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Messages - jimpinder

371
General Mach Discussion / PWM and Digispeed
« on: August 06, 2008, 01:29:47 PM »
My speed control seems to have stopped working.

As far as I can see, I have all the correct ticks in the boxes - i.e. spindle step, active, spindle motor output, pwm control, use spindle feedback in sync mode.
My index is still working and the spindle speed is tracked when I operate it manuall.
I seem to have a PWM signal coming out of  pin 16, which I can measure with my mulrimeter, and it alters as I vary the speed using the S command.
I have the digispeed enable at 0volts.

Anything else I have forgotten before I declare my digispeed dead ???  I am at a loss :'( :'(

372
General Mach Discussion / Re: Progressive Move Error with X and Y
« on: August 05, 2008, 04:17:41 AM »
Well - that way we will soon know if it is the machine, or Mach 3 ;D

373
If you do not have a dial test indicator, a set of digital calipers will do the job.

With Backlash compensation OFF :-

Start with your mill at 0,0: On the MDI type G0X1 and measure the position of the table (or cutter, whichever moves) from some suitable point in line with the axis. Zero your calipers. If you then type G0X2, followed by G0X1, in theory the table will have returned to where it started and your calipers should read 00 again. (If you want to be really accurate do a G1 with a slow feedrate F4 say)

They will not, and the amount on the calipers is your backlash. This is the movement lost by the axis as the gearing is getting itself into the right position to shove the other way. On a circle (depending on where you start) each axis changes direction once, and sometimes twice, so the flat bit you get on the circle is say the Xaxis changing direction (and not moving for a short time) whilest the Y axis carries on regardless.

Enter this amount in the backlash compensation table, repeat for the other axis, and turn on the compensation.

The way Mach 3 applies compensation is a little disconcerting (although the speed of it can be adjusted) but it is accurate.

374
General Mach Discussion / Re: Parallel Cable Woes
« on: August 03, 2008, 10:33:24 AM »
The purpose of the led display is a little confusing. What it displays is whether the computer sees an "active" signal on the pin, or not. (Not if the computer is seeing a +5v or not)
If in your case, the led lights when an "active low" is ticked means that the computer sees a low on the pin and says, that is active, and lights the led.

The normal state of the 5 input pins in the computer is +5v, because the computer is fitted with internal pull up resistors. This means that your BOB is putting a negative signal to the pin. Try the others and you will probably find that all the others are "active" on "active low" as well. This means that your BOB is reversing the signal to the computer.

A lot of the boards do this, and it is very confusing. What board is it.

375
General Mach Discussion / Re: ROUTER STOPPING DURING PROGRAM RUN
« on: August 02, 2008, 01:28:05 PM »
I agree- noise on the limit switch wires, or a faulty switch is the most probable cause -

If you are sure that you are nowhere near the limits with the program go to Config/Ports and Pins/ Inputs and cancel all the limit switch enables (you can leave the pin settings and keep the homes) and try a test run on that. If it works without stopping, then as Hood says, you have interference on the limit switch wiring.

376
General Mach Discussion / Re: Wiring motors
« on: August 02, 2008, 01:19:56 PM »
Robhi -
Sorry I missed this post the last time I was on the net. Hood has given you good advice - is he says the drives you have bought also do step and direction pulses, then use the drives you have bought to get started, You can wire them in parrallel if you wish, the drive is linited to 2.5amp so will not give you full speed/torque but will be better than wired in series.

The drives I use are the Gecko 201 - the simplest one you can buy. If one of your drives fails, then buy a Gecko to replace it.

Best of luck

377
General Mach Discussion / Re: ROUTER STOPPING DURING PROGRAM RUN
« on: August 02, 2008, 12:41:20 PM »
I ran your program on this computer (not attached to the machine) and it functioned perfectly, following the tool path display.

It seems to be the same cuttings at three (maybe four) different depths in five different locations (inner square, inner butterfly, inner butterfly, inner square, then outer  what looks like a doll on its side. Which pass are you saying it generally fails on.

I was going to say Mach download only does 500 lines, but that cannot be the reason, because you are well short of that. Is there anything mechanical causing your router to stop - are you going too deep, are you hitting any stops. When you say the router just stops, what does it do -
gradually slow down.
bounce about and stop.
just die. -

I cant see any reason without a bit more information.

378
General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing and plate alignment
« on: August 02, 2008, 06:41:06 AM »
Quite clearly, the thing you need to do is set the 0.0 position of your plasma program and align the plate with the X or Y axis. I do not see the purpose of the two reference holes on the plate unless you are going to do multiples of the cutting. In that case you need to make some sort of jig on your table to hold the plate, with some sort of indent (or outdent) for the holes, so that subsequent plates locate in the same place.

If you know the relationship between the holes and the rest of your program, the laser probe is irrelevant. In this case a drill bit, or rod of the same sixe as the hole will suffice. Zero your table if you have lhome switches, put the drill or rod in the chuck and move the table , until the the drill bit or rod slides smoothly into the hole. If the holes are semi-circular, move the table to the correct position and put the plate in place against the rod.

The alternative is with a drill and two short pieces of rod, drill your table in the correct place for the holes, and the two pieces of rod will tap into the holes. All you plates will then fit in exactly the same position on your table.

379
Just put M1 after the first file - which will stop the machine and wait for a cycle start,

and cut and paste the second program to follow.

With the machine is stopped and waiting, your can jog the axis, change the tool or any other adjustment you want, providing you return the machine to the place to start the second file.

380
General Mach Discussion / Re: SUB-ROUTINE PROBLEMS
« on: August 01, 2008, 12:49:51 PM »
If Hoods suggestion does not fix the problem, then sub routines should be placed in the subroutines folder, and called by a G98 (call-my-sub-routine-name) in your GCode.