Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / lost config settings

« on: April 06, 2006, 09:38:41 AM »

So far things have been running hunky-dory with Mach 2 and my servos. Last night though, my configuration went wonky, i.e. pin/port settings, motor reversals and slave axis. Nearly tore the machine apart when the two y motors took off in opposite directions. Good thing I still have decent reflexes.
Little tinkering to reset controls and align mechanical components - nothing serious in the end.
I don't remember doing anything different to change things.
Has anyone heard of this happening? Do I need a priest to get the poltergeist out of my shop? Memory pills?

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC4PC Boards

« on: March 25, 2006, 09:49:16 AM »

Just being stupid on my part. Nothing would work. Mach couldn't see the breakout board for some reason. Lo and behold, I had grabbed a data transfer cable out of my tangle, er...parts bin.  Really had me stumped.
Finally just as I was falling asleep one night it dawned on me that I might have a wrong cable, (they all look the same to me.)
I believe they are called Switch Box cables and are wired straight-one to one.
Problem solved. Pretty basic stuff, but tends to be what gets me in trouble.
They are getting more and more scarce with all the usb stuff and home networking. Found a bunch in the Staples bargain bin $4.97 each. Should have grabbed a mit full.

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC4PC Boards

« on: March 24, 2006, 11:14:30 PM »

I used a cnc4pc board (c10) and it works, especially after I sorted out my cable problem.
What I notice, is that even though it has a separate 5v supply it does draw power from the pc somehow. My 38 vdc power to the servos/controllers is isolated by a pair of relays  and a momentary switch  - because I can be forgetful about turning off things (especially after a breaker goes or whatever). However, sometimes the relay trips as soon as I light up the AC main and the motors lock.
It scares me a bit because there is no consistancy to the event and things have happened that made me jump. The relay setup worked perfectly with stepper systems I built using different breakout boards.
I also wonder what effect this draw will have on the computer after a while.
I'm no electrical whiz and I sure don't like surprises. The cnc4pc may be more suitable for the grizzled veterans, not people like me.
I've ordered a board from Campbell due to the high esteem everyone seems to have for him and the board. I've got enough scars as it is.
That's my take on things for what it's worth.

14

General Mach Discussion / murphy and his law

« on: March 23, 2006, 12:22:36 PM »

Just venting.
The saga continues...though every axis is finally doing what is supposed to on my cnc router.
The chain of events last night nearly had me out in the yard screaming and kicking, it goes like this....
Every thing goes together, looks fine.
No Power! Nada.
I had everything back out of the control box on the table trouble shooting. Couldn't find a thing wrong, except for no power.
The main supply toggle switch broke. It was new, but it just quit. I've never seen that before.
Fix that.
Power. Yeah!
Put the unit back together...no power.
Knocked a wire off a safety relay. Didn't see that until everything was back together.
Pull some guts out of the box. Fixed that....power.
No motion, or motion or pulses, or all of the above.
In the process I managed to knock labels of cables and mixed some stuff up.
Trace that, sort that, fixed that. I thought, but nothing working.
Shattered my small side cutters on a butt crimp. Literally exploded. Never seen that before. But it has a lifetime guarantee, oh well.
Deformed my crimping tool. Don't know how that happened.
Go to bed mad at 1 am.
Get up at 2 am, still mad. Go to the shop with an epiphany.
Move a couple of things around, see where I went wrong. Go to bed reasonably content that I haven't destroyed everything.

Got'er working this morning.

I things were too easy, I guess we wouldn't appreciate life.

Key lessons here.
Don't try to do stuff when you are tired and frustrated.
You should walk away from a project for a day or so if things aren't going well. Solutions tend to percolate up when you give it a rest.
Use a bigger box.

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: cnc4pc

« on: March 20, 2006, 03:50:23 PM »

It lives!
You know how you get that nagging feeling that you've overlooked the obvious! Well I was laying in bed wondering...
Sure enough I went to my box of parallel port cables...and you've figured it. The one I had was not wired straight through...I think I gave away the wrong cable. Someone's likely thrown their printer in the dump because of me.

Talk about feeling like a knob and being relieved at the same time.

...thanks for your patience with me folks.

The board's diode still lights up arbitrarily though.

I feel so happy 

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: cnc4pc

« on: March 19, 2006, 08:57:26 PM »

Sounds like good advice! I believe I will order one tomorrow and keep the other board for an extra port - when maybe I get  better educated and can tame the beast.

So many mistakes to be made. So little time.

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: cnc4pc

« on: March 19, 2006, 07:11:19 PM »

Here's an xml.
Now the board seems to be drawing power from the pc; the brkout board's diode lights up as soon as I hook up the d25 cable. That's a new development - the kind that makes me nervous.

Thanks again.

18

General Mach Discussion / cnc4pc

« on: March 17, 2006, 09:59:10 PM »

Bear with me as I am new to forums and servo controllers.
I've put together a cnc router, running with g320 and a cnc4pc bidirectional breakout board.
As per gecko instructions the motors are hooked up and sing nicely. But that's about it. No motion from Mach 2.
Breakoutboard is enabled.
I'm getting a little torqued, because I've inspected, reinspected wiring and seem to be covering the same ground over again but can't figure out what I've done wrong.
Output is 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 (slaved axis).
I've also contacted cnc4pc with the problem I'm having, but suspect it may be how I've configured Mach 2.

But has anybody been there done that?

Thanks