Messages

71

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 26, 2020, 03:46:17 AM »

Thanks TPS, good to know we're all still learning. I'll reset the pins first in MaxPath (MaxNC Mach111) and do a trial run, then I'll re-install Mach3 and see what the difference is.
The Y and Z axes were running much better in Mach3 than MaxNC Mach111.
I'll report back once that is done.

Then, if there are further X axis problems, I'll try to replace the DM7400N

72

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 26, 2020, 12:08:46 AM »

Stuffed that one up.
For X and Y axes say 500 revs/min equals 500 x 200 = 100000 steps/min equals 100000/39.37 steps/mm = 2540 mm/minute.
For the Z axis: 2540 plus 25% = 3175 (31.25 steps/mm)

I'll leave them at your suggested settings of 2000 mm/min for the X and Y, and 2500 for the Z axis, nice and safe.

73

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 25, 2020, 09:24:57 PM »

Hello again people, Dave from Lin Engineering said that the stepper is especially manufactured for a flexible hose company. I looked into what flexible hose companies require steppers for and found they use them for peristaltic pump manufacture. I looked for pumps with a similar winding resistance to mine and found that many of these pumps have a recommended speed of 0-600 rpm
So I'll play it more cautiously and set the X and Y speed at 500 and the Z speed at 625

74

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 25, 2020, 08:45:28 PM »

This was the last xml after MaxPath42 (Mach111) was installed

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 25, 2020, 08:44:16 PM »

This was the last Mach3 xml before I re-installed MaxPath42

76

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 25, 2020, 04:49:32 AM »

Should any of the config tabs with A axis values be updated now the A channel is used for the X motor: Input Values, General Logic Config - Angular Properties and Active Plane of Movement, Motor Home and Soft Limits?

Also, there are other references to the A axis in MaxPath42 and Mach 3 that seem quite fixed; so can I actually use the A channel to drive the X motor?

77

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 24, 2020, 11:11:33 PM »

I re-installed MaxPath42 software (Mach111 version R3.033), copied the license into the C/Mach111 file, rebooted and opened the software. Made the X/A axis pin changes to Config - Ports and Pins - Motor Outputs updated the values in Motor Tuning, saved everything and for luck's sake rebooted again.
Turned on the CNC, started the software (also did this in reverse in different trials) and tested the motors by jogging.
The X gantry does not move but the Zero X DROs change values as if movement is taking place.
The Y and Z motors move the gantry all but a few centimetres before the error 'Limit Switch Triggered' shows and the movement stops, even though no physical limit switches were triggered.
I'm at my wits end.

78

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 24, 2020, 09:58:45 PM »

I'll start with 2500mm/min for Z in Motor Tuning.
I still have MaxPath42, which seems to be a MaxNC renamed Mach3 version R3.033. I'll reinstall it and see if it makes a difference. Might make the A channel work.

Yes, the actual board is a 10108C, not A, but I looked for differences and could not find them.
As it is almost impossible to read the part numbers on the .doc, I could not verify if there had been a part update.
I have not been able to find a circuit diagram for my C model.

79

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for good DIY controller kit supplier

« on: November 24, 2020, 09:11:04 PM »

I've swapped the X motor to the Y channel and Y motor to the new X (A) channel; the X axis motor runs well on the Y channel but the Y motor does not run on the new X (A) channel.

So the A channel is not being picked up as the new X channel by the computer / Mach3.

80

General Mach Discussion / MaxNC MaxPath42 Motor specifications

« on: November 24, 2020, 08:53:37 PM »

I have an old MaxNC MaxPath42 with Lin Engineering 5718L 3D 6 wire hybrid stepper motors, which have been wired as 5 wire unipolar motors.

Lin Engineering built this motor specially for a manufacturer of flexible hoses from which MaxNC bought them.
Lin Engineering can not give me the manufacturer's name, nor can they give me the motor specs as it is a proprietary item and MaxNC has gone out of business.

The X axis motor has blown two TIP120 capacitors so far and to correct the problem, I need the motor specs.

Can anyone help?