Messages

61

General Mach Discussion / e-stop

« on: December 27, 2009, 03:24:47 PM »

Newbie   trying to set up my estop  i am using pmdx-122  on page 6 of the pmdx-122 manual they show a link on j6
for the e-stop  i removed the link shown and put in its place a mushroom button [ normally closed ]
ports and pins  set to port 1  and pin number 13.
i jog the machine and push the mushroom button   this had no affect  machine  did not stop.
if i hit the reset button on the mach 3 screen everything comes to a halt.
thanks woodguy

62

General Mach Discussion / Re: motor output help

« on: December 04, 2009, 12:43:27 PM »

thanks for all your help  paul

63

General Mach Discussion / Re: motor output help

« on: December 04, 2009, 10:10:30 AM »

yes  i have a gangtry style mill with 2 steppers  on the x axis so then i need to slave the axis correct?
will have to do some more reading about how to get this done
thanks

64

General Mach Discussion / motor output help

« on: December 04, 2009, 07:55:25 AM »

I am now setting up my mach 3 software and there is something i am not clear about, on the motor output
tab on the ports and pins dialog
on the  pmdx-122   i have 4 outputs   2 x  1y and 1 z
yet on the motor output tab it shows only 1 x setting to be enabled.
does this one setting supply both motors.
what would be the correct step and drive pins.     what do i need to check to know if i am using the correct step and drive pins
this is on a shopbot cnc.
thanks paul

65

General Mach Discussion / Re: limit switches

« on: October 19, 2009, 08:34:49 AM »

what i mean by jog home is this  on my shopbot i zero at the right corner of my table  so when i hit jh on my key board
it goes there
did your machine come  with that opto setup, or did you make it yourself.
one day all this will fall into place for me  i hope so.
the link i attached is of a limit switch i found on ebay.  not sure if something like this will work
my other choice is to go with machanical micro switches for now and upgrade later
thanks again

http://cgi.ebay.com/CNC-Proximity-Limit-Detector-for-stepper-or-servo-motor_W0QQitemZ330289837100QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4ce6cef42c

66

General Mach Discussion / Re: limit switches

« on: October 19, 2009, 07:48:57 AM »

thanks hood   will try that setup later.     another question  where can i get information on setting up a jog home
on my keyboard on my shopbot cnc i just hit JH.
also if i want to pause my cnc when running a file i just hit the spacer bar.  most of the time i hold the keyboard in hand standing in front of the machine.
i could not find any information on the mach3 handbook about setting keystrokes to assimilate these moves.
dont you think using optical limit switches there will be a problem with dust.
thanks woodguy

67

General Mach Discussion / limit switches

« on: October 18, 2009, 09:15:33 AM »

Newbee  my next step is to install limit switches on my shopbot . just finished building my controller have not hooked up for testing as yet.
i want to use micro switches as my limit switches.   what i am thinking of doing is just mounting three switches on the y carriage
one for x y and z.
and use operating ramps to trigger switches at both ends or x and y.
have anyone used this system, without a problem?
also what brand of microswitches is recommended and where can they be bought.
a part number would help.
i notice there are some with a long lever and some with the lever in about the centre of the switch.
Is is possible to run mach3 in demo mode and assimilate the limit switches position?
or must the switches be physically struck.
eg can this be done in demo?
With the home switches wired and tested it’s time to home the machine. With the control out
of E-Stop mode, go to the Program Run screen and with one hand on the E-stop button press
the Ref All – Home button. The machine will now start to move Z up until it hits the switch
then it will reverse the axis until it clears it. Then it does the same with the Y-axis and finally
with the X-axis. When each axis is homed the DRO’s should read 0.00 or whatever value you
put in as the Home Off value. If any axis starts to move in the wrong direction press the EStop
button and go to the Home/Limits setup and change the Home Neg setting for that axis.
Thanks paul
 

68

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 fie problems

« on: October 10, 2009, 12:20:08 PM »

>
> I am new to mach3. downloaded the trial program trying to run a few files
that i made using vcarvepro i made a few squares run them and everything seem
to go ok
> i then made a file with a circle and also some with diff shapes.
> those dont run.
> when i import these files into mach3 the files is highlighted about the center
on the list of code.
> hit cycle start nothing moves.
> any help?
> paul

the file i am using is of a 18 inch circle with 23 lines of code
when i load the file the 8 line is highlighted when i use the rewind
button and go to the top [start of code] file would run until it reach the eight
line and stop.
looking at the table display mode this show a straight line been drawn no part
of a circle.
I have tried a number of circles and they are all the same.
but never a problem with squares i made a file with 20 squares and that worked.
i made a file with a circle and a square together that dont work.
thanks paul

69

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 screen

« on: October 04, 2009, 10:53:47 AM »

I am having problems with my Mach3 screen     its to big on the monitor screen. all the other programes
that i run everything works correct.
tried adjustment to the screen but nothing works.
i am using a dell 17inch flat screen.
the computer is an older pentium 3.
thanks for any help
paul

70

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach Manual

« on: August 16, 2009, 09:36:04 AM »

once again thanks Hood