Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / gcode subprograms

« on: March 31, 2023, 06:06:23 PM »

Hi, I am using mach3 to control a 3d scanner. Just the a axis for the turntable and the Z axis for the camera height. when stepping through the gcode block by block it works fine, reads the G98 sub number and skips to the first line of that sub. When I run the code without stepping it reads the sub number and steps to it but just hangs there? Any help gratefully received.
Many thanks
Les

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: goto zero

« on: March 30, 2021, 08:18:29 AM »

I found that My connections to the gecko's caused the loss of position. I was using ground as the common and should have set the dir signal to active high. I still have to check the 0.0025 thing on the goto zero but I suspect that that was also the cause. The steps per mm are around 400 and change. Thanks for your interest
Les

3

General Mach Discussion / goto zero

« on: March 30, 2021, 03:40:17 AM »

Hi All,  when I press goto zero my X axis sets to 0.0025. This seems to shift the whole cut in the X direction. I am cutting a mold and the cuts are all in the same direction (left to right) After each cut the X axis is returned to 0 and the y axis increments a tiny amount and the next cut is moved to the right a small amount. This is not a gcode action. If I jog x about 120 mm then goto zero the x axis returns perfectly but the dro shows x at 0.0025? Weird! Any suggestions?

4

General Mach Discussion / zero z axis in plasma

« on: April 25, 2020, 03:12:33 PM »

Hi All, I have just completed the hardware installation of a height checker and need some help with a subroutine to auto reset the z height during the execution of a plasma gcode. My sensor is a small pneumatic cylinder with a reed switch attached which I can adjust to a preset position. i have used the coolant function to deploy the probe which stops below the plasma nozzle so i can move the z axis down until the switch triggers, at this point I want to do aG92 to reset the z axis height and carry on with the job until the next move/cut. I have tried a subroutine which appears to work (does the motions etc) but does not reset the z height. See my sub below.

O1000
M7                   ( deploys the  probe )
G1 z3.000 Fxx  (slowly moves z down until switch triggers. Z going down moves probe up)
G92 Z*********x       (Resets the z height with the known value)
M9                   (stows the probe)
M99                 (return to the main gcode)

Any help will be very welcome!

5

General Mach Discussion / signal inputs

« on: April 14, 2020, 05:10:54 PM »

Hi All, Years since I have been on the forum. I have an RNR motion controller that I'm using on my plasma machine and x,y,and z control is working ok. when running a gcode file the torch on triggers fine but the thc zup and zdown do nothing? I checked on the rnr board connectors and the relevant inputs are triggering ok but giving no z control. How do I assign an action to an input signal? Set thc ports to 3 and signals to 10 11 and 12 in  ports etc config file.

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: mpg

« on: October 11, 2012, 01:42:13 PM »

I finally found the cause.........I had connected the mpg to the controller 5v instgead of the usb 5v. Swapped irt around and it's working sweetly.
Les

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: mpg

« on: October 10, 2012, 04:21:02 PM »

I think you are right so I'll see if I can move the glass scale a bit and see if that helps.
Les

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: mpg

« on: October 10, 2012, 10:49:40 AM »

Hi Hood, Thats what I thought too so I tried a different mpg and got the same result. I'm using and old stepper with an encoder on it and the only detent I have is the normal magnetic one  of the motor. Many thanks
Les

9

General Mach Discussion / mpg

« on: October 09, 2012, 06:41:38 PM »

Hi AllI am using a 1000 line encoder in a home built MPG which works fine except.......when I stop moving the handwheel the axis starts tiny jog movements back and forth ans you can hear the stepper "singing to itself" I have tried 2 other encoders with the same result. Anyone have suggestions to fix?
Many thanks
Moxy

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: accuracy problems

« on: April 29, 2011, 09:03:25 AM »

Hi Hood, thanks for your reply, I found the problem this morning. When I enabled any of the Gecko drives the 5v supply became very noisy and therefore put noise on the step and direction signals to the drive. I added some more capacitance to the 5v supply and the machine is now cutting very accurately.
Best regards
Les