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Messages - LGentry

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1
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: May 24, 2013, 08:29:21 PM »
That is great that you solved the problem with your mill. Do you think changing the resistor will have any negative long term affects on the electronics? Sorry if it is a dumb question, I don't know much about electronics but do know how to solder.

2
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: May 23, 2013, 06:07:53 PM »
Macchi did you run a older version of mach when your mill and lathe worked correctly? If a older version works better I would be happy to use it. My current settings in mach allow me to make what I want, but I still have to program in pauses to reset my x,z zero. Sometimes the zero is dead on and sometimes it is out .001". It is like it catches the step most of the time now but not always. I was starting to think this is just how steppers are. Hopefully you will find a solution to the problem.

3
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: May 04, 2013, 01:53:36 AM »
Wednesday I wrote a sub that adjusted the zero as it changed which kept my zero accurate to .005 on the dial. Before turning it loose in my other subs I decided to keep trying to get my setting right even though over the past few weeks I had all but given up.

I figured out that my stepper motors act differently when cold and warm. So I did all of my testing with them warm.
I also discovered that jog inc .01 alternating directions at F6 will not keep zero enough to be used for motor tuning. Job inc .1 alternating directions at F6 works fine.
Next I made a chart of settings including bios(epp1.9, ECP), Ports and pins(step active low, dir active low, Motor tuning( step pulse, dir pulse) and using the below code for testing
  Dim a
  For a = 1 To 30
    Code "G1 Z" & 0.1 + ZOffSet & " F6"
    Code "G1 X" & 0.1 + XOffSet & " F6"
    Code "G1 Z" & 0 + ZOffSet & " F6"
    Code "G1 X" & 0 + XOffSet & " F6"
  Next

I finally got it to keep its home zero's within .0000 - .0005 on the dial. A huge difference from the .002 - .003 on the dial that I was getting before.
I ended up with Bios(EPP1.9), Ports and pins(dir active low checked, step active low unchecked), Motor tuning(steps 1600, velocity 35, acc 1, step pulse 1, dir pulse 2)
Restarted mach and it is still good. restarted computer and it is still good.
Backed up my xml.

I can finally start making chips without resetting my zero's constantly.

Thank you everyone for your help
Lewis

4
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: May 01, 2013, 07:55:58 PM »
My X backlash is ~.003 and my Z is ~.005. I adjust for this in my macro and is not a issue.
The dial only tells me that every time I change direction the motor is advanced slightly clockwise.

This code will advance my X axis ~.001, but Mach will still read X0. The code is not debugged but hopefully you will get the idea.
Code "G1 X0 F6"
dim i
for i = 1 to 10
 Code "G1 X.01 F6"
 Code "G1 X0 F6"
next
F1 will produce the same results

If I make the loop for i = 1 to 100 then I will be ~.01 advanced clockwise, but mach will still read X0.
In my macro I have to program a stop five times to adjust my zero so it will home correctly and cut to my +/- .001 tolerance.

Tonight in my macro I am going to start writing a sub that will keep track of X/Z movements and adjust the axis value to compensate for my problem. I am not to fond of making a band aid, but I can't afford servos and don't know what else to do.

Thanks
Lewis

5
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: May 01, 2013, 01:08:11 AM »
This only helped until I rebooted Mach3 then it went back to missing steps when direction is changed. I tried lowering acceleration and speed in motor tuning, but it just ran slower and still missed steps. I searched google for similar problems and read for hours. I tried different settings at random but nothing seemed to help.

I removed the Z axis motor from the lathe and reinstalled the wheel to see if the motor is still missing steps. I did this to eliminate the backlash nut, gibs, and any other form of binding. It was still missing steps.

Next I suspected XP and all of the programs and data I had on there. I had already disabled everything, but since I had a hard drive laying around why not start fresh.

I installed a 19GB hard drive into my tower, so I could format and reinstall XP and not loose my data.
I formatted the disk in ntfs, installed XP SP1 in standard PC mode. Before it was running SP2 so I thought SP1 might be better.
I followed the instructions on http://www.machsupport.com/downloads/XP_Optimization.txt except for #9 because I installed in standard mode.
I ran driver test. Preparation was successful, PPS ran between 25038 and 25039, pulse rating is system excellent. 
I downloaded and used the Sherline lathe (inch)xml found at ftp://machsupport.com/XMLs/Sherline%20Lathe%28Inch%29.xml

In bios
Peripheral config mode is set to ECP, ACPI Suspend State is S3(STR). I also set Peripheral config mod to EPP1.9, but it did not help.

I start Mach, selected Sherline lathe and select manual. It reads that the driver successfully initialized.
With the motor on the desk it still looses steps jog inc .01 feed 6 or feed 1 alternating direction.
It will not loose steps if I keep going in the same direction. It only happens with a direction change. After 10-12 direction changes it looses .001 on the dial of the wheel. My Z would get .012 out after peck drilling 1.5" when it was hooked up to the lathe

I moved the wire from the PC to the driver box and the driver box to the motor away from any other wires, which also did not help.

I can install the Linux software that came with my lathe and see if it is still losing steps. It is the only way I know to eliminate the software. I don't want to use Linux because I can write my own macros in mach using VB.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Lewis

 

6
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: April 10, 2013, 08:39:36 PM »
Setting the step pulse active high fixed the problem.
Thank you Hood and Rich for your help :D

7
General Mach Discussion / Re: Gaining .0001 steps
« on: April 10, 2013, 09:58:07 AM »
The lathe is a 4400. The backlash in mach is not checked. There is not much backlash in the lathe I would guess around .001 and it doesn't bind at all.

8
General Mach Discussion / Gaining .0001 steps
« on: April 10, 2013, 02:13:51 AM »
I am gaining .0001 every time I move +X and -Z. If I move +X ten times my zero is off .001. Over the scope of my program X and Z get to far out.
I verified this by setting jog to .001 and slowly alternating X. After ten moves my zero is out .001.
-X and +Z do not gain the .0001 and work fine.

I am running Mach3, XP, Sherline lathe, Sherline stepper motors.
I have Sherline 1/2 pulse mode checked.
X axis step pin# is 3, Dir pin#2
Z axis step pin# is 7, Dir pin#6
Dir Low active and Step Low active are both checked
Step port and Dir Port are both at 1
Steps per is 16000, motor velocity is 37, acceleration is 3, step pulse is 2

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


9
VB and the development of wizards / Re: Mach3 script editor bug?
« on: February 10, 2013, 10:37:50 PM »
I separated the code into subs. This was done because the profile and material is the only part of the project that changes. I plan to make buttons or List box in mach so the profile and material can be changed by the operator.
In the code when if falls out of the first loop CurrentX is set to the finish level. I put this in place to set the last roughing cut right above the finish cuts instead of taking lots of finish cuts. Would you consider this code safe from a infinite loop and less of a mess?


Code: [Select]
ProfileCut "Profile1", "Acrylic", .04, 0, .01, .001, 3, .4

Sub ProfileCut(ByVal ProFileName, ByVal Material, ByVal StartX, ByVal EndX, ByVal RoughingDepth, ByVal FinishDepth, ByVal NumFinishCuts, ByVal SafeX)
  Dim i
  Dim FeedRate
  Dim CurrentX
  CurrentX = StartX
 
  Code "G0 X" & SafeX 'Back away X
  Code "G0 Z.01" 'Back away Z .01
  Code "G0 X" & CurrentX + .01 'Get X close
  FeedRate = MaterialSort(Material) 'Set feedrate based on material

  While ((CurrentX) > (EndX + (FinishDepth * NumFinishCuts))) 'If above finish line
'Print "While " & CurrentX & " > " & (EndX + (FinishDepth * NumFinishCuts))
    ProfileSort ProFileName, CurrentX, FeedRate, SafeX 'Send cut to profile type
'Print "Cut" & CurrentX
    CurrentX = CurrentX - RoughingDepth 'Set next roughing X
  Wend

  CurrentX = EndX + (FinishDepth * NumFinishCuts ) 'Set CurrentX to top of finish cuts after drop
  For i = 1 To (NumFinishCuts + 1) 'Loop finish cuts
    ProfileSort ProFileName, CurrentX, FeedRate, SafeX 'Send cut to profile type
'Print "Cut" & CurrentX
    CurrentX = CurrentX - FinishDepth 'Set next finishing X
  Next I
End Sub

'//Gets Feed rate by material
Function MaterialSort( ByVal Material)
  If Material = "Acrylic" Then MaterialSort = 10
  'Add more materials
End Function

'//Gets Profile
Sub ProfileSort(ByVal ProFileName, CurrentX, FeedRate, ByVal SafeX)
  If ProfileName = "Profile1" Then Profile1 CurrentX, FeedRate, SafeX 'Sort profile
  'Add more sub profiles
End Sub

'//Profile
Sub Profile1(ByVal CurrentX, ByVal FeedRate, ByVal SafeX) 'A profile
  Code "G1 X" & CurrentX + 0.110 & " Z0.00 F" & FeedRate
  Code "G2 X" & CurrentX + 0.190 & " Z-0.075 R-0.066 F" & FeedRate
  Code "G1 X" & CurrentX + 0.130 & " Z-0.600 F" & FeedRate
  Code "G0 X" & SafeX     'Back away X
  Code "G0 Z0.01" 'Back away Y
  Code "G0 X" & CurrentX + .01 'Sets x to the base to save time
End Sub


10
VB and the development of wizards / Re: Mach3 script editor bug?
« on: February 10, 2013, 05:19:03 PM »
Much cleaner code than mine.
I will modify and test, then post up the results.

Thanks again for all of your help :D

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