Messages

4611

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Spindle at Speed

« on: May 09, 2018, 03:30:54 AM »

Hi Steve,
your post is most informative.

I a while back was trying o help a bloke who wanted the Gcode file to pause until an AT_SPEED output on his VFD came good.
I used the mc.SignalWait() API. I had some bother with it until I discovered that the range of input signals for which it works is limited
from 0-63, ergo ISIG_SPINDLE_AT_SPEED being outside that range didn't work. I commented at the time that had even the shortest of
comments about the restriction in the API.chm document would have been most handy.

Once we had that matter in hand coding the rest was pretty straight forward.

Is there any formal process where users might post a specific addition or correction to the current documentation? There has been two posts in recent
months where this particular problem has cropped up for users. I was able to assist in both cases but it would have been easier still if the document had
a single line addition.

Craig

4612

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Can I use Granite Devices SimpleMotion drive plugin in trial version of Mach4

« on: May 08, 2018, 08:42:25 PM »

Hi,
kool, I looked all though their site and missed that. My aplogies to OP.

Craig

4613

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Can I use Granite Devices SimpleMotion drive plugin in trial version of Mach4

« on: May 08, 2018, 06:19:24 PM »

Hi,
Mach, either 3 or 4, is primarily a Gcode interpreter and a trajectory planner. Gocde is processed,
Mach decides the required toolpath trajectory and produces numeric data on P(osition) ,V(elocity)
over T(ime) or PVT.

The PVT data is received by a motion controller and its firmware plugin, the motion controller then produces
Step/Direction pulses for the motor drives. The motion controller was traditionally some very clever code running
at kernel level on the PCs CPU and called a Parallel Port Driver. More recently external controllers have become the
norm, they have either an FPGA, a DSP or microcontroller on board. The manufacturer of the controller is
responsible for producing the firmware plugin.

Granite Devices have not produced such a plugin.

Craig

4614

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mache4 Lathe-pmdx411 incremental move problem

« on: May 08, 2018, 02:55:39 PM »

Hi,
sorry I have a Mach4 mill only.

I follow your argument that both strings are the same length, ergo length is not the determinate.

It rather suggests that 'h' axis movement is not properly supported by Mach.

Craig

4615

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Can I use Granite Devices SimpleMotion drive plugin in trial version of Mach4

« on: May 08, 2018, 02:33:44 PM »

Hi,
to use Mach4 requires a Mach4 compatible motion controller and plugin. Granite Devices do not make such a thing.

To use Granite Devices Drives would require you buy an external motion controller like a SmoothStepper or a UC100 which have Mach compatible plugins and they will issue
pulses to the drives. Both of these two boards have both Mach3 and Mach4 plugins so you could choose either.

Craig

4616

General Mach Discussion / Re: Guidence Request... Surface probing with Mach3 & a Gecko G540.

« on: May 08, 2018, 03:49:18 AM »

Hi,
as I posted earlier I use a software utility called Autoleveller. It was designed to probe circuit board material and modify your Gcode routing file to accommodate warp and bows in the blank
material. Even the slightest warp or twist has a very deleterious effect when isolation routing circuit boards and the software helps immensely.

I believe it would work equally well to 'flatten' a door panel.

http://www.autoleveller.co.uk/

Note that it is free but there is also a subscription version for 20GBP. I liked it that much I bought it. The paid version allows the software to create a probefile and can create a visual representation
of the panel including all it twists etc. Then it uses that data to alter the Z movements in your carving file and THEN you run the modified file. It does take a little of thinking about to start with
but I'd guess you'd be very happy that all that work had been done for you, all the extra software you require in one lump for 20 GBP!

Craig

4617

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Question - Redcam CNC won't run with Mach 3

« on: May 08, 2018, 03:34:48 AM »

Hi,
yeah a manual would be great!

May well need to take the top off the control box so we can get a look inside, its a really useful test to put a multimeter on a Dir(ection) output and observe that its level changes.
You never know, the manufacturer may have been kind enough to put LEDs on the outputs and you wouldn't even need a multimeter.

A couple of well focused and composed photos of the inside of the box would be good.

Craig

4618

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Spindle at Speed

« on: May 08, 2018, 03:26:09 AM »

Hi,
yeah, decided I like this Zero Brane editor. Still got quite a way to go to match the flexibility of debugger in a mainstream IDE, but its a good step in the right direction.

Helmut, you may not realize that Zero Brane is new, very new, maybe a month old or so. I understand your frustration that NFS has not done a lot of documentation or
given Mach4 a lot of pre-programmed solutions to things but they haven't been idle. This Zero Brane editor is a good step. Note that it makes programming and debugging easier,
it doesn't make Mach4 Plug'n'Play. It is a clear indication of where NFS is heading.

I hope you stick with Mach4 because once you become accustomed to the 'ethos' you will come to realize just how damn good it is! If you get in now it will develop around you whereas
if you try to pick it up in a couple of years time it will be OVERWHELMING, its quite enough of a shock as is!

Craig

4619

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Spindle at Speed

« on: May 08, 2018, 03:06:42 AM »

Hi,
Find works on my installation. Haven't tried all the combinations yet but finding variables no sweat.

Craig

4620

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Question - Redcam CNC won't run with Mach 3

« on: May 07, 2018, 09:59:54 PM »

Hi,
yes DriverTest.exe should be in the Mach3 folder. Given that to OS is 32 bit it should run.
There is no point trying further experiments until you can positivley confirm that the parallel
port driver is running. Look again through the Mach3 folder. If its not there download a fresh
copy and try again.

You would need a different controller connected via USB or Ethernet IF you have either a laptop
or a 64 bit OS, but that is not a concern here.

Craig