Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Another confused Noob

« on: January 18, 2015, 01:58:05 AM »

I've been beating my head on my mill for three days, time to ask the Pros for help. My mechanical logic is no match for electronics logic.
I'm trying to set up my auto tool zero on Mach 3. I have a Gecko 540 intertwined with an ethernet SS. So far I've produced the necessary block and wiring, entered VB code into macro for auto zero button and then commenced banging head (mine not machines) on table. At best all I get is a slow move on the Z axis until it touches the block and I get an Estop signal. At that time I have to unplug the block and reset the Estop to get the machine to move.  I assumed that I have the port (1) and pin (13) correct since I get a signal to stop. Mach 3 tells me I cannot use the automated pin selector for the ethernet SS hence I have to guess at this point. Below is the macro code inserted under button edit command. I am just getting the mill setup after purchasing the SS and so far all the simple moves and programs are working.

CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness =2.040

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
DoOEMButton (1010)
Code "G4 P3" 'Time to get to the z-plate, 3 seconds
Code "G90 G31 Z-2 F4" ' probing move, can set the feed rate here as well as how far to move
While IsMoving()
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G1 Z" &ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)
Sleep(120)
Code "G0 Z2.785" 'Change the Z retract height here to what you want, must be higher than touch plate
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)"
Code "F" &CurrentFeed 'returns to prior feedrate
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)"
End If
Exit Sub   

Any further help or guidance would be greatly appreciated...I'm out of band aids for my forehead.

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Confused about Stepper Motors

« on: November 29, 2011, 03:32:46 PM »

OOPs, the board is a Toshiba 6560

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: Confused about Stepper Motors

« on: November 29, 2011, 03:28:14 PM »

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the good information. I kinda expected the answer about the steppers being slow by nature. I'll have to wait until after Christmas to upgrade the power supply and drivers. I was looking at a full Geco or a setup from Keling, just to get good quality. Unless you have other suggestions. 

In answer to the question about testing the motors off machine, yes I did and I wasn't very happy with those results either. I was hoping that under load they would perform better. I'm used to automotive engines where non loaded they over rev easily.  I am surprised that a cordless has more torque than these steppers. Makes me rethink the entire stepper concept (has anyone dsimantled their cordless and wired it in? LOL). I'm posting the motor specs. for recommendations on the power supply, drivers and/or new steppers. I've tried compensating for resonance and got minor change. I'm using 1/8 micro-steps and the motors sound good until they lock up. Unless whislting and other weird noises while idle is unusual. Running they are smooth. They get warm, not hot, and are great for warming your hands while working in the cold garage!

I went with the Toshiba 5650 mainly for ease of installation.  One board does all, but the board is limited to 36 volts. How do Geco or other quality systems get wired in? The multiple box setup has me confused.

Once again thank you for all the help,
Richard B.

14

General Mach Discussion / Confused about Stepper Motors

« on: November 29, 2011, 12:26:22 AM »

I'm a long time lurker. I've not had much reason to ask questions about CNC stuff 'cause it's already here if I use search, but now I need to get help. I have built my third iteration CNC machine. It's all metal and solid as a rock. As I built it I tested everything slowly. When I was done I could rapid the three axises quite quickly with my battery hand drill. When I hooked up the steppers the rapid speeds were very slow. The best I can get is 65 ipm about a third of the speed of the cordless drill.  I've configured the steppers with Mach 3 and got them right on. When I go to tune the motors they lock up at realtively low speed. I was hoping with this setup to get over 100 ipm. Here are the specs:

Steppers - keling 425 oz wired in parallel/bipolar (x and Y axis) 1 pacific scientific 265 oz parallel/bipolar (Z axixs)
Power supply - 24 V at 10.5 Amps
Driver - Toshiba 5650 - 4 axis (I have 2 steppers as direct drives on my X axis) 
ballscrews - 25mm at 5 tpi
The table is 4 ft by 3 ft.

Anyone have any ideas? I'll get the xml file tomorrow and post it.

Thanks for the help,

Richard B.

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: New PC's and parallel ports

« on: December 28, 2010, 03:11:26 PM »

I just built a new PC for the shop machine and added a new printer card. My problem is that I can't identify it. Where do I get the name (address) for the card to activate it? I think I am mis-interpreting the guide from the Mach 3 manual. Also I ran the driver test and found that I get continuous short spikes on the visual part, yet the analysis says the system is excellent. Should I worry?

Thanks for all the help this forum offers. I don't often post questions 'cause the search usually finds my answers.

Thanks again for the knowledge and support you guys so freely give!!

RB

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: Smooth Stepper

« on: July 24, 2010, 12:41:37 PM »

Thanks Hood,

Everything does seem to function very well, other than me. I have a fast cpu and have dedicated the computer to the mill. Plus I've stripped it of all other applications to avoid any conflicts. So I'll leave everything  alone for now.

Once again thank you for your time.

Richard B.

17

General Mach Discussion / Smooth Stepper

« on: July 24, 2010, 03:16:08 AM »

As a rookie at CNCing, I'm still learning a lot. So far I've drilled through my sacrifice board to the table...several times, fried one controller fried one power supply and wasted a lot of material. But there's hope I did cut two very good circles a couple of weeks ago! Since I am replacing my power supply and controller, I was wondering what the Smooth Stepper does for a machine and if I should add one? If I have a machine that's working fairly well what would it add? I promise I won't fry it.

Richard B.

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: I seem to be gaining steps...

« on: June 28, 2010, 06:36:36 PM »

I'm far....far from being an expert, but I had a similar problem with my homebrewed machine. I'll save you the long story of all I went through. I was using only four of the six wire Nema 34 steppers, so I rewired them and voila, the problem vanished. I had originally wired them for torque rather than speed. I switched two wires and that solved my problem. As I said in the first sentence I'm no expert, not even close to intermediate, but I hope I can help somehow, 'cause this forum has been exceptionally generous to me. If you already tried this pardon me.

Richard B.

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gradual Cutting

« on: May 16, 2010, 02:59:39 AM »

YAY ....... IT WORKED. I'm one for four.

Richard

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gradual Cutting

« on: May 16, 2010, 02:57:11 AM »

I've tried three times to load and send the file, but my computer just locks up. So I rebooted and will try again. Thanks for the help.

Richard