Messages

111

General Mach Discussion / Re: MACH 3 Major E-STOP ISSUE:

« on: March 09, 2011, 02:56:49 AM »

I just ran out there and checked!

Machine starts up, computer starts, mach starts. Jogged the machine around. checked the data monitoring and had no estop flag. Walked over and clicked the Estop. checked the data monitor and it indicated Estop (check in the box). Turned the estop button "off". walked back over, went to "click" data monitoring again and it will NOT let me open up the data monitoring screen. I clicked "reset" for the estop thinking that was it. That did nothing. It seems like it wont let me access the smooth stepper Info or monitoring tab under plugins at all. I click on it and it does nothing. I accidentally clicked on the video plug in and that attempted to open up.

Seems like something with the SS?

112

General Mach Discussion / Re: MACH 3 Major E-STOP ISSUE:

« on: March 09, 2011, 02:40:29 AM »

Thanks Greg. I will look into using a relay or such to drop my power supply off when Estop is enabled.

I performed the following test:

System on, computer on, mach 3 OFF:

Button NOT pressed: Estop voltage 1.6mv (BOB Estop LED OFF)
Button Pressed: 3.08V (BOB Estop LED ON)
Button released: 1.6mv (BOB Estop LED TURNS OFF)

System on, computer on, Mach 3 ON:

Button Not pressed: 3.3mv (BOB Estop LED is off)
Button Pressed: 3.02V (BOB Estop LED ON)
Button released: 2.4mv (BOB Estop LED REMAINS ON)

What do you make of that?

113

General Mach Discussion / Re: Hards, Homes, Limits, Softs, Slows, Offs.

« on: March 09, 2011, 01:04:28 AM »

They are pretty sweet! Super powerful little boards. I have 3000rpm servos, Viper100 drivers, 1000CPR us digital encoders and my y axis flies around at 500ipm and the x at 700ipm super smooth.

It just needs a few more bugs fixed and it will be amazing!

I was unaware of the forum!!!!

I will join asap!

114

General Mach Discussion / Re: Hards, Homes, Limits, Softs, Slows, Offs.

« on: March 09, 2011, 12:42:09 AM »

It all makes sense now!!!!!! Thank you VERY much!!!!!!!!

I found out that for some reason the mach 3 plugin file for the smooth stepper was not allowing me to use, slow, or soft limts at all!!
----->SmoothStepper_Beta2_v015ogx2.m3p This file, the "stable" version works for me (even though it says beta, its the older version).
----->SmoothStepper_v17bd.zip This version, the newer version did not allow me to use any kind of soft limits, or slow.

115

General Mach Discussion / Re: Hards, Homes, Limits, Softs, Slows, Offs.

« on: March 08, 2011, 11:26:44 PM »

Thanks Ger and Overloaded!

Few more questions:

"Soft Limit min and max would be from the HOME pos to just shy of tripping the other limit on that axis."

So imagine my X axis homed and the DRO is now @ zero. All movements from zero (home) are in inches and are in a positive direction. What would i set my Y axis MIN soft limit to? Zero?

"The Slow Zone is to give a fast / heavy axis time to decel to prevent overrunning the setting and tripping the limit switch."

I have a heavy gantry and would like to use the Slow zone to make sure it does not come full speed at a limit. My gantry can go upwards of 500ipm and is probably close to 240 pounds.
If my Y axis goes from 0" (home) to 139" (Y Max) would a value of 6" give me a slow zone from 0"-6", and from 133"-136"?

"Home Off sets the position of the home switch to the Home Offset value. It doesn't do any movement."

"The Home Off is to enter a value that you would like to show in the DRO when AT the Home pos. For instance if you were to home in the bass ackwards direction on an axis that is say 12" long. You would enter 12.0000 (Y as an example)."

Throw me another example. I still don't understand haha. (sorry)


One other thing to mention, you can have 2 limits on each axis ALL connected in series to 1 input pin.
When Homing, they are treated as Home switches, otherwise, they are treated as limit switches.

So i can use 1 port and 1 pin for all my home/limits as long as i tell the machine which way to home (+,-)  (i home in the negative direction) correct?
I have been using 3 pins!!! i didn't know that!

116

General Mach Discussion / Hards, Homes, Limits, Softs, Slows, Offs.

« on: March 08, 2011, 10:09:03 PM »

Attached is a pictorial i made of how to envision the homing/limit system. I would like for someone to verify if this is "usually" general practice to how things are done.

Lines of defense, from inside to outside:
1. The slow zone- I assume this distance in X units starts at each min and max soft limit and extends inward X units.
2. Min/Max Soft limits- I assume these come after the slow zone. These act as a digital limit switch, for double the safety.
3. Limit/home- These come after the slow zone, and the min/max soft limits.
4. Mechanical Hard stop- Something you never want to hit.

Am i correct about there order?

when using the "home off" function. Does that move the machine "x" units away from the home switch once it has tripped?

Thanks for the help. Trying to clear this all up.

117

General Mach Discussion / Re: MACH 3 Major E-STOP ISSUE:

« on: March 08, 2011, 09:25:23 PM »

Hey Ger21!

It seems as if the breakout board and E-stop work PERFECTLY fine without mach 3 running. Very odd...

As soon as i open up mach 3 the problem occurs if estop is then pressed.

Below is my video response:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x28bASmVMYg

Your question led me to that discovery. (when i start the system up, the Estop LED is not on.) The Estop is also wired properly.

118

General Mach Discussion / MACH 3 Major E-STOP ISSUE:

« on: March 08, 2011, 08:22:57 PM »

E-stop causes the machine to properly stop. However.. When i turn E-stop off. It will NOT get out of estop in mach3.

I have the newest version of Mach 3 installed on a fresh windows XP 32bit system, with the newest smooth stepper plugin and drivers installed. Machine runs perfect, just this estop issue is annoying. I have to power cycle my system and restart mach every time.
Below i show the first video of the issue. In the second video, i use a fresh install of mach, on a brand new controller, and grounded the smooth stepper better. Both had no effect on the issue. Arturo over @ cnc4pc.com has been helping me figure out the problem, but the guys @ cnczone suggested it might be a mach 3 bug. Hope to hear from someone soon. Thanks.

First Video of issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIoG1ePppZ4
Second Video of Issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb-_PYq_Ca4


Link to my build log:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/general_metal_working_machines/103291-15_long_8_wide_ex-boeing.html#post908641