Messages

6441

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servos vs Hybrid Steppers with CS labs controller

« on: October 04, 2017, 01:49:35 PM »

Hi,

The Cs Labs  CSMIO/IP-M 4  is around £270 and doesn't require BOB.

Check out the restricted functionality, it doesn't look quite as appealing.

Plain two phase steppers are as you say very common. I have no recomndation to make that favours one manufacturer over another.
Not all manufacturers list the inductance but is an important figure of merit, go for the least in a given size. 800+ oz.in 34 size are likely
to be 6+A try to find units with inductance less than 5mH.

Craig

6442

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: October 04, 2017, 01:09:19 PM »

Hi,
the daughter board 'Mach4 Toolbox' is the right spot.

It is my experience that a large fraction of users don't read or search the forum. Would they find anything?

Generating some useful code is worthwhile but learning how to write it and the thinking that goes on to improve and develop the code is
even more valuable.

Craig

6443

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servos vs Hybrid Steppers with CS labs controller

« on: October 04, 2017, 10:10:01 AM »

Hi,
I can find some documentation about the SEM30 and Norwin drives, but doubt the models I've seen are indentical to yours but none the
less can well imagine that you wish to retain them if they are in working order. That would require an analogue output controller.
As you say CSLabs do a nice unit but around $600 and Vital Systems also have a good reputation but their analogue ready controller is $1200.
Galill is really classy gear but three axis analogue around $2000.
An ESS by Warp9 (step/dir) is $180. The difference between the CsLabs analogue and the ESS is about $400, still not enuf to replace the servos
certainly with AC servos but you may find that good sized steppers and drives can be had for that budget.

My concern would be 'what happens if one of the Norwin drives craps out?' Can I repair it? Could it be replaced and how much? So there is a risk
in retaining the old servos and drives over and above the premium paid for an analogue controller.

Price two 34 size low inductance steppers, big suckers, 800 oz.in or better, 72V supply and two AM882s. When set up properly they should not lose steps
and will be quick if not as fast as the servos they replace. You may like the idea that the smart drives can overcome lost steps but if you are pushing steppers
to the extent that they start losing steps then its probable that the drives will throw a 'following fault' error. Don't be taken in by the advertising hype.

Craig

6444

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is there a way to slow the speed of x and y

« on: October 04, 2017, 09:43:16 AM »

Hi,
if the material allows the use of an ohmic probe touching off is so simple and accurate. Probing has become for most operators the technique of
choice.

If the material is non conductive a small piece of metal of known thickness and connected via a flexible wire to your controller is laid on the work surface.
Either an on-screen probe button or and MDI G31 probe code is issued and the spindle (not running) lowers until contact is made with the metal.
The Z co-ord is set to the gauge thickness of the metal.

If the work piece is conductive but is isolated from the frame of the machine a wire from the conductive surface is connected to your controller.
Probe contact occurs when the tip of the tool which is clamped with metal collets in the spindle which is in turn earthed to the frame of the machine.
This is a common procedure for me when I make circuit boards. One probe wire is clipped to the top copper surface of the circuit board blank
and the other wire is clipped to the spindle shaft with an alligator clip. The probe input of my controller detects the short that occurs when the tip
of the tool touches the circuit board blank. In this case the gauge thickness is zero, ie the Z work co-ord is set to zero, easy.

Craig

6445

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is there a way to slow the speed of x and y

« on: October 04, 2017, 09:09:32 AM »

Hi,
as you say it is a matter of preference.

A common procedure is to touch off to the material surface and zero the Z work co-ord. Half an inch above the material is 0.5
and a 1/8 inch cut is -0.125. The rule here is any positive Z is above the work (safe) and you can use G0 (rapids or traverse) to move around.
Any negative Z is cutting ie spindle at speed S, moves are G1 at feed rate F.

I find it simplest and therefore least confusing. As it turns out operator confusion is by far and away the most common cause of crashes. Any
procedure that minimises confusion is worthwhile.

Craig

6446

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: October 04, 2017, 03:26:29 AM »

Hi,

Code: [Select]

function m4();
local inst=mc.mcGetInstance();
mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst, mc.MC_SPINDLE_REV);
mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"m4 waiting");
local returncode=mc.mcSignalWait(inst,mc.ISIG_SPINDLE_AT_SPEED,mc.WAIT_MODE_HIGH,10.0);
    if (returncode==mc.MERROR_TIMED_OUT) then
        mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"spindle does not respond");
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst,mc.MC_SPINDLE_OFF);
    else;
        mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"m4 at speed");
    end;
end
if (mc.mcInEditor() == 1) then
    m4()
end

Code: [Select]

function m5();
local inst=mc.mcGetInstance();
mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst,mc.MC_SPINDLE_OFF);
mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"m5 stopping");
local returncode=mc.mcSignalWait(inst,mc.ISIG_SPINDLE_AT_ZERO,mc.WAIT_MODE_HIGH,10.0);
    if (returncode==mc.MERROR_TIMED_OUT) then
        mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"spindle does not respond");
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst,mc.MC_SPINDLE_OFF);
    else;
        mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"m5 is stopped");
    end;
end
if (mc.mcInEditor() == 1) then
    m5()
end
Craig

6447

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: October 04, 2017, 03:15:07 AM »

Hi Hakan,
try this for m3:

Code: [Select]

function m3();
local inst=mc.mcGetInstance();
mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst,mc.MC_SPINDLE_FWD);
mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"m3 waiting");
local returncode=mc.mcSignalWait(inst,mc.ISIG_SPINDLE_AT_SPEED,mc.WAIT_MODE_HIGH,10.0);
    if (returncode==mc.MERROR_TIMED_OUT) then
        mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"spindle does not respond");
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst,mc.MC_SPINDLE_OFF);
    else;
        mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst,"m3 at speed");
    end;
end
if (mc.mcInEditor() == 1) then
    m3()
end
Tidy and tight!

Craig

6448

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: October 04, 2017, 03:00:14 AM »

Hi Hakan,
Chaoticone is spot on, mcSignalWait is perfect.

rc = mc.mcSignalWait(
   number mInst,
   number sigId,
   number waitMode,
   number timeoutSecs);

Description:
Wait on a signal to change state.

Parameters: Parameter Description
mInst The controller instance.
sigId A valid signal ID. (NOT a signal handle)
waitMode An integer specifying whether to wait on the signal to go high (WAIT_MODE_HIGH) or low (WAIT_MODE_LOW).
timeoutSecs A double specifying a timeout period.


Returns: Return Code Description
MERROR_NOERROR No Error.
MERROR_INVALID_INSTANCE The mInst parameter was out of range.
MERROR_INVALID_ARG sigId or wiatMode is out of range or timeoutSecs is negative.
MERROR_NOT_ENABLED The control is not enabled.
MERROR_TIMED_OUT The timeout period was reached without a change of state.

Should be able to simplify the macros really well, don't even need  the signal handle!

Craig

6449

General Mach Discussion / Re: Coordinates

« on: October 04, 2017, 01:29:51 AM »

Hi,
you need to reference your machine, that is go to a particular location, repeatably, on each occasion you fire Mach up.
When you first turn on Mach doesn't know where it is UNLESS you tell it, usually specifying that location as 0,0,0. Note
these are machince co-ordinates. Mach does a very good job of tracking where it is at any given moment from that starting point
but you do have to tell it where the start is.

If you confirm the start position then you can tell Mach 'the left hand boundary is 9.5 inches to the left of 0,0,0' and likewise other
boundaries. Boundaries make no sense unless the machine has been referenced.

You may be able to wangle a way of using your limit switches to signal a location but I would recommend independent home switches.
They need to be good quality microswitches or similar to repeatably and accurately reference your machine. Does your controller have
spare inputs? Three would be ideal....you can combine them into one circuit with one input pin but one input per switch is preferred.

Craig

6450

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Spindle At Speed, Spindle Zero Problem

« on: October 03, 2017, 11:45:28 PM »

Hi,
kool guys, thanks for that.
mcSignalWait sounds very promising. I had a loop which introduced a 1 second delay until the signal came good.
One advantage of doing that was I had an incrementing counter so that if the signal didn't come good after a
reasonable time it would fault rather than hang.

Every time I think 'Oh yeah, that looks easy I'll help the bloke with that' I end up with my sleeves rolled up and
end up learning as much as the person I was supposedly helping. Keeps me off the streets.

Craig