Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 05:18:46 AM

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Jeff_Birt

271
Why are you using a break out board with the G540? The G540 has its own BOB built right in. You need to take the extra BOB out of the mix and wire your switches directly to the G540.

272
General Mach Discussion / Re: Help, Gecko 540 fault
« on: October 07, 2012, 12:41:45 PM »
The G540 expects a chargepump signal from Mach. If it does not see that signal the fault light will not go out. You can bypass the charge pump function with the switch on the G540 marked 'Chargepump'.

273
Suggestions:

1) Remove the 066 version of Mach and install 062, you can download it from my website or the Mach FTP site. I have had several customers have problems with 066 doing strange things.

2) Actually connect the ESS when trying to configure it. I believe the ESS plug-in will not write to the XML unless it was able to connect to the ESS and verify the settings you entered were correct.

In some cases your PC may lock a downloaded file and not let it be changed. You can right click on the file and see if that is the case.

274
Can you attach your XML? Also can you draw a diagram or attach a photo of how you have your switches wired up?

275
You have to be really careful with the 'Stop'. When you hit stop Mach just stops outputting pulses, there is no deceleration, it just stops. Chances are you will loose position and your axis could drift on slightly as there will be no deceleration to help slow it. I've not tried to use 'Stop' in combination with Safe Z so I can't say how it works but given how Stop works I can't imagine that the results would be predictable.

If you need to pause the machine while cutting use Feed Hold. The brings things to a controlled stop and keeps you from losing position.

276
The only way I can see that you would have problems with it overshooting Z=0 is if your Z-axis is loosing steps. If your trying to maximize your Z travel and have your home position set just shy of the axis locking up then your Z may be binding just enough as you approach the home position to loose steps. Once you repeat the safe Z move a few times your Z axis will be off enough to over travel and bind. I like to set my home sensors to go off with at least 0.05" (on a small mill) to 0.5" (on a large router) of travel left in the axis. This gives you a bit of wiggle room and helps prevent problems.

277
Quote
the problem I'm having is that when the machine goes to safe Z (as it is set now) it retracts to the home switch or is supposed to go to the home switch

I'm not aware of a setting in Mach that will make a safe Z go to the Z-axis home switch. There are three basic choices, move to a location is work coordinates, move to a location in machine coordinates, or move a certain distance relative to where the Z now is. None of these care about your home switch.

278
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 VS Other motion controller for stability
« on: September 04, 2012, 09:33:41 AM »
The benefits of a chilled cooling system (if any) have to be weighed against its increased complexity. I used to work on automated welding and cutting machines which is a very hot/dirty environment. The number of times we had to use chilled cooling was very, very small though. Typically it was only where there was a device in very close proximity to a heat source, like having a laser tracking system near the welding torch. As has been mentioned you can cause yourself more problems by the chilled loops tendency to want to condensate. This requires adjusting the chiller precisely for the environmental conditions.

A PC should have no problems staying cool though unless you have it stuffed in a hole where it can't get any airflow. I suspect more problems with PCs in shops are caused by power quality than heat. With lots of machinery there is lots of electrical noise and that can bring about lots of problems.

279
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 VS Other motion controller for stability
« on: September 02, 2012, 03:13:58 PM »
I have found most 'stability' problems are really problems related to how the machine was put together. Poor wiring practice often leads to incorrectly grounded machines that give the PC fits. Some types of components, like VFDs produce a LOT of electrical noise and if not installed properly (grounding, isolation, etc) then there is almost always problems.

280
I've never seen this happen before, it sounds more like a Windows issue or something happened to Mach. You might try reinstalling Mach and see what happens.