Messages

501

General Mach Discussion / Re: Easy question about 5V output

« on: January 08, 2011, 12:08:16 PM »

Or just use small 5V power supply.  I think I paid $14 for the last one.

502

General Mach Discussion / Re: G53 oddity

« on: January 06, 2011, 11:44:04 AM »

G53 has always been rock solid here too.  Sounds almost like the axes are not referenced prior to the G53.  I know if I don't reference the machine prior to a G53 I get some unexpected results. 

503

General Mach Discussion / Re: velocity setting

« on: January 05, 2011, 10:16:03 AM »

Jogging is different than a G0 move.  I can set speed and acceleration at 900IPM/200 and jog no problem, but the motors stall every time on a G0 move.  You can rough tune it by jogging, but fine tune it by running G-Code commands.  It might also depend on your mechanics.  I'm moving a 300lb gantry on a 9 foot table.

504

General Mach Discussion / Re: Soft limits and slaved axis

« on: January 05, 2011, 09:34:26 AM »

I'm still not sure what's going on.  I tried Hoods suggestions but still getting the same error when I try to activate soft limits.  One thing I figured out is that the error message does not specify the A axis.  It just says that "Machine is out of limits for soft limit activation", so the problem could be on any axis.  Once I get some time to mess with it, I'll dig a little deeper.

505

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Will MACH3 ever support 64-bit systems? Officially? FYI, it's 2010

« on: January 02, 2011, 11:50:23 AM »

I think the ideal solution would be for Mach to provide native USB support and third party BOB manufacturers to go to USB.  Since I'm a big fan of Gecko, if they came out with a BOB with USB interface, I'd use it exclusively.  I tried a SmoothStepper and had problems.  It kept loosing the com connection.  

Eventually, these third party manufacturers will have to go to USB, but Mach will have to go first.  If Mach went to native USB, everyone else will follow.  We know it's possible on both ends.  On the hardware end there is the SmoothStepper and on the software end there is the plug-in that makes it work.  If you can write a USB plug-in, it shouldn't be too hard to integrate that functionality internally.   Someone just needs to come up with a hardware solution that (1) Is as stable as the PP connection and (2) Doesn't cost a kings ransom.

506

General Mach Discussion / Re: Plasma tube cutting

« on: January 02, 2011, 11:20:52 AM »

You won't be using both A and X at the same time, so just set up both axes and have your CAM output the appropriate code.  A rotary job will use the A axis and a planar job will use the X axis.  With both axes set up on the machine, all the operator has to do is load the material on either the table or the rotary and run the program.

507

General Mach Discussion / Re: best supported controller?

« on: December 30, 2010, 08:38:15 PM »

I don't think shipping from the US would be that bad.  It's a small and light package.  Priority mail, flat rate, small box looks like about $14USD.

508

General Mach Discussion / Re: best supported controller?

« on: December 30, 2010, 05:25:30 PM »

No.  It only has 4 axes so you still need two board and another PP.  The others are auxiliary inputs and outputs.  You'd be into two of these for about what you'd pay for one of the PMDX boards.  

509

General Mach Discussion / Re: best supported controller?

« on: December 30, 2010, 04:57:46 PM »

Here's another option.  Less money since you have to buy two of them.  I'm going to try one on the next machine we do that uses individual drives.

http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/product_info.php?cPath=33&products_id=270

510

General Mach Discussion / Re: best supported controller?

« on: December 30, 2010, 01:23:51 PM »

I'm pretty sure that the opto-isolation in the drives is there to protect the drives, not the PP.  I tried going direct to the PP with Gecko drives a few years back and popped the PP within about 5 minutes.  Since then, I've always used BOB's.  All it takes is a little stray voltage to a PP pin to blow the port.  These are low voltage signals, so it's not hard to get that, especially when working with plasma.

You would need an extra PP and BOB.  A PCI card will work the same as your on-board PP.