Messages

31

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: how do I change spindle ranges in operation

« on: June 01, 2015, 02:14:37 PM »

I used a DRO to type a spindle range in. with the DRO code set to "spindle range" I have 8 different ranges then the spindle ranges have to be set on the spindle tab in setup..... eventually I will write a macro and be able to use an m-code in the program too. shouldn't be to hard to use a button either but it might require some scripting.

Dave

32

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: DRO for typing in feed rate

« on: May 30, 2015, 09:50:25 AM »

You don't need a script to do this.... it can be done with the dropdown settings ...... add a dro.... set it to dro code - feedrate ...... set it to edit in place.

Dave

Correction: dro code needs to be set to feedrate override....... and of coarse it can be done with a script too but this would be an easy way to do it. it lets you click on the dro and put in a number and will set your feed rate.

33

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: DRO for typing in feed rate

« on: May 30, 2015, 09:07:31 AM »

You don't need a script to do this.... it can be done with the dropdown settings ...... add a dro.... set it to dro code - feedrate ...... set it to edit in place.

Dave

34

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: May 27, 2015, 11:50:25 PM »

Hey Art
I put VC2013 on and it worked when I created a new profile..... my old profile would crash Mach4 right away but only when I have Darwin installed.... so I'll have to go through my plc script and screen script and see what the deal is there.

Thanks
Dave

35

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: May 27, 2015, 12:44:24 AM »

Hey Art,

I tried Mach4 version 1.2461 and Darwin version 2461 and I'm getting the
 
"Failed to load shared library 'mcDarwin.m4pw' (error 0: the operation completed successfully.)

so I tried Mach4 1.2461 with Darwin 2350 and it worked. I'm running WinXP.

Dave

36

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: May 17, 2015, 10:13:21 AM »

simpson36

"My jogging device is interfaced more or less directly with MACH4 thru Modbus and the PLC script and I am not having the same issue. There are several people building and using jogging interfaces thru the keyboard plug-in and that seems to be working fine.

Since you are interfaced thru the ESS, it might be possible that the problem lies with the ESS and not with MACH4.

It sounds like an Uber-Nasty bug so you might consider posting it in the Smoothstepper area (if you have not done so already)."


I posted a while back about this and I'm using Darwin so It's a Mach4 bug... here's what happens.... I have the keyboard setup for jogging I didn't do any scripting to use the jogging just set up the keys in the mach4 keyboard setup.

When the machine is disabled and I press any of the jog keys on the keyboard nothing happens because I have a charge pump connected.... but as soon as I hit the enable button the axis will start jogging without any jog buttons being pressed.... if you know not to do that no problem but If people don't know it could happen someone could get hurt or stuff could get wrecked..... it's a safety issue.

 It could be the keyboard plugin if ya consider that being seperate but I still consider that part of the Mach4 software.

Dave

37

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Jogging/Pendant Interface-What is the best way? Ramblings

« on: May 15, 2015, 09:09:12 PM »

Hey Peter I couldn't find it but somewhere in this forum and/or the yahoo forum there used to be script examples for doing keyboard emulation for Mach4. if ya can't find it anywhere I can copy from my machine but I'm not on the machine right now.

Dave

38

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 & ESS Setup Problems -

« on: May 15, 2015, 07:09:28 PM »

Did you set a min. and max spindle speed in the mach4 config spindle tab for the spindle speed range? not at my machine but I think there is like 19 or 20 gears or pulleys. at least one might have to be set with your min and max for pwm control.

Dave

39

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: May 15, 2015, 09:58:36 AM »

"If you have physical switches tied to your jogging inputs and you touch a switch prior to enabling Mach 4 the motors will start moving and not stop!!!!!!

Type of controller: ESS"

I reported this a while back, I'm using Darwin and have the keyboard set up for jogging.  little panic when the machine starts moving when ya don't expect it to. wasn't sure if it was just my setup or something with Mach4.

Dave

40

General Mach Discussion / Re: Arduino Gurus ??

« on: May 08, 2015, 10:51:51 AM »

I was playing with an arduino for doing a spindle speed encoder over modbus. seems to me you could do about anything with the arduino's. I'm by no means an expert on any of it though. there might be some limitations to the cable length when using rs485. I've also read that arduino's don't work like a computer cpu so they don't handle multiple interupts very well... like if you were reading encoders for each axis.