Messages

51

General Mach Discussion / Re: Chinese BOB with 2010 a funny one.

« on: August 13, 2020, 10:37:38 PM »

Ok thanks I will try that. On paper it looks right. I guess I will be able to take the board down to 5v. Hey. Standby I will just do it. Thanks for that. Its quite a stepup for me, after almost 10 years of button pressing ha

52

General Mach Discussion / Re: Chinese BOB with 2010 a funny one.

« on: August 13, 2020, 10:10:46 PM »

Hi is that a fact? So even though the VFD is supplying 10v to the board, I can still scale it down and use it as a 5v option, as yes there are several options to input in to the VFD, 0-10v, 0-5v, 0-20ma.... and there is one more, 0-10v/0-20ma stacked. Not sure exactly how the last one works.

53

General Mach Discussion / Re: Chinese BOB with 2010 a funny one.

« on: August 13, 2020, 07:25:26 PM »

Awesome. Thanks yes correct. I did find that, infact, putting my meter on the output of the Homman board was enough to drop it s few milli volts as well. I managed to only get 8v out of it. And its accepting a definate 10v.

Ok I was thinking about how I might cheat the system. I will look into it. Although I think I can select a 5v input on my VFD as well.

But I will say, I got it working this morning. And that means, I can close up my control box.

Am curious though is anyone uses the VFD output for a display of sorts to show its status?

54

General Mach Discussion / Chinese BOB with 2010 a funny one.

« on: August 13, 2020, 03:27:48 PM »

Semi works with original screenset wont with 2010. Hey this is a funny one! I am using a Chinese BOB because I am a true tightarse and actually dont mind it. I am going to take advice soon (in the next few years) and go for a nice board one day. I have pretty much rebuilt my machine so best I do.

I have decided to control my new spindle with my BOB.... or PC anyway. Bench testing the BOB I have been unable to get the 0-10v output to work. Its the common BOB all the Chinese are selling. Has a 12-24v input, and a 0-10v spindle output. Not sure why it wont work, I reckon it is not a winner to be honest. I have a few of these boards and none of them even give me a volt out of the spindle output. Perhaps I have wired or pinned  it incorrectly, I dont know. Its been a sound controller though I will say that. This forum wont let me upload a pic sorry.

What I have found, is I am able to get a 0-5 voltage out of the pin I choose to control the spindle speed. Its linear on what speed I select. So I am going to hook up a Homman (spelling sorry) DC03 to convert that 0-5v to 0-10v - it has a connection to go straight onto the 10k pot input on my HY VFD . Perhaps its actually a PWM singal that is working? Quite plausible given I am getting 0-5v.

But. Playing around with this setup on my table, I have been able to get my BOB spindle relay to work, on/off, no problem with the original Mach 3 screenset. No problem at all. But on the 2010 screenset, same pinouts, it will not. the little LED on the BOB with the 2010 screenset kind of just luminates about 40% brightness, and the relay stays where it is. Its weird, I dont understand how different screensets can do this? Any ideas why?

Actually, if anyone has gotten one of these BOBs to work with the 0-10v output to work I would like to hear about it.

Best regards from NZ

55

General Mach Discussion / Old machine new problem got me stumped

« on: July 31, 2020, 07:32:29 AM »

I am using Fusion 360. A couple of files ago I found when I went to cut a part out, with the machine set to zero on the WCS, the part was in the incorrect place. I thought it was due to some noise from a component inside my control box messing with the coordinates of my machine.

It happened again this evening. A couple of restarts and the part came right. I just loaded it into a version of Mach 3 I have here on this PC, its done exactly the same thing. The part zero should be at the bottom LH corner of the part. I have attached a picture and also the code. -

Oh - forum wont let me upload files An Error Has Occurred!
Sorry! There is already an attachment with the same filename as the one you tried to upload. Please rename the file and try again."

I most certainly set the wcs in Fusion. Thats a biggy for me or Fusion has a tanty and wont work. Any ideas? Its weird. Infact I ran this file with the Z zero 50mm up just to see what would happen but it went somewhere else on the table. Any advise appreciated in advance. B

56

Mach Screens / Screenset 2010 - is there a better one?

« on: June 03, 2020, 03:57:33 AM »

I have been using screenset 2010 for..... wow, ever since I began playing with CNC and thats a LOOOOONNNNG time. Gerry - was it you who designed it I bought it off?

I cant say I have a lot of experience with any others but it is just fantastic. Worth every penny and more so thanks for 2010. I went to control my spindle the other day with Mach 3 (yes its been years in the making haha) but realised there is no spindle on/off or control. Is there a way I can do this using 2010? I know, basic question but hey, I couldn't find one. And is upgrade time.

Also, whilst in the mood, is there an upgraded screenset from the 2010 that anyone can recommend for a router?

Regards to all
Boydage

57

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed input BOB Stepperonline - Solved

« on: April 12, 2020, 08:58:37 PM »

This was dumb. I sorted it this morning.

1 - The hall effect module I replaced with one that was faulty out of the box. Hey, it was an Aliexpress piece. What I do with them on orders below $4 is buy several so at least one goes. Haha. I should have tested it. So replacing it didnt sort my problem.

2 - The hall effect module that was installed on the lathe had a cold solder joint on the output pin.

3 - Resoldered, installed, satis.

58

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed input BOB Stepperonline

« on: April 10, 2020, 10:34:01 PM »

Hi Graham,

Sorry, can you expand on the debounce settings? Like, are you saying to make them zero? I have tried everything I can think of, even to the point of making a transistor circuit to further isolate the input pulse from the board. The RPM still shows on Mach 3, but does the same, erratic. Go up past 900RPM, it will drop to 450 rpm and then start going up from there as if normal. But the actual speed is probably at 1200.

My hand held tacco is broken, I am waiting for a replacement to arrive but still, I should be able to get this going.

I have replaced the encoder, rewired it even. How I see it, the BOB is just a straight through input into the serial port of the PC with an opto coupler in the middle. Is is not possible I need to change my BOB to one that works with a spindle input? I am unsure where to go with this now. B

59

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed input BOB Stepperonline

« on: April 01, 2020, 04:06:36 AM »

Just when I think I have looked at everything, someone comes up with a possible solution. Thanks. I actually thought it might be because I am bumping +12vdc straight into the board instead of what its normally looking for. I will try that.

Out of interest I mentioned it to Stepperonline who I bought the BOB off - their response was its not possible, the board was not made for it.

I dont know much about the computer side of the operation, but do think that the input pins off the BOBs are just isolated connections directly into the serial port with opto couplers. Is this correct? So the 12vdc I am pulsing into the board, is converted to 5vdc, and then pulsed directly into the serial port, which Mach 3 sees. Am I wrong?

60

General Mach Discussion / Spindle speed input BOB Stepperonline

« on: March 30, 2020, 05:03:42 PM »

Home machine. Lathe with Mach3 turn. Spindle speed input used to work with a different BOB board but now it is erratic. It will show spindle speed, run up to approx 950rpm with my variable speed motor. When I turn the variable speed motor down, it will decrease slowly with the chuck speed, but then jump approx 400rpm higher?? Example it was sitting at 457RPM, then bumped up to 857rpm uncommanded. This is indication only.

I have a hall sensor installed on my lathe spindle. Its connected to the 12vdc on the BOB, using the ground side of the inputs of the BOB. And each time the sensor senses a pulse, is pulsing 12vdc into pin 10. As I understand it, these pins are for the homing switches and are looking for an earth. Is this perhaps where I am going wrong? If so, I guess I will build up a transistor set to do just that.

But curious if anyone can offer a solution first?