Messages

111

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 setting up software I/O.

« on: May 21, 2020, 03:40:48 PM »

Yes, but there are other issues that may exist.

The Wantai DB25-1206 breakout board is also confusing. It is set up to require TWO power supplies. If you are using a single power supply, you need to install two jumpers at JN1 and JN2 next to the terminal strips for power input. If you attempt to use a single power supply without these jumpers installed, part of the board does not have power and will not work.

112

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 setting up software I/O.

« on: May 21, 2020, 01:26:53 PM »

To say that the WANTAI DQ542MA user manual is confusing and poorly written is an understatement.

I am almost certain that if you do not need a DISABLE function, you do not need any connections to the ENBL+ or the ENBL- terminals. Certainly powering up the system without these connections will not harm anything, so just try it.

113

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 setting up software I/O.

« on: May 21, 2020, 12:52:23 PM »

Motor drivers with step and direction inputs typically use the unfortunate industry convention of calling an input ENABLE when in reality applying an active signal to this input will DISABLE the driver. Don't like it, but there is nothing we can do about it. If you don't need to disable the driver, you can leave this input not connected.

114

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Startup Logic when sharing switches

« on: May 21, 2020, 12:48:03 PM »

If you start up a machine with a limit switch activated and are configured to share the input for that switch with another limit switch, you will need to use the "Axis Limits Override" button on the jogging panel on screen in order to allow you to jog away from the switch that is activated. After that the normal homing should work.

115

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Add a waiting time to the movement of the axes

« on: May 09, 2020, 05:28:14 PM »

See the Mach4 configuration chart at:  Config > Control - Spindle Tab

The values in the column labeled Accel Time are used to pause motion until the spindle comes up to speed.

116

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mini Computer to Run Mach 4 and PMDX?

« on: May 07, 2020, 10:27:52 PM »

See if he will let you load the Mach4 demo on it and play around.

Video graphics being slow is the most likely consequence of an underpowered PC.

117

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 open source content

« on: May 05, 2020, 10:13:56 AM »

I don't know of many screen sets floating about, but there are lots of scripting examples and information installed by Mach4 in the folder:

/Mach4Hobby/LuaExamples

118

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Vcarve

« on: April 30, 2020, 11:46:50 PM »

Agreed. This is highly unlikely to have any to do with Vcarve.

Most likely it is due to electrical noise disruption of USB communications between the PC and the PMDX-411.

The two most common causes are ground loops or electrical noise related to the spindle motor or its driver.

119

Mach4 Plugins / Re: PMDX-416 plugin Mach4 will not load

« on: April 27, 2020, 09:48:21 PM »

The PMDX plugin comes with its own installer, and then you must have a profile that utilizes the newly installed plugin. Usually you would use Mach4Loader to make a copy of PMDX-Sample profile and start editing the new profile from there. What do you mean by "will not load PMDX 416 plugin"?

120

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New limit/homing switch settings

« on: April 23, 2020, 10:34:55 PM »

Unless something has changed since I last talked to this user, the problem goes much deeper than that.

The Real Time I/O display panel in our SmartBOB plugin indicates that none of the limit/home signals are even getting to the PMDX-411, much less to Mach4's homing inputs. Communications between Mach4 and the PMDX-411 seem to be working because motion and E-Stop appear to be working.

User was asked to test inputs using just a simple jumper wire directly on the screw terminals of the Gecko G540. Test results of this have not been reported to us yet.