Messages

91

Mach4 General Discussion / New Mach4 install and having motor problems

« on: August 14, 2021, 02:16:22 PM »

I have searched and watched all the youtube videos and cannot come up with an answer.

Brand new computer with windows 10
Old Lathe control panel with zero wiring changes. Added ESS smoothstepper and plugged the old parallel cable into the new ribbon cable
Installed mach and setup the smoothie
Configured everything to what I believe is correct. Checked many times

X and Z axis will only jog one way and they move together. I have X configured on pins 2 and 3 and Z configured on pins 6 and 7. I have checked at least a dozen times to be sure that X is motor 0 and Z is motor 1. I switched back and fourth between the smoothie setup and the mach4 setup but I have to believe I missed something or clicked something that should not be clicked.

Anybody ever have this kind of thing happen to them? If someone could maybe some things to check? I can post photos of setup screens if that will help. I have been running licensed Mach3 for 15 years so this upgrade to mach4 is alot of "new" for an old fart. Im stumped!

Thanks in advance for any kind of help.

92

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: going from 3 to 4v2. Motion controller selection

« on: April 05, 2021, 06:29:28 PM »

ESS = Ethernet Smooth Stepper
USS = USB Smooth Stepper

93

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Run a lathe and a mill on same computer (not simultaniously)

« on: January 03, 2021, 07:30:36 PM »

I'm in the exact same boat right now. I'm curious to hear what you come up with. Is port 2 of your ESS still empty? maybe you can configure the lathe on port 1 and the mill on port 2?

94

General Mach Discussion / Re: Wondering if anyone can help with a problem

« on: January 03, 2021, 07:15:01 PM »

First thing that comes to mind is maybe the machine is binding up or hitting something. I have had it happen to me a few times where I will make a few cuts and the Z axis gets to its bottom hard stop and the cutter wont go any deeper so the stepper loses steps and nothing good happens from there.

95

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Updating to Mach4 and have questions

« on: January 02, 2021, 07:31:52 PM »

I will just swap out the cable when needed. I have been doing it for a long time. Not a big deal. Just would be nice not too but I think i will try to keep it simple as I can.

Is there a source for the board and cables that is a "friend" of the forum? Would like to purchase from someone who supports the forum.

96

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Updating to Mach4 and have questions

« on: January 02, 2021, 03:26:44 PM »

Tweakie and Joe thank you both.

I think Im going to go with the single ESS and split to my existing BOB's. If I go with the Hicon it appears that I will need to rewire the step and direction signals to my Geckos.

97

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Updating to Mach4 and have questions

« on: January 01, 2021, 06:53:15 PM »

I have given it some thought and what I was thinking was to add two ethernet ports to the computer and just install an ESS for each machine and put a ribbon from the new ESS to the existing BOB in both control panels. Mill profile being setup for the ESS in the mill panel and the lathe profile being setup for the ESS in the lathe panel. Then there will be no switcharoo with cables. If only one ESS is powered up when needed can mach4 switch back and fourth "automatically"? I wouldn't mind the extra expense if I wont have to flip flop cables all the time.

98

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Updating to Mach4 and have questions

« on: January 01, 2021, 04:10:10 PM »

Craig, thank you for the information!

Crazy question!  The smoothstepper has 2 ports that can funtion as parallel ports. Would it be possible to use one port for the mill and one port for the lathe? Could I configure Mach4 to use one port when in mill mode and the other port when in lathe mode? Might save me a few bucks.

99

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Updating to Mach4 and have questions

« on: January 01, 2021, 12:56:41 PM »

Hi Steve,

I think you would be using Ethernet connected Smooth Steppers (ESS) with Mach4.
They could both be connected - when starting Mach4 you would then just select the appropriate motion controller to be able to run a particular machine.

Tweakie.

I was hoping to use USB boards because I already have the ports free and I would not Need additional power supplies as the USB can power thru the port. Are you saying that It won't work with USB boards?

100

Mach4 General Discussion / Updating to Mach4 and have questions

« on: January 01, 2021, 09:07:13 AM »

Hello everyone!

The old computer in the garage is dying. She has served me very well for 14 years. Now I have to put in a newer computer without a parallel port so I will need to update my control panels with motion controllers. I currently just swap out the cables as needed from the lathe and mill to run each machine.

Is it possible to plug in 2 motion control boards into 2 usb ports, configure Mach4 to run the lathe and mill from the separate boards (one at a time) without having to swap out the cables from one machine to another? One computer running 2 machines never at the same time.

I'm hoping I can install the new USB smooth steppers and plug them into my existing breakout board, use the ethernet port to communicate with the house computer, and completely reformat my newer computer and install W10 and Mach4.

Does this sound reasonable? What am I missing?

Mill
4 Axis
Estop button

Lathe
2 axis
Estop button
Cycle start button