Messages

4031

General Mach Discussion / Re: Precise calibration but inconsistent incremental movements

« on: July 14, 2018, 09:25:42 PM »

Hi,
sort of sounds like a rounding issue.

Can you post the 'steps per unit, 'max velocity' and 'acceleration' values for both axes?

Craig

4032

Mach4 Videos / Re: ZeroBrane Tip - Custom AutoComplete

« on: July 14, 2018, 04:59:52 PM »

Hi DtG,

another great video....all your videos are a real boon to new users especially but regular users benefit by your explanations about new features
added to Mach.

Thanks again.

Craig

4033

Mach4 Videos / Re: ZeroBrane Tip - Debug Environment

« on: July 14, 2018, 04:56:24 PM »

Hi DtG,

more top work....thanks.

Craig

4034

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Problem running XY Offset Calibration Probe

« on: July 14, 2018, 02:44:42 PM »

Hi,
I use an ESS and I do have a little filtering on the probe. I also have a 500pF capacitor on the input pin.

While its true you don't want excessive filtering which would slow the 'probe strike event' modest filtering is fine.

Craig

4035

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Problem running XY Offset Calibration Probe

« on: July 14, 2018, 10:32:35 AM »

Hi,
yes that is the same as de-bounce.

Craig

4036

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ESS Inputs and Outputs not doing anything

« on: July 13, 2018, 05:25:36 PM »

Hi,
have you read the section on signals yet?

The Machine Diagnostics screen is to help you, a visual representation of what's going on inside. If you deleted the entire  Machine Diagnostics tab Mach would carry
on working. You are getting hung up on the visual display of your settings rather than what Mach does with them.

Have you put any code in the SigLib table yet? If so what code? It might be worth putting a wxMessageBox type statement in your code to confirm that
Mach is triggering and acting on your signals. Forget the Machine Diganostics for the moment, they are causing you more confusion than they are worth.
Concentrate on getting the snippets of code in the SigLib table sorted out.

Craig

4037

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z axis going deeper and deeper

« on: July 13, 2018, 05:13:40 PM »

Hi,
it sounds like the Z axis is 'losing steps'. I know it sounds weird, how could it lose a step and yet go still lower, that sounds
like gaining a step doesn't it? In fact either gaining or losing a step or steps have the same effect, depending on how your Z axis is arranged
it might mean it goes higher OR lower.


Try running the program but with the Z axis above the part, 'cutting air', without the spindle running. Does it behave? Now run it again with the
spindle running. Does it behave? Spindles often produce a lot of electrical noise and can affect things like losing steps.

Its also possible that you have the Z axis tuned to agressively and the stepper can't keep up. Try a low maximum velocity in the Z axis tuning page with
an even lower acceleration. If it helps then you know you'll have to work out the reliable limits of your Z axis.

Craig

4038

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ESS Inputs and Outputs not doing anything

« on: July 13, 2018, 04:53:15 PM »

Hi,

The only reason I started with Input 2 was when I looked in the Sig Lib there was already entries for Inputs 0 and 1.  Just figured it would be easier not to mess with those.

Yes that's good.

Just need to know the motors are working so the machine doesn't rip it self apart if one drops out

That's pretty crude...even for proof of concept. The 'In Range' HLFB is the correct use of the signal, if the servo differs from its commanded position
by greater than an amount you program it will fault. Note that would include one servo shutting down...it would get out of position very quickly and fault,
stopping the machine.

Also, that wouldn't fix the problem of Mach4 not responding to changes in those inputs after the machine is enabled, right?

Wrong. Read section 3.2.4 of the Scripting Manual.pdf in your Docs folder about how signals work.

The simple explanation is that ANYTIME a signal, ANY SIGNAL, in Mach changes state the Signal Script runs. The Signal Script in turn looks
in the SigLib table to see if there is an entry there which matches the changed signal. That is the SigLib table contains only the signals we are interested
in. Thus in this case lets say one of your servos fault in operation....the HLFB will de-assert.....the Input#n to which it is attached will change state....the Signal
Script will run....the SigLib table has an entry [ISIG_INPUTn] and will therefore execute the function attached to the table entry, which will stop Mach and
post a fault report on the status line or in the log if you wish it.

Craig

4039

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: setting up mach 4 demo

« on: July 13, 2018, 04:32:22 PM »

Hi Ken,
restart under your profile. Given that its a copy either would work but you are going to modify your profile for your circumstances and so want your
own. Additionally when, in a few months time, you download the latest build of Mach4 it will include a new copy of Mach4Router and overwrite the
original. If you were using it all your personal settings would be lost.

Each profile uses a screen set, I think Mach4Router uses wx4.set. Over a period of time you will modify the screen set as well and you should have
a personalized copy of that too for the same reasons. To start with its not really a concern. I suggest leave that for a later date, once you get around
to making your own screen tweaks it will make a lot more sense anyway.

Once you have opened Mach under you profile go to Configure/Control/Plugins and enable all the useful looking plugins. I use the Ethernet SmoothStepper
and naturally its in my list of available plugins whereas your list will have an entry relating to the UC100 plugin.

Now you have a choice. If you wish to use Mach4 on your PC but WITHOUT hooking up your router then carry on with the Sim(ulator) plugin,
it will run without limit. If you wish to hook your machine up you will have to select the UC100 as the active motion device. Thereafter Mach will
run for six minutes before needing reset until you licence it.

To select the UC100 go to Configure/Select Motion Device and check the UC100. You'll need to restart to have Mach read your new setting.

You can now go to Configure/Plugins/UC100 and set up your UC100 for your machine. As I don't have one I will not be able to help much
with that part.

Craig

4040

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ESS Inputs and Outputs not doing anything

« on: July 13, 2018, 04:02:57 PM »

Hi,

Was trying to get it setup so that the lights would only come on in Mach4 when the input losses the 5v. 

That is possible but why bother? In very short order you are going to reprogram HLFB to 'In Range', its the real use of the HLFB
and if it goes active it will stop the machine. Who cares about the LEDs. Additionally if you follow the same advice I gave Tom about handling
HLFB which servo has faulted will be reported to Mach in the status line.

As one last argument, having the LEDs for the first half a dozen inputs, Input#0 though Input#5, is really handy. But once you have worked out how
to handle HLFB properly you'll no longer need the LEDs and so you will redo the assignments to Input#20 through Input#25 say which leaves the
LEDs un-attached so you can use them for the new thing you are working on today.

Craig