Messages

1

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: How to change the DRO for RPM?

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:53:26 AM »

This should be possible using a switch or push button input or even a User DRO to set which formula you use to calculate rpm from your signal and writing it to the DRO.
If you watch the tutorial and have a play with the brain editor you should soon work it out. The brain viewer in Mach is handy for trouble shooting to watch the brain work in real time.

2

Brains Development / Re: Brains editor "Analogue switch"

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:40:06 AM »

This may help answer part of your question.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,8057.0.html

3

Brains Development / Re: Spindle% in brains

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:33:09 AM »

I'm new at this but if you take the DRO and modify it with a formula and write it back to the same DRO in a loop as you say, won't this 'snowball' or 'hunt'? for lack of a better description.
Perhaps it makes more sense in the context of your brain.

4

Brains Development / Re: ModIO THC success

« on: July 18, 2011, 06:54:49 AM »

Thanks very much.
Since it is my first brain it means a lot to have a comment like that from the brain Guru.
Peter has been in touch with a solution for the voltage/input issue. The high res on the input is a bit of a double edged sword, but better to have too much rather than too little I recon. I played with a timer just before the terminator for a while to tame it down a little but ditched it and lowered the resolution on the inputs instead.
Hopefully I will post some video when it is finished.
Cheers.

5

Brains Development / ModIO THC success

« on: July 17, 2011, 06:42:11 AM »

After tinkering for some time, and lots of trial and error I believe I have finally built a brain that will do my THC using 2 analog inputs and one discrete input through ModIO.
I have tested it as much as I can until I get the right control cable for my plasma, and will post a 'how to' once I am happy with it but thought I'd share and see if I can get some input in case there are any glaring mistakes or omissions. Perhaps someone else can test it too.
The voltage divider in the plasma cutter gives a 0 - 7V signal (which I need to limit to 5V) on input 1. (For testing I am using a pot off the 5V on the ModIO)
This is compared to the voltage from a pot off the 5V on the ModIO as input 2. This will be the height setting.
Torch speed is compared to set feedrate using a formula with the percentage from the anti-dive DRO and fed through the AND gate for anti-dive on tight corners or slow machines.
TO USE THC YOU MUST USE THE ARC GOOD INPUT IN MACH 3!! If I'd known this it would have saved me hours of needless hair tearing and head scratchin.
Also make sure the THC speed is set LOW or your Z axis is likely to stall, probably more on Torch Up causing downwards creep. Mine works well at 10.
The Torch Up and Torch Down terminators may be back to front, but I don't know until I hook it up fully.

All feedback welcome, and I'd really appreciate if someone can tell me the best way to limit the 0 - 7V to 5.3V max without killing the signal, and perhaps how to get a smoother signal from the ModIO or smooth it out within the brain without sacrificing too much sensitivity.

Cheers.

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: THC controls in Mach

« on: July 06, 2011, 05:46:49 AM »

I guess the only way to tell if this will be an issue is to get it up and running. I think there is room for some adjustment of the scan rate on the serial port.
Unfortunately I won't be able to tinker with it this weekend, I'll just have to console myself with alcoholic beverages while I watch the V8 Supercars trackside.
Awesome,

Tim.

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: THC controls in Mach

« on: July 05, 2011, 06:03:18 AM »

I think you are correct in all aspects, but since I am using the ModIO to control and send the I/O signals, I can tell it to produce an output signal (looped into an input) depending on the input signals, and other states and formulas from DRO's in Mach using a brain, and that's when the magic happens and Mach receives a THC up or down input, and performs the Z + or - move (I hope).
Nice to have someone to bang ideas against,

Thanks,

Tim.

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: THC controls in Mach

« on: July 04, 2011, 05:28:46 PM »

Hi Stirling I don't actually have THC hardware. My plasma has a built in voltage divider and I plan to feed this analogue signal into Mach3 via a ModIO, and compare this to the analogue input from a pot for tuning eg. A<B = THCdown A>B = THCup.

Thanks for the contribution rrc1962. I'm far from whipped on this one, just need an idea on how Machs insides work, and where they connect.
Will post the brain and ModIO wiring when I get it sorted.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: THC controls in Mach

« on: July 04, 2011, 07:08:09 AM »

Thanks for the input, I thought that was how it was until it didn't work.
First I terminated the two lobes with THC up and THC down. I viewed the brain and had THC up lit, but nothing from the Zaxis.
Then I tried terminating with a jog Z+/- but no movement while running code.
Next I tried an imaginary port/pin output, and mapped it to THC input by using the same port/pins for input. Still nothing.
Kick me to the brain discussion if you think that's where I ought to be.

For some reason code will run if either THC led is lit, or Torch on led but not both at once, which is a bugga because I wanted to use both these as brain inputs.
Also Mach seems to be ignoring the limit/home switches by activating manual override, and output 6 is on most of the time even though it is mapped to nothing.
This is all getting a bit much for my poor little brain( the one in my head) I would love to buy a THC and plug 'n' play but that's not the way I roll. I'll do it the hard way and hopefully learn a bit along the way.

Cheers,

Tim.

10

General Mach Discussion / THC controls in Mach

« on: July 03, 2011, 07:45:59 AM »

Can anyone enlighten me as to what Mach3 does with the Torch up and Torch down inputs in the plasma screen set.
Is it possible to map them to step and direction outputs, preferably on the Z.
I have written a THC brain that does everything I want it to, except cause Mach to move the axis.
Thanks,

Tim.