Messages

141

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Showing selected axis

« on: November 04, 2015, 09:12:33 AM »

My shuttlepro buttons are as followed:

Top row   X=0     Y=0    X=0    All=0
(these allow me to zero any axis from the pendant)

Second row  X    Y   Z   Move window
(the first three allow me to change the focus between the axis - the last button allows me to move the M4 window between the main computer and the touch screen by the CNC machine - the main computer is ~ 20 feet away from the table)

Button on left of wheels - Feedrate Minus

Button or right side of wheel - Feedrate Plus

Buttons below wheel on right - Go    and     Estop

Buttons below wheel on left - Jog rate increase   and    Jog rate decrease
(don't use these much - will probably change them for tool change or park head fot loading the table)

The wheels in the middle are preset
Outside wheel is for course moves - the farther over you turn the wheel the faster the selected axis moves. You move this wheel one way for one direction and the other way for the other direction.

The center wheel moves one increment at a time. It is set by the current Jog increment on the M4 screen. For example I leave mine at .01 and then you can spin the center knob and it will move the axis in a smooth manner in the direction you spin the knob (really cool to do touchoff or fine tuning of setting the 0,0,0 of the work piece.

One thing I found out when setting up the ShuttlePro is that you can use the ShuttlePro setup AND the M4 module at the same time. For example I had been doing previous testing to see if I could get keyboard inputs to work with the ShuttlePro. When I installed the M4 module I found I could move different Axis at the same time. For example the X and Y would both move. Just be careful about how you use the ShuttlePro interface. I used the ShuttlePro interface to configure my move window button and the M4 interface to program the rest of the buttons.

I mounted the ShuttlePro to my pendant on the machine using 2 sided tape. It is right beside my switch and POT for the spindle.

Very useful piece of equipment.

142

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Showing selected axis

« on: November 03, 2015, 03:14:26 PM »

I've just ordered one so I can have a play, I do love my toys :-)

DazTheGas

You will not regret it. It is a really good pendant. Very cost effective for what you can do.

143

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Showing selected axis

« on: November 03, 2015, 03:12:44 PM »

I am told that if you use the mpgaxis choices in the shuttle pro setup that you can. 
and you will have to setup mpg in your screen set too, I did not have any luck, as I have/had mine all working for my mpg dials

Could not get jog or mpg too step for me (center dial does nothing, outer dial worked but would not change axis on button presses)
had to go back to the jog selection for the axis button selections to work for me.
inner and outer dial worked a few revisions ago just fine. 

but this did confirm and display what button press i selected as long as i used the mpgaxis option

    local inst = mc.mcGetInstance(inst)
    local mpg, rc
    mpg, rc = mc.mcMpgGetAxis(inst, 1); -- in this case mpg1
    mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, 'mpg axis = '.. tostring(mpg));

maybe i need a higher number axis selection, as i am using 3 now for mpg's and there might be some conflict with my current ones.

The center dial is set by the jog increment you set on your screen. Be careful - if you set it to a big increment you can move the machine a lot. Each small increment move of the wheel moves the machine by one jog increment. I keep mine set at .01.

144

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Showing selected axis

« on: November 03, 2015, 08:17:05 AM »

Is there a way I can show what axis is selected for Jogging on a button? I would like to put a background behind the active axis DRO box if it is the one selected for jogging.

Thanks,
Peter

Didnt spot this thread,

Can you post a bit more info? where is the signal coming from to say what axis you are on.

DazTheGas

Daz,

When I use my ShuttlePro pendant the center wheels will move one axis at a time. I have configured the three buttons to be the axis selection. For example if I select the X axis and then move the wheel on the ShuttlePro it will move the X axis. The problem (albeit small problem) is that later I don't remember which axis has been selected so I end up selecting an axis again before moving the wheel.

Since my screen is right beside the machine it would be nice if I could have an indication as to which axis is selected. I was thinking of a change of the color of a button or place a second button behind the axis DRO.

Thanks for any help.

145

Mach4 General Discussion / Showing selected axis

« on: November 01, 2015, 02:39:28 PM »

Is there a way I can show what axis is selected for Jogging on a button? I would like to put a background behind the active axis DRO box if it is the one selected for jogging.

Thanks,
Peter

146

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ShuttleXpress Plugin

« on: October 13, 2015, 09:00:33 AM »

Did you try loading the driver for the shuttle express? If that does not work try loading the driver for the shuttlePro. The shuttlepro is working on my machine, but I have the driver for the shuttlepro loaded.

In fact, I had done some testing prior to loading a working shuttlepro plugin for Mach4. When I loaded the plugin I still had some of the keystroke commands in the Shuttlepro. The machine would execute both commands at the same time when the button/wheel was selected. That made life very interesting!!!! For instance the X and Y axis would move at the same time.

147

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ShuttleXpress Plugin

« on: October 12, 2015, 01:46:04 PM »

I have the the driver loaded and my ShuttlePro works.

148

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ShuttleXpress Plugin

« on: October 12, 2015, 08:53:39 AM »

Also, let us know if it works with your test.

149

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: ShuttleXpress Plugin

« on: October 12, 2015, 08:53:21 AM »

Not sure if it will work. It is easy enough to test - even in Demo mode. Plug it in and activate the plug in. The center knobs are already programmed. See if they make it move. You will likely need all / most of the available buttons for axis control. The Shuttle Pro has just enough buttons to make it a pretty good pendant.

150

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Shuttle pro plugin (Mach4 version 2660)

« on: September 09, 2015, 03:25:12 PM »

Thanks - that fixed it.