives are not faulting out.  So the drifting issue is gone.  I can try torque mode, but would like to get the system up before making other changes.  I pulled a different motion controller out to put the dspmc in.  The servos are unchanged, just changed input settings and switched from step/dir to analog.

 have not been able to tune them in the plugin, i can't get mach out of the reset state.  The message bar says the estop is pushed.  The physical button is not and the estop led on the diagnostics page is off.  As far as I can tell the estop circuit itself works as it should.