Messages

1

Modbus / Brains, Modbus & Spindle VFD challenge

« on: November 13, 2017, 04:15:14 PM »

I'm new to Brains and in the process of fitting a new VFD to my mill, which I would like to control with Modbus. I've got an USB to RS485 which I've successfully got working with Mach 3, both in test mode and also writing simple brains to send single commands to the VFD.

The challenge I've got is how I EStop/reset the drive.
1) - ESTOP
I've written a brain, that uses ENABLE 1 as an estop single, when enable 1 is false - the code 0002 is sent to the cmd register. This shows on the drive, but then changes to 0000 immediately. I don't understand why 0000 is sent as I don't reference it anywhere.

2) - Reset
To reset the drive, when the estop is cleared, I need to send 0080 (fault reset), then 0006 (drive ready), then 0007 (drive activated), all to the same cmd register in the drive, in sequence one after the other - the sequence being triggered by the estop reset. I've tried a few things but cannot work out how to send a sequence.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

2

Brains Development / Brains, Modbus & Spindle VFD challenge

« on: November 09, 2017, 04:12:47 PM »

I'm new to Brains and in the process of fitting a new VFD to my mill, which I would like to control with Modbus. I've got an USB to RS485 which I've successfully got working with Mach 3, both in test mode and also writing simple brains to send single commands to the VFD.

The challenge I've got is how I EStop/reset the drive.
1) - ESTOP
I've written a brain, that uses ENABLE 1 as an estop single, when enable 1 is false - the code 0002 is sent to the cmd register. This shows on the drive, but then changes to 0000 immediately. I don't understand why 0000 is sent as I don't reference it anywhere.

2) - Reset
To reset the drive, when the estop is cleared, I need to send 0080 (fault reset), then 0006 (drive ready), then 0007 (drive activated), all to the same cmd register in the drive, in sequence one after the other - the sequence being triggered by the estop reset. I've tried a few things but cannot work out how to send a sequence.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

3

General Mach Discussion / Shuttle Pro Jog Speed

« on: March 28, 2017, 08:02:57 AM »

Couldn't find any info in the search so apologises if this has been asked before.

Is it possible to set the speeds for each increment of the outer handwheel rotation. Currently it just seems to be a default %age with each move, but I would like to make it non-line - e.g. 5mm/min, 10, 25,100, 500, 1000

I can see how to change the increment for the inner wheel but not the outer.

Thanks

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle calibration, how I manage to get it working

« on: August 24, 2016, 03:58:10 PM »

Tried a little work around tonight that seems to be working.

Edit the M3 macro and replace it with -
SetS=getoemdro(817)
DoSpinCW()
Code "S" & SetS

Now it automatically loads the speed twice when you use an M3 which means the spindle goes to the correct speed.

Not sure how the screen buttons work, might need to change them to call M3.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle calibration, how I manage to get it working

« on: August 12, 2016, 03:59:47 PM »

Thanks Roger

Looks like I will have to use the same workaround.

Cheers

Dave

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle calibration, how I manage to get it working

« on: August 10, 2016, 04:59:40 PM »

Yet another update:
Spindle calibration works fine in MILL mode.
I am still having a few issues in LATHE mode. I usually have to issue a spin command twice to get close to the calibrated spin, otherwise it runs faster - sometimes a little faster, sometimes a lot. Sigh.

The comment was made somewhere that there is little difference between spinning at 1500 RPM and 1600 RPM. This may be so on a Mill, but on a Lathe it can mean the difference between sitting right on tool/part resonance and being way off resonance and quiet. Mumble.

Cheers And Happy New Year
Roger

The spreadsheet is excellent and has done a great job of calibrating my lathe spindle speed. I have the same issue that you have regarding having to request the spindle speed twice. Did you ever find a fix for this?

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Any Practical, Working, Supported Alternatives to the Parallel Port

« on: May 29, 2014, 08:01:47 AM »

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Smoothstepper seems to do everything I need so is the top candidate at the moment.

Dubble - i take it you are the UC********* developer? You're the first mention i've found of the threading capability on the internet.

8

General Mach Discussion / Any Practical, Working, Supported Alternatives to the Parallel Port

« on: May 20, 2014, 10:47:45 AM »

Have had a CNC Mill and Lathe that I converted to mach 3 / parallel port operation for getting on for 10 years. Mach has always been great and done everything I wanted. I am now looking at adding a few extra features and 4th axis to my mill and a toolchanger to my lathe so need some extra I/O. At the same time it would also seem an opportune moment to try and move away from the Parallel Port - but is there a solution that will do what I want?

Minnimum 4 axis stepper outputs
Plenty of digital I/O
Supports Lathe Threading
Support probing / tool setting.

USB or ethernet would be fine.

Any thoughts on what is out there. Had a look at Pokeys, UC100/300 Smooth stepper etc - but they all seem limited on what they can do.

Cheers

Dave

9

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: NFS Turn Wizard

« on: January 06, 2013, 03:07:42 PM »

Thanks for looking at this Ron. Just tried a test file and noticed one small issue. When taper turning, it would appear the infeed has the G0 and G1 the wrong way around - see attached screenshot.

Cheers

Dave

10

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: NFS Turn Wizard

« on: January 04, 2013, 03:14:49 PM »

Ron

Thanks for having a look at this.

If I was machining this job I would programme the machine to turn the parallel section first (From z0 to Z-1) then move onto the tapered section from (Z-1 to Z-2) - it is upto the user to ensure they programme the parallel section first.

I haven't tried using the taper turn wizard so I'm not sure if yours will do this, but I do have a problem with the standard Mach turning wizards when cutting a taper. Clearance is added to the start of each move in the X and Z, this is fine when machining a standalone itme but if machining a taper attached to a parallel section then the clearance results in an undercut that cuts down into the parallel section.

Cheers

Dave