Messages

441

General Mach Discussion / Re: pwm mode set up issues

« on: October 04, 2008, 02:05:27 AM »

Peter,

Just wanted to let you know I changed the frequency to 500 this morning just as you suggested and guess what.......it works!!!!  Thank you very much for taking the time to help me.
Jeff

Hi Jeff,


I'm glad you were able to get it working. Especially without any additonal cost.

Cheers,

Peter.

442

General Mach Discussion / Re: pwm mode set up issues

« on: October 02, 2008, 07:01:01 PM »

Jeff,

Their may be some filtering somewhere in the isolation board that is working in your favour.  From what you are experiencing it appears that some filtering is occurring, but not enough, thus the pulsing.

Try this. Go into the spindle set-up tab in Mach3 and change the PWM frequency to 500Hz. If that doesn't smooth it out, increase it to 1000Hz. Let me know how you go.

There is a downside to increasing the PWM frequency though. As you increase it, you loose resolution (the number of voltage values you can generate).

THe number of volytage steps you can get out Mach is governed by;

Number of Voltage steps = Mach3 kernel speed/PWM frequency

If you are using a kernel speed of say 25KHz and you set the PWM frequency to 50, then you get 500 steps between 0V and your Maximum voltage(10V)


So if you increase the PWM frequency to 500, you will only have 50 steps. This may be fine for your application. To get better resolution, you can change your Mach3 kernel speed. Say from 25KHz  to 60KHz, or 100KHz assuming your PC is powerful enough.

Anyway let me know what you find.

Cheers,

Peter.

443

General Mach Discussion / Re: pwm mode set up issues

« on: October 02, 2008, 04:37:37 PM »

Hi Jeff,

Sorry to hear yo had received bad advice. I'd recommentd the DC-06 with the optional DC/DC converter. The Converter removes the need for the Motor Controller from having to provide the supply voltage the DC-06. It mayalso give you a bit better linearity.

As with all my products if it doesn't do what you want, you can return it for a refund.

Cheers,

Peter.

444

General Mach Discussion / Re: ATC Video I'm doing for Tormach!!

« on: October 02, 2008, 02:08:49 AM »

Hi Scott,

Link is dead.

Cheers,

Peter.

445

General Mach Discussion / Re: pwm mode set up issues

« on: October 01, 2008, 11:52:52 PM »

Hi Jeff,

According to the manual, the Baldor BC145 is a signal isolator. It can accept a voltage input or a current input and produces an Isolated 0-10V output.

http://www.baldor.com/downloads/manuals/_downloads/1373-700.pdf

I don't see anywhere that says it accepts a pwm input. To do what you want you need some circuitry that converts the Mach PWM output to a 0-10V voltage or a 0-20mA signal, then feed that into the BC145. I don't believe that you can just feed the PWM signal from the parallel port directly into it. Depending on the load presented by the BC145, you may end up damaging the parallel port.

What you need is something like the DigiSpeed DC-03 or DC-06 I sell. The DC-03 converts the PWM signal to an isolated 0-10V output signal that can drive your motor controller. It would replace the BC145.
http://homanndesigns.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=21

The DC-06 does the same thing, but uses the step/dir output from Mach instead of the PWM signal.
http://homanndesigns.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=39

By the way, what DC motor controller are you using?

Cheers,

Peter.

446

General Mach Discussion / Re: E Stop and my new VFC and Spindle

« on: September 28, 2008, 07:31:27 PM »

I have an Ascension 1000 controller from Alan at Custom-CNC.  He's out of biz now, but the product seems to work pretty well.  Its a breakout board with Gecko 201 drives and a power supply.  I wonder if it has an estop capacity that I'm not aware of. 

I do agree that whatever I do can't be a momentary switch.  The Estop I have has a mechanical interloc, so that it locks off until you twist it to release it.  But I have to agree that a relay that requires deliberate action to restart would be best.  I'll work that direction.  This is all very good input, and valuable to others as well I'm sure.

I'll see if I can find out if the board I'm using has an additional relay or can trigger a relay in this fashion.   Wish me luck finding some help with the Ascension controller. 

Thanks for the valueable insight.

Wayne C

Hi Wayne,

There are all sorts of ways to implement EStops, dependent on your setup and requirements. I don't now your electrical skills, but the link below is a good start. If you have any questions, ask away.

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/cAzgSG0_KKwkSIgiLT8HDQi-7dMagE9I7KaCALI-sFTd73mLdws9Ycy6q3evSg6DYKLhVWH0jcVY8mg-CxgU-DpMwGpKmg/%20Circuits/Emergency%20stop.pdf

The file is in the Mach3 yahoo groups files directory under the circuits directory

Cheers,

Peter.

447

General Mach Discussion / Re: E Stop and my new VFC and Spindle

« on: September 28, 2008, 02:14:41 AM »

Just connect a switch to any available paralllel port input, and configure it as an E-Stop pin.  Mach will turn everything off when that pin is activated.  Usually, a normally open switch would be connected between the PP pin and ground, so when the switch is pressed, the pin is pulled low.

Regards,
Ray L.

This is quite dangerous advice. To rely on Mach3 software to control an Emergency stop is very bad practice. The EStop input into Mach3 is just to politely inform Mach3 that an EStop has occured. The "Real" Estop circuitry should remove power from the steppers and the Spindle.

How is an EStop going to work if you press the big red button becaure Mach3 has run amuck. The Estop should remove the primary AC power from the Steppers (Do not switch the DC Side) and the VFD.

Cheers,

Peter.

448

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Welcome to SmoothStepper forum.

« on: September 27, 2008, 07:53:51 PM »

Hi,

Yes you understanding is correct. The SS basically replaces the parallel ports. So you connect your BOB to the SS as you would do to a parallel port.

Cheers,

Peter.

449

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and spindle speed controller

« on: September 26, 2008, 10:43:01 PM »

Peter,

First of all, I don't have Comcast so that's out. Second of all, I was reply number 3 (right after your post),  asking for help with wiring one of your boards to my controller complete with diagrams so as to make it as easy as possible, so I thought and not even a reply.

I guess apparently you really are indeed too busy so I'll be looking for another alternative because I'm guessing by your previous post and the fact that ostie asked for help after purchasing one of your products and receivede no answer, that I wouldn't get much tech support anyway.

Fair point. I missed it. Don't have an answer as to why though. It a moot point now but the DC-06 would work fine with the controller.


Cheers,

Peter.

450

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and spindle speed controller

« on: September 26, 2008, 09:39:10 PM »

Hi,

Firstly, let me say that I answer all emails sent to me. Occasionally, I will miss one, but a follow up request will get a response.  I also subscribe to and monitor about 15 yahoo groups, and I  also monitor this forum and CNCzone.



As to emails I have trouble repling to people who use Comcast as their ISP. For some reason they block my emails. Every time I go through their report/resolution process.

Both this forum and CNCZone are extremely difficult to monitor. It requires me to search all the subjects looking for something relevant to answer. If I find something I'll subscribe to it. It is what I also do to CNCZone. Keep in mind between these two, there are probably more than 500 posts a day. Thinks get missed. As it is it takes an hour or two to troll the forums looking for something I need to reply to.

As a point in case,  I was in Beijing for a while from the 5th September. As such I miss a bunch of posts. I'm not going to spend hours searching for things I've missed, I just don't have the time.

Personally, I prefer the Yahoo email list method. I can set filters on Thunderbird to highlight emails that have relevance to me, by looking for keywords in the incoming email.

To solve the problem on this forum, I'd be happy for the moderators to set up a forum called "Homann Designs", then question to my products could be posted there.


As to the original question regarding the LED color on the DC-03. Yes it has changed due to a change in component. The functionality hasn't changed, it is still as defined in the manual.

I spend approximately two hours a day answering questions via email or forums. Occasionally I miss things. I apologise for that.

Cheers,

Peter.