Messages

3631

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Problem. How to make a generic MPG work with Mach 4 Guide,

« on: September 20, 2018, 05:54:43 PM »

Hi Zuxtah,
could it be that the jogging functions get greyed out because Mach is still has focus on the Gcode interpreter?

Mach can jog or do Gcode, it can't do both at once.

Craig

3632

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Need help with M6 Macro, translating from Mach3 to Mach4

« on: September 20, 2018, 05:51:06 PM »

Hi Havoc340,
one of Mach4 strengths is its ability to be customized. That requires that you code in Lua.

That can be a steep learning curve, I could help but am not inclined to do it for you wthout
you helping yourself. Do you want to do so?

Craig

3633

Share Your GCode / Re: Cutting circle

« on: September 20, 2018, 02:44:04 PM »

Hi,
look at G2 or G3....circular interpolation is native Gcode!

Craig

3634

General Mach Discussion / Re: Drivers

« on: September 20, 2018, 02:23:14 PM »

Hi,
Machs parallel port, which is what DriverTest.exe actually tests, will not run on any 64bit OS including Windows 8.
To run the parallel port driver requires Windows 7 or earlier, 32 bit.

To use Mach on a Windows 8 PC you will require an external motion controller.

An ordinary USB to parallel converter will not work.

There are devices (UC100, PMDX-411, 57CNCD25) for $100-$120 which plug in to a USB port and have a DB25 parallel port plug output,
and behave like a converter. They in fact have an FPGA IC inside and that makes them way WAY too clever to be a converter,
they are in fact external motion controllers. There are other external controllers with more IO like a SmoothStepper or UC300
but the cost goes up another $50 or so.

Note that if you look on Ebay or Amazon you'll find lots of Chinese copy UC100's. They don't work like the real thing, buy
direct from CNCDrive or their nominated distributor or you will get ripped off.

There are plenty of Chinese made external motion controllers as well, I don't recommend any of them. If you do any reading on the forum
you hear hundreds of stories of people who can't get them to work right and they wont help either. If you buy cheap s*********t then you
are on your own.

Craig

3635

General Mach Discussion / Re: Adding New Home Switch

« on: September 20, 2018, 09:17:54 AM »

Hi,
that should work.

I always prefer one input per home switch if you have spare inputs.

Craig

3636

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: September 19, 2018, 03:39:45 AM »

Hi,
good news.

Set the drive to max rpm of 1000 which give me 5m minute and re-autotuned the CSMIO

I think this is a mistake, the drive and servo should be programmed for maximum speed (3000rpm)  but the 5m/min axis speed limitation
should be in Mach.

A max servo speed setting is useful if there is some VNE (velocity never exceeded) like leadscrew whip or voltage overload on deceleration
for instance. Normal axis speed settings are rightly the province of the motion planner, Mach in this case.

Craig

3637

FAQs / Re: converting from lpt to usb

« on: September 17, 2018, 11:16:58 PM »

Hi,
I live in Akaroa, the aerial shot is part if my signature, but work in Christchurch.

Craig

3638

FAQs / Re: converting from lpt to usb

« on: September 17, 2018, 09:42:51 PM »

Hi,
well you'll need the manufacturers plugin at the very least.

Quite frankly your on a 'hiding to nowhere' with a Chinese board and no information.

It seems to me you have two choices:
1) Buy another PC with a parallel port or at least a PCI slot to put one.
2) Buy a decent (US or European) external motion controller. The Ethernet SmoothStepper (Wapr9 TD)
and the UC300 (CNCDrive) are two worthy examples. Tons of info, the manufacturers maintain a forum to back
up their customers and they work as advertised....no bull.

Craig

3639

FAQs / Re: converting from lpt to usb

« on: September 17, 2018, 07:40:23 PM »

Hi,
when I did this I changed from Mach3 to Mach4 and from parallel port to an Ethernet SmoothStepper.
I just made a new profile from scratch.

Craig

3640

FAQs / Re: converting from lpt to usb

« on: September 17, 2018, 07:38:28 PM »

Hi,
your USB controller will have a plugin which has to be configured.

It should not be difficult to copy your profile onto a different PC which would include all your old
parallel port settings but you will have make some new ones for the USB controller.

What controller did you buy?

Craig