Messages

3021

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: 3d Probing on Granite slabs

« on: February 26, 2019, 03:07:29 AM »

Hi,
with Autoleveller you present a Gcode job for the PCB. Autoleveller inspects the Gcode file to determine the
extents of the machined area and then proposes a Gcode file to probe the enclosed surface area in a rectangular
pattern. You might specify that you want probe points no more than 5mm apart so it will generate a Gcode file
that will drive a probe in that pattern and record the results.

I imagine if you present a Gcode file but instead of PCB tracks letters to be engraved then Autoleveller will
happily determine the extent of the letters to be machined and generate a probe file automatically.

I rather doubt you need an expensive probe. I would have thought a small button type switch with a stem on in that
you could mount in your spindle. If you glued a short extension onto the button and had the two wires from the
button terminals to your BoB that would be enough. Is precision beyond 0.1mm-0.2mm required?  Thus you could
make a probe for under $5.

If you use AutolvellerAE the data produced by all the probe points is put into a file which gives a colour rendering
of the surface. Thereafter Autoleveller will take your original engraving file and modify the Z cut depth to match the
surface contour. That modified or corrected file is the one you use to cut the letters.

Craig

3022

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: 3d Probing on Granite slabs

« on: February 26, 2019, 01:37:31 AM »

Hi,
as I suggested ask Smurph about the upcoming contour feature in Mach4.

Have you tried to get a probe file from the Autoleveller software. I would recommend AoutlevellerAE, it produces
a probe file and THEN corrects the code.

Autoleveller software is open source, you can download it and see how it works.

3023

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 jogging output.. diagnostics screen

« on: February 25, 2019, 09:55:24 PM »

Hi,

It would be very helpful to know what Mach sends to the UC100 and what it sends back.  I don't see the protocol documented anywhere.

Nor will you, that's like looking under the hood, there is proprietary information there, not just NFS's but CNCDrives as well.

I have never enabled the sim plugin

The Sim plugin is enabled and selected as motion controller by default. Please double check the selected motion controller.

I am very surprised that the UC100 does not have a well developed diagnostic page. I have attached a picture of the
diagnostic screen for the ESS, with the note that the latest build of the ESS plugin diagnostic is even more loaded with stuff.

With the lathe, I can live without backlash comp, as most of the cutting I do is in one direction, and backlash doesn't matter during tool retraction.  Its a must for my mill though.

To my knowledge none of the UC***** series has backlash comp nor does PMDX. That leaves PoKeys 57CNC, Warp9 ESS
and Vital Sytems Hicon that do have it.

Craig

3024

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running Mach3 version 2 in windows 7

« on: February 25, 2019, 09:40:20 PM »

Hi,
both Mach3 AND Mach4 run on 64 bit PC's but not the parallel port, that MUST be 32 bit.

Mach4 has a parallel port called Dawrin (Arts joke about evolution I think) for which a $25 licence fee applies.
Darwin is not fully featured, things like backlash comp and lathe threading. Art Fenerty (the same guy
who wrote the original Mach3 parallel port driver) has said that it NEVER will be fully featured. It was intended as a cheap
way for users to sample Mach4 with an active and working motion device as opposed to the Sim(ulator) device.

Mach4 was and is intended to be complemented by an external motion controller. The perceived extra cost has presented
somewhat of a barrier to the uptake of Mach4. At this time there are five manufacturers of external motion controllers,
all US or European, that make credible and reliable Mach4 ready motion controllers. I favour the US made Ethernet SmoothStepper
while others prefer other devices. One thing that all these manufacturers have in common is high quality and well supported
devices and plenty of good history in the Mach3 market. They aren't cheap....the cheapest being about $120, a whole bunch
in the $150-$250 range and the highly developed and acclaimed Hicon up to $600.

As yet there is only one Chinese manufacturer claiming to have a Mach4 ready device, XHC, and it doesn't work. Avoid like
the plague.

There are plenty of Chinese made external controllers that work (sort of....) with Mach3 but they tend to be buggy as hell
and they wont help you fix them. There are also a whole rash of Chinese knock-off devices copying US and European made stuff.
Don't go there!

The cheapest option for you is:
1) Install Windows 7 32 bit

Next cheapest:
2) Buy a UC100, or 57CNCdb25 or a PMDX411, all about $120. Beware Chinese knock offs with these devices, buy direct from
the manufacturer or their distributor. Note that all the devices have Mach3 and Mach4 plugins so you could use either. Note
also that they have one 'ports' worth of IO, that is the equivalent of one (only) parallel port, 12 outputs and 5 inputs. That's OK
for a very simple machine, if you want a bit more then you need a more capable device and rather more money.

If your budget allows then I would consider an external motion controller, ideally one that could do both Mach3 and Mach4
should you wish at a later date. I found the motion to be smoother and faster with the ESS than the parallel port it replaced.
I like also that now I have such a wide choice of PCs that I can use and all without the parallel port stuttering and stalling.

Craig

3025

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 jogging output.. diagnostics screen

« on: February 25, 2019, 09:00:34 PM »

Hi,

Backlash compensation is a real disaster and is unusable

The UC100 (or the UC300 or the UC400) DOES NOT support backlash compensation in Mach4. CNCDrive is a relatively
recent newcomer to the Mach4 market. Their Mach4 plugin is underdeveloped, no backlash comp, lathe threading,
THC etc. All the basic functions it does have like probing and homing seem to work fine. Given CNCDrive has their
own CNC software (UCCNC) it may be some while, if ever that they develop those features.

Its not UC100 diagnostics, its the built in Mach4 diagnostics selected from the Mach4 main menu bar. 

That is the Sim plugin diagnostic. It does not reflect what the UC100 is doing. The diagnostic page is specifically
tied to, and written by the same developer as the motion control plugin it is supposed to be diagnosing.

In your case you need to display the UC100 diagnostic. As I don't have it I cant tell you what it looks like.

I'm even more suspicious that the Sim diagnostic that you have displayed suggests that the Sim plugin is working.

EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        1,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        1,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        1,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        2,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        2,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        2,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        3,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        3,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0
EX_JOG_INCR,        0,        0,        4,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0

The incrementing number in the motor2 column suggest that the axis is incrementing. But this is of course the Sim plugin and
specifically CANNOT cause motion. This suggests to me that despite your belief that the UC100 is the current motion plugin
the evidence you have posted suggests otherwise.

Would you be kind enough to double check the current motion device per the attached picture. Note that I have the Sim plugin
running on my laptop. I have the ESS plugin loaded but as the ESS is in the workshop I cant plug it in and therefore
Mach bombs because it can't communicate with its designated motion device if I select the ESS as current motion device.

Craig

3026

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running Mach3 version 2 in windows 7

« on: February 25, 2019, 08:36:57 PM »

Hi,
sorry mistyped/misclicked.... the bottom line is that you have to choose one of those course of actions.

Craig

3027

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running Mach3 version 2 in windows 7

« on: February 25, 2019, 08:35:25 PM »

Hi,
a 64 bit OS WILL NOT run Mach's parallel port.

You have to:
1) Use an external motion controller like  a SmoothStepper or UC300 and then you may use just about any PC or laptop
    with any 32 OR 64 bit OS including Windows 10.

OR


2) Install either Windows 7 32 bit or XP

Craig
     

3028

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running Mach3 version 2 in windows 7

« on: February 25, 2019, 08:34:52 PM »

Hi,
a 64 bit OS WILL NOT run Mach's parallel port.

You have to:
1) Use an external motion controller like  a SmoothStepper or UC300 and then you may use just about any PC or laptop
    with any 32 OR 64 bit OS including Windows 10.
2) Install either Windows 7 32 bit or XP

Craig
     

3029

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 jogging output.. diagnostics screen

« on: February 25, 2019, 08:10:06 PM »

Hi,
can you post a screen shot of the diagnostic page?.

I have a ESS and the diagnostic page is distinctly different to the example you have posted.
It may be the UC100 diagnostics looks very similar to the Sim plugin diagnostic.

Do your stepper drivers have an Enable input and is that input working?

Craig

3030

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running Mach3 version 2 in windows 7

« on: February 25, 2019, 07:46:05 PM »

Hi,
is the new PC windows 7 32 bit?

Try running DriverTest.exe, it will install the driver.

Craig