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Messages - Steve Stallings

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351
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: USB Smoothstepper USS 5 axis with Mach4
« on: August 18, 2016, 02:37:47 PM »
Well, the use of the G251 drivers brings a new element to the question. Their inputs
are NOT opto isolated so the ground of the G251 will be connected to the ground
of your interface card. The step/dir common and the motor supply negative terminal
are internally connected in the G251. For this reason the Ethernet SmoothStepper is
probably your best solution.

The Ethernet SmoothStepper is isolated from the host computer by the transformer
used in the Ethernet connection.

The Ethernet SmoothStepper will need a 5 VDC power source. Its negative
side output will need to be connected to both the SmoothStepper and to the
step/dir common on the G251 drivers. This terminal is provided to give a less
noisy signal point than the power supply negative terminal of the G251 drivers.

The step and direction signals from the Ethernet SmoothStepper are strong enough
to directly drive the step and direction inputs of the G251.

Do be careful as the G251 motor outputs are not overcurrent protected and the
SmoothStepper inputs are not opto isolated.

If you are concerned about damaging the SmoothStepper, there is an inexpensive
C25 board from CNC4PC that can be used to buffer the signals. While it does not
opto isolate the signals, it does employ buffer chips in sockets that should be easy
to replace and provides terminal strips that are easy to wire to the G251 drivers.



You need to provide some context about your machine, controller, or
motor drivers before your question can be answered.


Stepper motors:  (5) NEMA 17
Drivers: (5) Gecko 251s
Current breakout:  DB25
Software: Mach3 and Mach4
That's about it

352
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: USB Smoothstepper USS 5 axis with Mach4
« on: August 18, 2016, 01:51:54 PM »
You need to provide some context about your machine, controller, or
motor drivers before your question can be answered.

353
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: USB Smoothstepper USS 5 axis with Mach4
« on: August 18, 2016, 01:08:20 PM »
As I have mentioned in private emails, there are several ways to support
5 axes with Mach4.

1) The Ethernet SmoothStepper along with suitable breakout boards
    or controllers with parallel port style interfaces.

2) The PoKeys87 with a M15T motherboard from CNC4PC, and again
    suitable parallel port driven devices.

3) The HiCon Integra from Vital Systems with suitable cables.

4) CSMIO/IP-S from CS Labs with suitable cables. Note, they still label
    their plug-in as Beta.

5) Possibly the Legacy Parallel port driver and real parallel ports. You
    should confirm with Art Fenerty (on the Yahoo list) or with
    NewFangled Solutions that this driver does support more than
    four axes.



354
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: USB Smoothstepper USS 5 axis with Mach4
« on: August 18, 2016, 12:35:32 PM »
Currently the USB SmoothStepper is not supported under Mach4. The intention
is that it will be supported, but that will come after the updated plug-in for the
Ethernet version is released. Due to the less powerful processor embedded in
the USB SmoothStepper, it may not have all the same features as the Ethernet
version under Mach4.

355
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Starting off with MACH4 and Macros
« on: August 15, 2016, 09:09:23 AM »
When Mach4 is providing the slave function in software, the plug-in and motion
device will just see it as two axes that happen to be doing the same thing at
the same time. This should work with any device. The two motors on the same
axis must be configured with the same tuning assuming you are driving the two
ends of a gantry or similar arrangement.

Homing can be a bit more complicated. If gantry squaring using two home switches
on one axis is expected, then there may be additional issues and I have not tested
to see what needs to happen. If only one home switch is used for a gantry with
two motors, just assign the home signal for both motors to look at the same switch.


356
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Starting off with MACH4 and Macros
« on: August 15, 2016, 08:20:14 AM »
Minor correction. Mach4 can support slave motors directly in software.

This does not prevent a plug-in or a hardware device from also providing slaving,
but these are different concepts.


357
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: UC-100 and Mach4
« on: August 15, 2016, 06:31:39 AM »
Yes, to run a parallel port device from Mach4 you need the legacy plug-in. See:

http://www.machsupport.com/shop/parallel-port-legacy-plugin-for-mach4/

There a few things to keep in mind when using this plug-in:

1) It requires that the operating system be 32 bit. A 64 bit system will not work.

2) The operating system must be Windows 7 or older. Win8 and Win10 will not work.

3) Lathe threading and plasma cutters with Mach4 doing the THC are not supported.

4) There are no plans to enhance this plug-in later.

358
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: UC-100 and Mach4
« on: August 14, 2016, 10:15:23 PM »
At this time the UC-100 is advertized as supporting only Mach3.

PMDX offers a similar device for Mach4. See:

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-411

Mach4 is considered a new product and no credit is given for an upgrade from Mach3.



359
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Can mach4 close loop control
« on: July 26, 2016, 09:02:43 AM »
True closed loop support in Mach4 requires an suitable interface
with a plug-in that supports closed loop. Currently I can think of
one example that is actually available:

http://www.vitalsystem.com/portal/motion/dspmc/dspmc.php

360
This is a quirk of how the soft limits react if the setup has some values in the wrong place.

See this thread:

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,31326.0.html

Steve Stallings
www.PMDX.com

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