Messages

911

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Turn off mist/flood on stop/estop

« on: January 11, 2022, 08:31:45 PM »

Hi,
how about using:

Code: [Select]

LUA Syntax:
cycle, rc = mc.mcCntlIsInCycle(
number mInst)

Description:
Used to see if a G code file is running.

in the PLC script. If the machine is 'InCycle' then leave the Mist/Flood output as is and if its not 'InCycle' then turn Mist/Flood off.

Craig

912

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Output configuration check

« on: January 11, 2022, 08:06:44 PM »

Hi,
what motion controller are you using?

If you are using an ESS as I do, then:
1)Go to the Pins Config tab of the ESS plugin
2) Assign one of the spare output pins, and give it an alias, say MyOutputPin
3) Go to the Output Signals tab of the ESS plugin and enable OSIG_OUTPUT1, and choose the exictation, namely ESS/MyOutputPin
4) Close the ESS plugin
5) Open the Control plugin and open the Output Signals tab. Confirm that the ESS plugin has correctly populated the OSIG_OUTPUT1 entry. Note this is just a check to confirm the ESS
plugin has done its job. You should NOT make ANY assignments in this tab....the ESS plugin SHOULD, if all is well, do it for you.

What you need now is some way for Mach to turn the Output#1 on and off. Try installing this in the macros folder of your profile:

Code: [Select]

function m150()
local inst=mc.mcGetInstance()
local hreg=mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst,mc.OSIG_OUTPUT1)
local MyOutputState=mc.mcSignalGetState(hreg)
if(MyOutputState==0)then
mc.mcSignalSetState(hreg,1)
else
mc.mcSignalSetState(hreg,0)
end

end
if(mc.mcInEditor()==1)then
m150()
end
Thus each time you run this macro ( m150 ) Output#1 should change state. This can be viewed on the diagnostic page, the Output#1 LED should alternately light then un-light.
Machs output signal should be reflected by the state of the ESS output pin you selected, which can in turn drive a relay or whatever.

Craig

913

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Probe not retracting

« on: January 11, 2022, 02:29:00 PM »

Hi,
I think the problem lies in the manner in which you are sensing.

I probe PCB blanks many hundred of times a day. The tip of the tool is earthed and when it touches the PCB surface the contact is detected by the probe circuit.
The controller must decelerate the axis, come to a stop and report its axis positions back to Mach. This will happen quickly but not instantly, I would guess several
milliseconds. I'm not sure, but if the report to Mach is made during the regular cycle of the motion controller as I suspect, then there could be an additional 10-25ms delay in the comms.
Once Mach gets the axis still report AND the axes positions from the motion controller then it is at liberty to issue another move, usually a g0 retract move.

From your description the motion controller/Mach is expecting the probe contact to be made continuously during that period, lets say 50ms. That comports with what I observe
with the on-screen LED that reflects the probe circuit.

May I suggest you experiment with a very simple probe circuit such as I have described and see if it works. All you need is some metallic tool in the spindle tool holder,
an endmill for instance, with a clip to ensure that is earthed and a flat piece of metal lying flat on the bed of the machine but insulated from earth with a sheet of plastic.
The probe circuit sense wire would be connected to the metal plate....it would be earthed or 'pulled low' on probe contact. With the tip of the tool 2mm above the plate,
zero the Z axis and issue this MDI:

g31 z-1
g0 z10

If this move is successful the tool will lower until it touches the surface, wait the appropriate 50ms or whatever for Mach and motion controller to do their thing
and then retract to 10mm above the surface.

That would confirm my hypothesis that the probe contact must be held while Mach and motion controller communicate.

Craig

914

General Mach Discussion / Re: First time cnc builder - and my Problems

« on: January 10, 2022, 06:45:17 PM »

Hi,
it is highly probable that electrical noise is wrecking the USB communications.

Plasma is electrically noisy....in fact its pure lightning....electrical noise by any other name. In addition most cheap Plasmas use HF start which is almost certain
to bugger up your USB comms.

Ethernet is much better in a noisy environment...but Plasma will give Ethernet a hard time too.

Try making your USB cable short, short as possible, 1 foot or less.

Craig

915

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Probe not retracting

« on: January 10, 2022, 05:29:57 PM »

Hi,
it sounds like your probe circuit has noise on it. The torch lowers until it touches but with contact bounce may make and break contact many times within
milliseconds....and that will screw up the G31 move up and thereafter the ESS will issue a <Cycle Stop> and so the torch will not retract.

Try on the Port&Pins tab of the ESS adding a value, say 5000, as filtering to your probe circuit.

You may also try reading some of the posts about troubles various users have had with the Probing module. If the ESS detects a fault during a G31 move it will error out and issue a <Cycle Stop> by default.
You can change that behaviour if you think it warranted......and some recent posts cover it.

Craig

916

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: 3D Surface Digitizing - any software or Mach4 plugins available ?

« on: January 10, 2022, 04:34:54 PM »

Hi,
I use a software (freeware) utility for probing PCB blanks prior to isolation routing to accommodate any bow or warp in the PCB material.
Its called Autloveller.

Mach4 also has a module called mc.Surface which behaves broadly similarly to Autoleveller.

Note the both of the approaches assume a minor deviation from perfectly flat and attempt to 'flatten' the code that runs on that surface,
they are not really designed for forming point clouds for example.

Craig

917

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 upgrade path - UC100 + WIN10

« on: January 10, 2022, 04:21:20 PM »

Hi,
beware that there are dozens of Chinese ripoff UC100 on Ebay and Amazon, don't get burnt, they are not a patch on the real thing.
But direct from CNCDrive or their distributor.

Given that you are using a parallel port with such limited IO then a UC100 will be OK, but why would you spend that sort of money and NOT get anything extra for it.

For instance a UC400 also from CNCDrive has 34 inputs/outputs for about the same money.

The Ethernet SmoothStepper by Warp9 has 51 inputs and outputs and does require a breakout board or boards in addition to the motion board, but is in many respects a major step
up in performance over a parallel port AND a UC100.

Craig

918

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Boss Probing Not Working

« on: January 09, 2022, 06:53:26 PM »

Hi,
 I have in recent days tumbled to the solution.

As smurh has pointed out it is common to use a g31 move to simulate a g1 move with a probe installed, it's to protect the probe....but a g31
that does not return a probe event is interpreted by some motion controllers, the ESS and UC100 certainly and maybe others, as a fault.
The ESS by default issues a <Cycle Stop> if that is the case and probing routines like mcProbing fail as a result.

The Probing Tab of the ESS plugin has a setting to disable the <Cycle Stop> in the event of a non-contact g31 move.

Craig

919

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 - Two types of Probe - Active low and active high - how to have both?

« on: January 09, 2022, 06:31:24 PM »

Hi,
 yes plugging the probe in to the right socket will do the trick, but Mach is expecting either a normally closed or a normally open contact. Both probe will
have to be the same....which may in turn require a 'logical invert' but into one of the probes.

Craig

920

General Mach Discussion / Re: I want a proper Mach3 licence instead of the Chinese issued version.

« on: January 09, 2022, 04:18:02 PM »

Hi,

Hope its warmer where you live. The mercury just sank out of sight. 0 deg F or -20C

Mid-summer here, and pleasant, has not been too hot yet, and has been enough rain to keep the place green, and long may it continue.

I would probably just extend the wires being easiest and most direct even if it demands patience. Unless your impedance levels are poorly chosen it should have minimal
impact on noise performance.

It bemuses me that people shield this and shield that, ferrite rings here there and everywhere without ever asking the question 'why are my signal circuits so prone to
electrical noise?. Is there a way to design and build them that makes those circuits less susceptible?'

The answer is YES, you can, and bloody well should, design your circuits so that they are invulnerable to noise, not impervious, but invulnerable.

As an example in the ESS_Split1 board I posted earlier I used dual op-amps to generate differential Step and Direction signals for the servos. But note that the impedance levels at the inputs
of the op-amps ranges between 4.7kOhm and 10kOhm, while the signal levels are only 2.5V, and therefore subject to noise. My mistake. I discovered the other day when I was trying to drive
my Allen Bradley spindle servo motor in Step/Dir mode. The residual noise was enough to make it impractical. My Delta axis servos have a lower input impedance and
are less noise prone and so the same circuit that works well with the Delta servos does not work with the Allen Bradley servo, all due to impedance levels.

I have since redesigned the circuit but this time using genuine line driver ICs (AEIC7272). They are rather more expensive than I am accustomed to paying for analog ICs, but the
speed and noise performance is important to me. I will have the new ICs in a week and make a new board thereafter.

All of my Home/Limit/Probe circuits are 5mA 24V sourcing and I have NO false detections despite none of them being shielded. That is simply because the signal (5mA 24V) far out weighs
any potential EMI induced noise, ie impedance levels.

Craig