Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Trouble with the iMach Pro pendant

« on: January 24, 2010, 02:59:41 PM »

Using Mach3 with a dspMC controller w/Mach Motion breakout boards. Boards are a 5 to 24v input range. I have a solid 5v going to the iMach but it is only outputting 4.7 volts to the pins. They barely light up. On my Mach screen I can see the Leds go on and off as I turn the selects on the iMach pendant. The "Action Button" will not trigger the Led on the Mach screen though I can see it toggling, very dimly lit on the breakout board. The estop lights up nothing. I know I have the ports/pins setup correctly but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I have the OEMs setup as per the wire colors and as per Ray's macropump. Is there a better way I could install this? Using a mini ATX so I do not have an extra PCI slot for the iMach LPT card. Haven't even got to the actual MPG setup yet. Any suggestions?
RonO

2

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Good servo tune in Axis Works is way different in Mach 3 ??

« on: January 18, 2010, 09:46:10 PM »

I can get my servo motors tuned pretty good in Axis Works but when I start Mach 3 they act totally different and out of tune. I have checked and double checked everything. I Make sure the velocity and acceleration is all the same as I used in axis works. I have uploaded the xml file multiple times. My PIDS have to be sky high to operate in Mach 3 verses what was good in Axis Works. I can manually inspect the XML and the settings are what I saved in Axis Works and there isn't a problem. I go back to Axis Works and all runs smooth as is. I just dont know what I'm doing wrong.

For example I set my X axis PID in Axis Works at P 250 and D 1800. Scale is 1 and I is 0. Runs good in Axis Works and zeros every time. I save and close the program. I check the xml to make sure its saved and start Mach3. Jogging nearly shakes the machine at a variety of velocities. Its not just that particular setting. Whatever setting just does not act the same under Mach 3. What am I not doing right?

RonO

3

General Mach Discussion / Good servo tune in Axis Works is way different in Mach 3 ??

« on: January 18, 2010, 03:49:18 PM »

I can get my servo motors tuned pretty good in Axis Works but when I start Mach 3 they act totally different and out of tune. I have checked and double checked everything. I Make sure the velocity and torque is all the same as I used in axis works. I have uploaded the xml file multiple times. My PIDS have to be sky high to operate in Mach 3 verses what was good in Axis Works. I can manually inspect the XML and the settings are what I saved in Axis Works and there isn't a problem. I go back to Axis Works and all runs smooth as is. I just dint know what I'm doing wrong.

4

General Mach Discussion / Question about the iMach pendant

« on: January 11, 2010, 09:23:38 PM »

Thinking about getting one. I have the dspmc motion so I don't use the printer port. Will the imach work with the PC's printer port or do you have to buy the one they offer? The PC is a mini atx and the only pci port available has a video card already. Are these easy to set up and get working?
Thanks, RonO

5

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Any SurfCAM 7 users?

« on: January 09, 2010, 06:12:32 PM »

dspMC mach 3. Looking for a surfcam 7 post. help...

6

General Mach Discussion / When is PID too high??

« on: January 04, 2010, 03:42:21 PM »

dspMC / Mach3 conversion on a V2XT. Using Axis Works software. Tuning the axis motors (servo) and the machine wouldnt do the same thing twice. Started out at "P" 4000 and "D" an times 25 factor which is 100000. Motors run very smooth but going back to zero is all over the place. All ways and screws are in very good condition. Lube pump is working. I have the P now at 25000 and the D times 25. Seems alot more accurate within 2 or 3 counts. Scale has always been 100. What do I do, just keep going? Or am I way out of typical range as it is. Stock SEM motors and 250 encoders. Anything less than 2500 P wont move the motors. Your thoughts??
RonO

Also, motors have a tach but I have the amps in torque mode right now. Still learning

7

General Mach Discussion / Need an easy to understand "macropump" example

« on: January 01, 2010, 06:08:44 PM »

Many hours of reading, searching forums, studying manuals.... my Bridgeport conversion is almost there. Seems the "macropump" file is the way to go for a couple of issues I have. I have an air spindle brake that must be activated before the spindle turns on. I tried this with a brain but the spindle would start at mach3 loading. Other than that it worked but there are a few other (if this,then do this) issues that I cant seem to accomplish with the brain editor. Wonder if someone could just show me what the macropump format would look like and I can work on it from there.

Spindle M3 is pin 1 and M4 is pin 2 outputs.
Air brake is pin 5 output.
I also have a low air input on pin 11 and a spindle overload on pin 12. I need the spindle to be disabled if there is a low air signal (if I forgot to turn the compressor on or if an air line should break while the spindle is running) both before the spindle is activated and while running. I don't want an EStop, just for the spindle to be disabled. Air brake also needs to be disabled after "spindle off". (disable engages the brake)

macropump might be something like:

check for low air input and disable spindle (wont start)
if low air stop spindle and disable brake
spindle off disable brake output
same with spindle overload

Thanks in advance, RonO

8

Brains Development / Spindle off

« on: December 31, 2009, 03:33:53 PM »

Have a spindle off button on my bridgeport. Made a brain using its input (input 31) and terminates to "button press" "spindle off". It works fine but it also turns the spindle on which I don't want. Tried a few variations in the brain commands but on/off is as good as I can achieve.  Is there another way?
Thanks, RonO