Messages

7031

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 & zero probe - safety switches

« on: May 09, 2017, 10:24:27 PM »

Hi,
I'm unfamiliar with the UC100 but have some experience with the ESS.

My understanding is that if you use an external motion controller (any of them) then Mach interacts with the plugin associated with your
particular controller. In that situation the parallel port is inoperative. You can have one or t'other, not both.

With the UC100 operating any parallel ports cant communicate with Mach. The parallel port is much more than the external 25 pin connector,
its the software driver that allows it to communicate with Mach and its interrupt driven timer that allows it to produce a pulse stream.

If you want more IO then consider a different controller, the ESS and PoKeys devices have the equivalent of three ports worth of pins, I think
some of the UC100s larger siblings have multiple ports worth of IO too. Another alternative is to investigate Modbus. Modbus TCP would allow
any amount of IO.

Craig

7032

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Configuration of Mach4 for homing with reference contacts

« on: May 09, 2017, 09:10:41 PM »

Hi,
not sure that I understand exactly what you want to achieve.

My understanding of Mach4 Homing functions in this manner:
1)Ref All instruction
     [Turns off Homed LEDs, initiates movement on each axis according to homing order, direction and speed per user applied
       settings]
2)Home switch activation
     [Stops axis motion, reverses direction and backs off the switch until activation, set axis machine zero, apply user defined offset
       to axis DRO]
3) Home remaining axes in order
4) Turn on Axis Homed LEDs
       [Issues 'Referencing Complete' notice]

The important point is that each axis has a machine co-ord zero reference at the location where its Home switch reactivates. The offset
is applied to the DRO relative to that zero. Your post suggests that you wish to nominate a different location as machine zero. I don't
believe 'offset' will do that for you.

I can see a way around it tho.
If you drive your machine to the home location with the Ref All button per normal, then MDI to the desired machine zero, presumably one
corner of your travel envelop, then 'machine zero in place' This could be achieved by adding suitable code to your Ref All button.

Craig

7033

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: File operations, reading a line of position data

« on: May 09, 2017, 07:56:28 PM »

Hi,
I reused a piece of LUA code I found in one of the LUA Examples folder that ships with Mach4.
It is a file navigation panel which allow you to browse for a file and open it. Its structure and
operation owe more to wxWigets than LUA or Mach4....

Code: [Select]

inst = mc.mcGetInstance();
    -- create the wxFrame window
    mainframe = wx.wxFrame( wx.NULL,          -- no parent
                        wx.wxID_ANY,          -- whatever for wxWindow ID
                        "DummyFrame", -- frame caption
                        wx.wxDefaultPosition, -- place the frame in default position
                        wx.wxDefaultSize,     -- default frame size
                        wx.wxDEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE ); -- use default frame styles

    -- create a panel in the frame
    panel = wx.wxPanel(mainframe, wx.wxID_ANY);--We are not going to show it but we need to have this to use the File dialog

local file = wx.wxFileDialog(panel, "Select Probe File", "", "", "Text files (*.txt)|*.txt|Tap files (*.tap)|*.tap",
                             wx.wxFD_SAVE,wx.wxDefaultPosition,wx.wxDefaultSize, "File Dialog" );
        if(file:ShowModal() == wx.wxID_OK)then;
            local pathRPF = file:GetPath();
-- Edit this format statement at your own risk   
mc.mcCntlProbeFileOpen(inst, pathRPF, "X%.4AXIS_X Y%.4AXIS_Y Z%.4AXIS_Z\r\n", true);
Maybe of use.

Craig

7034

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problem getting torch to fire - Mach3, Proma TCH, Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38

« on: May 09, 2017, 07:41:41 PM »

Hi,
there will have to be a output assigned to Mach3 to control the plasma.
Go to Config/Ports and Pins/Output Signals and scan thru the list, is there a signal which looks like it may have been used to control
the Cutmaster 51? If so note the port and pin number assigned to the output.

On the diagnostics tab you should now see the output LED go active when M3 is called in a cut program. Sorry, just rereading
your post and it appears Output1 is the signal of interest.
With a multimeter measure the voltage of the pin assigned to  Output1 and it should reflect the status of the Output1 LED.

You may have to use an amplifier or relay attached to that pin to control your plasma. Do you have a manual for the 38?

I repair welding equipment for a living, on leave at the moment, but don't recall a Thermal Dynamics 38 having an input to fire the arc.
In which case you will have to seize control of the torch trigger circuit, I would suggest a set of normally open contacts of a relay. Also
from memory if the torch parts, the retaining cup, nozzle etc are not 'in place' the trigger circuit is disabled. You should not interfere or
disable that feature its a safety precaution to prevent you from electrocution.

Craig

7035

General Mach Discussion / Re: steppers are acting strange

« on: May 09, 2017, 07:19:57 PM »

Hi,
what stepper drivers are you using? It sounds like they are not microstepping in the way you think they should.

May I suggest as an experiment to set the drivers to full step and see if you can make the calculation and the reality
match. Thereafter you will be able to change say the microstepping and have a feel if its working correctly.

If you set the driver to full step then 200 pluses will secure one revolution of the stepper. If the axis moves 154 mm per
revolution of the stepper then set the steps per to 1.2987. Leave max speed at 2000mm/min accel 50 and try MDIing.

Craig

7036

General Mach Discussion / Re: steppers are acting strange

« on: May 09, 2017, 07:08:06 PM »

Hi,
I'm trying to imagine the situation you're describing. I guess you have a 22 tooth pulley on the motor shaft and a 7mm pitch timing belt
around the pulley and anchored under tension at each end of the axis?

If that's the case then your calculation looks about right yet its not from what you've described.

Just to confirm go to Config/Select Native Units and check that the units are mm. There is a warning not to use this setting if you wish just
to cut a job with an inch program, there is a better way to do that. In fact once you've set the native units you should never have to go
back there.

7037

General Mach Discussion / Re: E-Stop not working

« on: May 09, 2017, 06:47:10 PM »

Hi,
have you assigned on Config/Ports and Pins/Input Signals X++, X--, Y++ etc?

Your post suggests that you are going to have one circuit for each axis, so you will need to enable X++ and assign to pin 11 port1,
X-- must be enabled and assigned to the same pin, ie pin 11 port 1.

You should now with a small piece of wire short pin 11 to either 0V or 12V of the input pin powersupply and see the limit switch LED
on the diagnostics screen light up. Whether it lights up when pin 11 is shorted to 0V or 12V will depend on the 'active low' assignment
you've made on Config/Ports and Pins/Input Signals page.

Craig

7038

General Mach Discussion / Re: ref all home does not see home switches

« on: May 09, 2017, 06:34:09 PM »

Hi,
double check that on Config/Ports an Pins/Input Signals that you have enabled X Home, Y Home etc...
Mach wont react to them unless they have been assigned.

Craig

7039

General Mach Discussion / Re: Working with 6axis breakout board

« on: May 09, 2017, 06:22:05 PM »

Hi,
I suggest in the first instance don't bother to hook your motors up to the Breakout Board (BoB) to start with. What you need to do
is establish that Machs parallel port is in fact communicating to the BoB.

Aa a first step you need to run DriverTest.exe in Mach3 folder. Take the time to read and understand all the data contained there. It
will give you a pretty good indication whether Mach3 has control of the parallel port (PP).

Assuming the PP is working now try to get the Estop pin working on the BoB. When the BoB pin is activated it should cause Mach3  to
go to disabled mode as evidenced by the Reset button blinking. Further Mach should ignore any attempt to reset until the Estop input
is deactivated.

Note that Mach3 requires an enabled Estop input, its the only mandatory input in Mach. On the Config/Ports and Pins/Input Signals page
scan down until you find Estop, in Machs default configuration it is assigned to pin 10 of port 1. Make sure that the input is enabled (a green
tick in the first column) and you can set 'active low' to suit your board. It may be that your BoB in absence of any external circuit will be
logic high so if 'active low' is unchecked then Mach3 will interpret the Estop signal as 'every thing normal'. If you then use a piece of wire to
drag pin 10 logic low by shorting to 0V on the board somewhere Mach3 should interpret that event as 'emergency' and shut everything down.

I will see if I cant find the manual for your BoB and help you hook up the Estop, if you have the manual can you post it?

Craig

7040

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parallel Port help

« on: May 08, 2017, 08:05:29 PM »

Hi,
can you run 'DriverTest.exe' in the Mach3 folder? While not ironclad its a good test to see if the parallel port installed correctly.

Craig