Topics

1

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / 26" ABM Innova long arm quilting automation

« on: February 12, 2011, 08:31:13 AM »

Finished adding 2 axis stepper control to my wife's long arm quilting machine.  Total out of pocket cost including HP Touchsmart computer and Art and Stitch digital design software about $4,000.  Took 10 days and I had a blast.  Smoothstepper and Mach3 made this project a snap...thanks to all who designed and maintain Mach3!!!!  Here's a link to my you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWmdZi4BODM

PS...Innova's Autopilot CNC system costs $15,000 plus installation. 

2

General Mach Discussion / Limit switches OEM trig

« on: January 16, 2011, 06:41:14 PM »

Seems impossibly easy but I have tried to set up x and y limit switches and they don't function properly.  I've assigned them port one, pins 11,12,13,15 enabled them and set them active low. I went to System hotkeys setup and assigned OEM triggers #1,2,3,4 the stop code 1003.  Here's my XML:

<OEM1>1003</OEM1>
  <OEM2>1003</OEM2>
  <OEM3>-1</OEM3>
  <OEM4>1003</OEM4>
  <OEM5>1003</OEM5>
  <OEM6>-1</OEM6>

when I check the pin state in the diagnostics screen (mach3 CNC Demo) I can see the switches changing state when activated..

However instead of stopping the motors they continue to run.  If I select the stop button on the screen they stop.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

3

General Mach Discussion / Does Mach use encoder feedback to update DRO's

« on: January 03, 2011, 01:14:24 PM »

Hi,

Just want to confirm what I have read about Mach DRO's.  I'm going to use Mach and Smooth Stepper in conjunction with stepping motors on a 2 axis system.  I have read that Mach is an "Open Loop" controller and I assume that means the DRO's aren't updated by external information (i.e. encoders) but rather they reflect the current position based on Mach's position output to the motors.  Is that correct?  I can forgo the encoders unless they will provide feedback that is accurately used by Mach.

Thanks for your help!

CM Johnson