Hello Guest it is March 29, 2024, 04:00:57 AM

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Highspeed1964

Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 »
81
Awesome!   ;D  Glad to help.   :D

82
General Mach Discussion / Re: Homing
« on: August 05, 2016, 12:31:31 PM »
Oh, ok.  So are you using the "REF ALL HOME" button to zero your table machine coordinates?  Go to Zero is not the one to do this.  As mentioned earlier, Go to Zero will move the tool to X0Y0Z0 (and A0 if you have a 4th axis) in Work Coordinates.  You must use the REF ALL HOME button to set the MC zero to your table.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

83
General Mach Discussion / Re: Homing
« on: August 04, 2016, 10:52:28 PM »
It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do.  Go to Zero works in the WC system.  You need to use a G28 command with at least one axis reference (i.e. Z0) to move to the home zero location (i.e. Machine Coordinates) or you could use explicit MC movements with a G53 command.  Remember, G53 is not a modal command and must be explicitly stated in each block that you want to move in MC movements.  G53 can be used to move any axis or combination thereof to a specific location in the MC system whereas G28 is specific to homing.

Hope this helps.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

EDIT:  The axis word(s) in G28 are optional.  Also a G28.1 will reference all or specified movements to the home switches.

84
General Mach Discussion / Re: Motors are not operating correctly
« on: August 03, 2016, 12:06:51 AM »
I'd start by disconnecting everything from the power supply and checking the voltage being put out with no load.  If it reads 5V, then most likely there is something else loading it down although it could be an adjustment in the power supply.  I see it is a switching power supply and these usually have an output voltage adjustment.  This adjustment can be thrown off, though, if the current draw is too high.  Try checking the no load voltage and then add in components one at a time (I'd start with the breakout board) and see if you can determine a specific component that causes this drop in voltage.

Now if the no load voltage reading is also low, then it is most likely a bad power supply.  You _could_ run two different power supplies, but then you may get into some weird situations of ground loops or even worse - different ground reference altogether.  I'd really recommend replacing the one power supply and keep it simpler that way.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

85
General Mach Discussion / Re: 6040 CNC with Gecko 540 Z axis problem
« on: August 02, 2016, 11:57:24 PM »
It sounds like it could be missed steps, but another likely suspect is that acceleration.  If I understand it correctly, slowing down the acceleration would actually increase errors.  When I was first setting up my 6040, I had it too slow and ended up with rounded corners on flat pieces until I stepped UP the acceleration.  So the motor was still slowing down when the next commanded move began.  Now bear in mind that this is on the X and Y axis motors.

When it comes to the Z Axis, you're fighting gravity on the upward movement and working with it on the downward movement.  So it's possible there may not be enough torque being developed to hold the spindle and mount in sync with the motor signals and this would cause skips/missed steps.  You may need to check any configuration switch settings to make sure the driver is providing the proper amount of current to the motors.

There are many things to check and not being familiar with the Gecko drivers I'm speaking in a more generalized manner on this, so I can't be of more help than this.  But I hope it at least helps get you pointed in the right direction.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

86
This sounds like it could be the ol' "reference confusion" factor.  When you are setting things up, always think in terms of the position of the tool (in this case the plasma tip - sorry if I'm not using the right terminology here) on the work piece.  So when you home the table to the right, you're setting zero to the left end of the table.  All X movements would then go to the right (table moving left).  So when you're looking at it in SheetCam make sure the zero reference is on the left of the piece.

Additionally, when working on a piece you should start by setting a Work Offset and reference all movements from that zero location.  It is unusual to start a piece at the zero reference in Machine Coordinates but rather Workpiece Coordinates from the Work Offset zero reference.

I do not know your level of experience and forgive me if I'm way off base here.  I'm fairly new to this myself and I'm working with a Mill/Router table that has a moving gantry and a fixed table so it's fairly easy to see which direction things should be moving but I realize how easy it can be to get directionally confused with a moving table.  (Re-reading your post, you said the gantry moves to the switch on the right so I'm having difficulty envisioning your machine setup.)  The bottom line is that X0 should be at the left edge of your workpiece and Y0 should be the edge closest to you.

Hope this helps,

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

87
Are you using Mach3 or Mach4?  I am running Mach3 so I'm not sure how similar it is in Mach4, but in the Config menu under "Ports and Pins" go to the Motor Outputs tab.  For each axis that is reversed, change the Dir LowActive setting opposite of what it is.  (i.e. If it is checked then uncheck it and vice-versa.)

That should do it for you.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

88
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 and the dreaded 6040z
« on: July 28, 2016, 01:20:01 AM »
Re: the spindle, your VFD may not be configured for software control.  There's a whole configuration to making that work and then some additional wiring may be necessary as well.  Also, depending on what electronics are used in the control box you may need a PWM to 0-10V converter to control the speed.  I just got a new 6040Z myself a couple of months ago and have been spending a good bit of time going through it making these type of changes.  My unit is the "black box" controller.

In addition to the Spindle control modifications, I've added wiring from the E-Stop switch to the breakout board and I'm still deciding if I want to remove the input power to the 24V DC power supply from the E-Stop switch.  In the original configuration, the E-Stop simply cut off that power and it took a good second or so before the power would actually drain off.  Additionally, Mach3 had no idea that the E-Stop had been engaged so just kept merrily plugging away at whatever it was doing so all synchronization was lost.  Adding in the E-Stop signal wiring to the breakout board solved that, but I'm stil leaning toward removing the E-Stop button from the power circuit so that Mach3 has a definite chance of sensing the E-Stop condition.

There is a good video showing how to configure the VFD and wire it up for software control of the spindle.  Just google "NowForever VFD".  I'm not sure if that's the VFD you have (mine is) but it will give you some good ideas of what to check for in any case.

Hope this helps,

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

89
PoKeys / Re: Touch probe wirring and connection
« on: July 28, 2016, 01:04:32 AM »
Don't have a PoKeys, but if it's calling for an external pull-up resistor that looks correct.  I usually see a resistor value of 4.7k specified.  I'm not sure how important the value is, though, as a pull-up resistor simply prevents a direct short when the switch is closed.  In a circuit such as this, the Probe Input will sense a low (GND) when the switch is closed.  When the switch is open, this point will sense the applied voltage (5V in this case) since the resistor is a relatively low value compared to infinite resistance of the open switch contact.  Too high a value of the resistor could result in slightly less than applied voltage but it 10K vs. 4.7K shouldn't make much difference.

Bottom line, if the documentation calls for a specific value.  Otherwise, a value in the range of 4.7 - 10K should work just fine.  But your diagram is right on the money for this application.

Stephen "Highspeed" Kruse

90
Any ideas anyone?

Highspeed

Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 »