Topics

61

General Mach Discussion / Looking for a stepper drive.....

« on: March 13, 2011, 11:15:53 AM »

That can accept either analog input (0-10VDC) or serial commands.  I'd prefer analog input.  Something where 5V = stop, 0V = max speed - and 10V = max speed +.  Not even sure if it exists.  Can anyone point me in the right direction?

62

VB and the development of wizards / One Shot Trigger

« on: February 16, 2011, 10:35:01 PM »

Does anyone know of a way to create one shot trigger.  I want to execute some VB code but only once as an input goes high. 

Thanks

63

General Mach Discussion / THC not working properly

« on: February 12, 2011, 07:54:02 PM »

basically, Mach3 is acting like the THC function is turned off, but it's not.  All of the THC related LED's light as they should, such at ArcOK, THC Up and THC down, but Mach does not respond.  ArcOK is completely ignored and THC Up and Down is not working even though the LED's indicate that these functions are working.  The system operates as if it's running a router.

The only thing different is that the ArcOK, THC Up and THC Down pins are mapped to modbus inputs.  I know they are mapped correctly because the LED's light.

Has anyone had issues with the Mach3 THC mode not working at all even though it is on and LED's function properly?

Thanks

64

General Mach Discussion / Soft limits and slaved axis

« on: December 29, 2010, 02:33:18 PM »

I tried engaging soft limits today on a machine with a slaved axis and got the error "Machine out of limits for A axis".  A is slaved to Y.  The A axis DRO always reads zero and under homing/limits, A min is set to -100 and A max is set to +100.  Seeing as how the DRO reads 0 and that is inside the set range, I'm thinking it should work.

Does anyone know what could be going on?

Thanks

65

General Mach Discussion / Tool Change LED

« on: December 26, 2010, 09:43:08 PM »

What triggers the tool change LED (OEM 806).  I expected an M6 to trigger that LED, but it's not.  Do I need to do something in the M6 macro to trigger that LED?  This is what I have for my manual tool change code, which works great.

N8990 G53 Z0
N9000 G43 T2 H2 M6
N9010 M01
N9020 (INSERT TOOL #2)
N9030 (0.125 INCHES DIA. SLOT DRILL)

I'd just like to light the tool change led when the M6 is called.  Is there something I need to add to the M6Start macro?  I suppose I could add a user LED and light it in M6Start and shut it off in M6End, but I'd rather use what's already built in if I can.

Thanks

66

General Mach Discussion / Strange router issue...

« on: December 25, 2010, 12:00:42 AM »

I've never seen anything like this before.  It gets about half way into the program and at the same exact point in the program, the Z plunges about a 1/2".  The Z DRO DOES NOT reflect this.  Last time it did it, I hit the estop.  The Z was clearly at about -.5000 but the Z DRO said -0.008 which corresponds to the program.  Here is the code.

N7450 G0   Z0.3750
N7460 G0 X1.2493 Y0.1734
N7470 G1   Z-0.0128 F20.0   --------Problem occurs right about here.
N7480 G1   Z-0.0099 F50.0

I'm not sure why it's making a Z plunge move followed by a Z feed rate move.  F20 is the plunge feed attached to the tool.  F50 is the feed rate.  Either way, I don't see anything that would cause a Z plunge.  I ran this program 4 times and it did the same thing at the same exact point in the program every time.

N7490 G1 X1.2984 Y0.1805 Z-0.0170
N7500 G1 X1.3083 Y0.1856 Z-0.0220
N7510 G1 X1.3482 Y0.2162 Z-0.0526
N7520 G1 X1.3582 Y0.2202 Z-0.0566

Has anyone seen anything like this?  This is a new setup and it's been a while since I set up a router.  I'm not used to dealing with 3D tool paths.

Thanks.

67

General Mach Discussion / Input Triggers

« on: December 22, 2010, 10:59:57 AM »

Can input triggers be used to light LED's.  I have a bunch of status bit's coming in over the modbus and I want to map them to inputs in ports and pins, but there are only 4 INPUTS.  I tried setting up a trigger 1 to port0 pin 3 and then mapped the trigger to code 1050, which is an LED, but it didn't work.  The same thing mapped to one of the 4 inputs does work.  Any thoughts?

Thanks

68

Brains Development / Strange brain issue

« on: December 22, 2010, 10:55:55 AM »

I have a brain that writes and reads some data to the modbus.  One of the rungs reads a bit and sets an LED (#1050).  It reads other bits and also sets LED's 1051, 1052 and 1053.  The latter 3 work fine, but the first one does not work when Mach starts.  This is a torch on LED.  After I start Mach3, if I hit the torch on button, the PLC relay clicks on and the status bit mapped to LED 1050 in the brain goes high...but the brain does not switch the LED.  If I turn the torch off then back on, it starts working.  All of the other LEDs, which are handled the same way, work fine.

What happens is when I click the ON button, a script runs that says SetModOutput(2,1).  This sets the output bit in the PLC, the torch relay turns on and status bit V1500.3 is set.  This is mapped as a modbus input in Mach and is mapped to LED 1050.  When V1500.3 goes high, LED 1050 comes on...Except when Mach first opens.

I know the status bit is going high because I can map it to input 4 and the input 4 LED works properly.  Any thoughts on why I have to cycle this particular output in order to get the brain to act on it?

69

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Flash screen tutorial

« on: December 21, 2010, 02:42:04 PM »

Is there any way to download the entire flash movie on making flash screens?  I can't watch it online.  It only downloads a little bit, then stops.

Thanks

70

Brains Development / Set modbus output in brain

« on: December 21, 2010, 10:37:06 AM »

I've been reading and writing to the modbus in brains with not problem, but now I want to set a modbus output if the e-stop is enabled.  For instance, if e-stop is enabled, I want to do SetModbusOutput(0, 0).  How would I do that in a brain?  I tried... ESTOP->NOP->MOD:0 and also ESTOP->INVERT->MOD:0.  Those didn't work.

Thanks