Messages

31

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: August 16, 2015, 08:34:00 PM »

Well, I looked at all the threads there, but again, unless I missed it, the v1.2c was no where to be found.
I suspected it might be there if I registered for the site and it then it might reveal a "files" area, but today the registration process is/was closed.

I did see info regarding Mach4 and some info for using an Arduino; not really what I am looking for (I don't think).

Thanks anyway.

Maybe the illusive dll will rear its head sometime. LOL!

Vogavt

32

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: August 16, 2015, 06:32:31 PM »

........... I need to do some more testing but the latest version of the plugin (1.2c) will shortly be freely available to any that are interested.

Tweakie.

I'm interested if this works with the impact engraving too!

Thanks in advance,
Vogavt

Well, I've purchased a 445nm laser kit so I'd like to have the latest available version. I've scoured the net to see if it had been posted in other forums or threads here, but either I'm overlooking it (the v1.2c) or it hasn't been posted. Is there a later version than this one?

33

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 13, 2015, 01:04:38 PM »

Working!

The most important piece of advice first: I can say that having some rest and looking at this with a fresh set of eyes does wonders.

I have found that proper wiring configuration is critical! LOL!

I can also say that using a higher strength electromagnet as I started with would not move due to the voltage differences I was seeing.

So I'd purchased an irrigation sprinkler replacement solenoid which has a smaller electromagnet and I finally began to see some movement. However, since this is a pull type solenoid, I may have to drill out the metal stop at the top and invert the thing plus fabricate another rod on my lathe to actually have a push pin sticking out that I can connect tip to.

I purchase a pin vise locally which I plan to couple up to the new rod. It has a collet on the end which will facilitate changing the tip when needed.
It has four different hole sizes so it can take any size tip from 0" to 0.125".

But all this was only after making changes to the ports & pins too so don't bother looking at the Impact-Vogavt.xml. It's definitely no longer valid.

Perseverance paid off.

I'll post photos at a later date.

Thanks for the input!


Now I've got to do some tweaking with the other dip switches but at least it's running as is.

34

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 12, 2015, 12:45:06 PM »

Took the C10 out of the loop and confirmed the 5vdc on the secondary PP using pin 8 and port 2 and pin 18 port 2. I then connected them to stepper driver, and after changing some active high-low settings I got the reading to 0 volts. My thinking is it should start at 0 and see an increase in the voltage as the demands from the plugin are needed. However, I'm seeing negative numbers again when the X & Y move as the scanning starts. I would have thought the voltage would be in the positive direction.

Just to be clear, I'm not getting any movement still, even after attempting several different dip switches.

I may be close but not sure what kind of numbers I should be expecting.

It could be either too much mass in the solenoid I'm using, but not sure.

I'm putting my xml file so someone can look at it to see what I may have configured incorrectly.

Any help would be appreciated.

35

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 11, 2015, 07:55:34 PM »

Well, I'm using the second parallel port, pins 8 & 9 and am having no issues getting the 5 VDC showing when plugged directly into the DB25.
However, when I run it through the cnc4pc C10 card and out, then check the voltage, I get a -2.7 volts!?

I've loaded a couple different images and can see the voltage change when straight out of the pp so I think that would work and forego the C10 all together, but I'd really like to use the C10 to get the extra inputs, etc. (That's the reason for buying it).

I went ahead and connected to the TB6560 3A Driver Board just to see if the small voltage changes were enough to get the electromagnet moving.
No joy unless I have the board set for 1.9 amps, then the rod just stays extended, i.e., activated.  I reconfigured the TB6560 3A Driver Board's switches, backing it down to 1.6 amps (rod stays in) and have begun various iterations with the other switches. After a couple of hours of trial & error, it still doesn't respond.

Gonna try with the C10 tomorrow. For those of you that do have the C10, I will say that I have the 2-9 outputs common set to 5vdc as recommended by their literature. That's the only way I was seeing any changes in voltage. If I have it set to GND, I see nothing.

Anyway, wasn't sure if I needed to go to another thread.

36

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 11, 2015, 11:05:26 AM »

If you are using a stepper driver to power the magnet then you will be striking the work on the release stroke so the return spring pressure will also figure in the equation.

I am using a stepper driver but my electromagnet is a push-type not a pull-type. But from what you're saying, will I still be firing backwards? Seems like it would be moving in the down-stroke toward the material when the pulse is given.

I'm headed to the shop (finally) to wire this bad boy up using the information at hand.

Hopefully it will be smooth enough to at least get the magnet moving, then I can start to tweak on it a bit.

Will report back.

37

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 09, 2015, 02:54:39 PM »

Appreciate the info.

I'm still sorting out the impact engraver and its combined hardware, but in the meantime (since this thread jumped track onto the laser type) I've had a little free time to look into the laser usage with the plugin.

I was wondering since I'd purchased the driver board listed earlier if I could simply connect a laser like this one from jtechphotonics up to the board and simply use a toggle switch to control either the laser or the impact engraver.

Or do I need to get a full kit from them but still need to drive it with my board (or not)?

38

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 07, 2015, 10:46:19 PM »

Tweakie,
I've been doing a lot of reading on the M10/M11 usage with DotG.
Just to clarify, if using DotG, then the Gcode it produces (with the modified post processor for Mach3), I don't need to use the impact engraver plugin at all. Just load the gcode and run in Mach3. Correct?

Seem logical but thought I might need to point that out for clarification.

Vogavt

39

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 02, 2015, 09:10:07 AM »

Thanks, Tweakie!!

I'm now looking at another solenoid but have some questions about its specifications: Strong solenoid

Product Name   Solenoid Electromagnet
Rated Voltage   DC 24V
Rated Current   0.3A
Force& Stroke   20mm, 3.5LB / 1.6Kg
Type               Pull Push
Type Body Size 46 x 23 x 18mm/1.8" x 0.9" x 0.7"(L*W*H)
Plunger Bar Mount Thread   M3
Cable Length   10cm/4"
Material           Metal, Electronic Parts
Color               Silver Tone, Black
Weight           95g

Description:
Pull push type, linear motion, open frame, plunger spring return, DC solenoid electromagnet.
Widely used in automatic control equipment: office equipment, financial equipment, communications equipment, automatic door locks of a variety of electronic, electrical and electronic parts, all kinds of game machines, auto parts.
 
What concerns me is the response time. IIRC, someone stated they were having issues with the mass for a larger solenoid, i.e., it was slow.
This one packs a punch but I suspect it's only for the first part of the stroke (from looking at other graphs for other solenoids).

Now the question.
Since I'm only going to be pulsing the solenoid, is it safe to say that I will never reach a full stroke and therefore only need to worry about the full amount of travel due to only pulsing?

Earlier, it was stated that someone was looking at higher voltages in order to get a higher impact? Since the impact (newtons', pounds, or KG's) is localized into the tip, I would think that it shouldn't be too much.

I've been looking for an electromagnet like the ones that were shown in the first few posts of this thread, but since no specs were given about them, I'm struggling. I simply don't have the funds to buy a plethora of solenoids just to find out what works and what doesn't.

Shouldn't I be looking at a Push type for the actual force and pulling/return by a spring?


Any help or direction would be appreciated.

40

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: August 01, 2015, 09:13:17 PM »

........... I need to do some more testing but the latest version of the plugin (1.2c) will shortly be freely available to any that are interested.

Tweakie.

I'm interested if this works with the impact engraving too!

Thanks in advance,
Vogavt