Messages

781

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 20, 2009, 04:20:08 AM »

Thanks Peter...yes, that's what I did effectively last evening...deleted the app from the folder and pasted in the new one.  Speed DRO now works fine, shows slightly higher than the Myford plate, also now showing positive speeds!  Still puzzling that when I stop the spindle manually it shows 500....

Anyway, now to venture on to screwcutting!

Thanks all again,

John.

782

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 17, 2009, 04:27:14 PM »

 ...the new version "failed to start because enable40dll was not found"...

783

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 17, 2009, 04:06:26 PM »

Dan, Rich, thanks for the information.  I will try the version with the fix - 032 seems to work properly with the Shuttle as well.  Is the fix version effectively 032 with a patch?  So I should run with that version as opposed to the 032 that I downloaded previously?

Just for info, I dusted off the scope (well, dug it out of the box where it had languished since I inherited it from my Dad - dusting would be a step far!) and fired it up.  First surprise, the electrolytics didn't go bang after all that time!  I looked at the index waveform, a nice clean pulse, no sign of bounce or noise, 3 ms low time at 660 RPM, so I don't think I have a sensor problem.

Thanks again for the help - it's great how people rally round in this community, I hope as I learn more I will be able to help too.

John.

784

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 17, 2009, 09:31:51 AM »

Aha!  I'm using version 3.042.032, the latest on the website (last week) - does this have the bug please?  Is it just the speed display that's affected, can I use the index with confidence to try threading do you know?

Also, where are known issues documented please?

Thanks, John.

785

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 16, 2009, 06:09:23 PM »

OK, thanks for suggestions, I have tried very low numbers including zero.  The indicated speed is about half what I expect (but only going by the plate on the lathe, but I assume that Myford are right); it has a "-" sign in front of it; and shows a finite speed even if the lathe is stopped - I think I have some interference!  Time to dust off that 'scope I think!

John

786

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 16, 2009, 04:30:40 PM »

By the way Rich, is "doing an M3" what clicking the spindle button does?

787

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 16, 2009, 04:28:09 PM »

Well, I can report some progress.  I unchecked the disable spindle relays box, which seemed to be the key so that I could "switch on" the spindle; also reduced the debounce number from 200 to 50.  Now displays something which is related to spindle speed but approx half what it should be, and negative!

What is the significance of the "debounce interval" parameter please?  I have this set to zero at the moment.

I will continue to play!

John.

788

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 16, 2009, 04:11:10 AM »

Thanks for all the replies, lots of things to try!  I'll post again when I've had a go.

John.

789

General Mach Discussion / Help with Spindle Index please

« on: December 15, 2009, 05:41:23 PM »

Hi all, well I'm slowly getting the rest of my lathe functions up.  I've added a slotted sensor with opto-interruptor (salvaged from an old printer) to the spindle, and this seems to operate in that the LED on the diags screen goes off or comes on (depending on active low setting) as the slot passes the beam.  However when the spindle runs the S_true DRO doesn't show the speed, only a steady zero!  When running the LED blinks occasionally which doesn't surprise me as presumably the PC is sampling it and won't see all the pulses.

I haven't checked the pulse width as delivered to the breakout board but the slot width was calculated to comfortably exceed the Mach3 minimum requirement - would need to break out my old 'scope which hasn't been switched on in 10 years for this! (what an excuse...) - before I do this has anyone met this problem before and could suggest a solution please?

Thanks,

John.

790

Feature Requests / Reverse jog on Shuttle / Express / Pro

« on: December 13, 2009, 09:01:42 AM »

On the lathe, when correctly set up the wheel on the Shuttle when turned CLOCKWISE moves the carriage towards the tailstock, or if the X - axis is selected turns the feed screw ANTI-clockwise which moves the tool AWAY from the work.  The former behaviour is intuitive but the latter is the opposite of what one expects.  An option to reverse this would be extremely useful.

Please could this be considered as an option for a later release?

Thanks,

John.