Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: How to use Mach3 outputs?

« on: September 10, 2007, 05:31:43 PM »

I can program in Visual Basic, so I know I can catch on to VBScript.  When you say "initialization string in the config menu", do you mean the "General Logic Configuration" form, where under "Startup Modals" and "Initialization String", there is a one-line textbox?

So what do you have there?  Is it, "G80 M330"?

I assume I store the "txt" file macro in the "macros"/"Mach3Mill" folder on the hard drive.

Is a button a simple "gif" image or do I make it in Mach3, and how do I have it appear on the "Diagnostics" screen, and assign a macro to it?

Can you include macro file names in the G code?

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Charge Pump Signal Hiccup

« on: September 10, 2007, 05:15:05 PM »

CNC is just a hobby for me.  It grew out of a hobby of computer programming in Visual Basic, which led to Programmable Integrated Circuits ("PIC") with PIC Basic.  PIC lingo has the term "watchdog" also, but there it's called a "watchdog timer".  I suppose it has something to do with synchronization, but I have yet to have a problem that is solved by a "watchdog", so I know very little about it.

I do know how to capture a signal on a PIC pin.  It would be much easier if it was simply an on or off.

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: How to use Mach3 outputs?

« on: September 10, 2007, 04:49:31 PM »

I think I understand how you did it.  On the "Sindle Setup" tab, you enter your assigned pin number in the "Mist M7 Output #" entry.  I need to go beyond this. However, if all else fails, I use only flood too.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Charge Pump Signal Hiccup

« on: September 10, 2007, 04:42:17 PM »

Sure, dude, I'm using the charge pump for the reason you explained.  I don't want my steppers moving when I start my computer and made the mistake of powering up the motor drivers first.  I don't want to have to remember to 1. turn on the computer; 2. start Mach3; and 3. power up the drivers.

I have yet to control a stepper through Mach3.  I've have tested the drivers and motors with test equipment signals and power.  I'm still working on my breakout board.

15

General Mach Discussion / How to use Mach3 outputs?

« on: September 10, 2007, 04:26:44 PM »

I know how to assign outputs to the spindle, flood, etc.  These have specific menu entries in "Config", "Ports and Pins", and tabs, "Output Signals" and "Spindle Setup".  However, lets say I have enabled a MACH3 output to turn on an auxiliary 120VAC, and I have assigned it a pin number.

How would I use G-code to tell MACH3 to turn on the output for "Auxiliary 120VAC"?

How can I turn on the MACH3 output for "Auxiliary 120VAC" while working in the MACH3 software, which would be like the "Spindle Toggle" button in "Diagnostics"?

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: Charge Pump Signal Hiccup

« on: September 10, 2007, 01:47:25 PM »

You can get a laptop to work just like a desktop if you know where all the laptop specific items are located and turn them off.  I did this because it's always plugged in to a wall socket.  I don't have any software installed other than system software necessary to run MACH3.  My toolbar only has icons for "network connection", "sound", and "safely remove hardware".

I'll test the 12.5kHz signal on my desktop sometime too.  I'll bet it's just as bad.

BTW, for as long as I can remember, a digital "enable signal" (for example, CE, "Chip Enable") is simply a low.  A few have high to enable, but no common chips like transceivers, multiplexers and demultiplexers use a square wave to enable.  Why not simply a low or high on the charge pump?

What's with the name "charge pump" anyway?  This sounds like some legacy language that goes back to a hydraulic triggering mechanism.  Why not "MACH3 Enabled" with a high or low?

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: Charge Pump Signal Hiccup

« on: September 09, 2007, 02:05:05 PM »

I am using WinXP, Pentium 4-3 GHz, 1 Gig of  RAM.  I bought this laptop solely for the purpose of CNC.  The only application software installed is MACH3.

BTW, a had to reduce the count to anything greater than 0 during a 1ms count of the charge pump.  With a setting of anything greater than 1, the PIC believed MACH3 was working, but this oscilated the PIC outputs when asked to go high.

I guess my point remains that the MACH3 setup, owner's manual or whatever should add a hugh qualification to the claimed 12.5kHz charge pump signal about exactly what we have discussed.

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: Charge Pump Signal Hiccup

« on: September 08, 2007, 06:51:57 PM »

Sure the chargepump signal only needs to be something other than always high or always low periodically depending on whether it's active high or low.  However, when you are given information you believe is fact and design around it, you can run into very frustrating situations.  In one millisecond I should be able to count 12 to 13 transistions to or from high to low and visa versa with a 12.5kHz square wave signal.  My software code only believes Mach3 is up and running when it counts anything over 1 or 1000kHz.   I would say that is a significant error.  Shouldn't the Mach3 user's guide or whatever say that as long as you can measure a signal greater than 1000kHz Mach3 is running?  Really, if the frequency isn't important?

The first thing I thought about shortly after finding this signal hiccup was whether the stepper-motor signals will be just as dirty.  I can only hope that the compromise of a 12.5kHz signal was for a benefit in the signal clarity for stepper-motor control.

BTW, setting the chargepump for 5kHz operation for laser use results in a 2.6kHz signal that's just as dirty as the actual 12kHz chargepump signal.

19

General Mach Discussion / Charge Pump Signal Hiccup

« on: September 07, 2007, 07:12:45 PM »

I've struggled with this for two days.  I know for a fact that Mach3's 12.5kHz charge pump signal is 12.1kHz, and it has such a bad hiccup every second or so, that a microprocessor counter routine to find the input frequency rejects the signal completely and executes code that's for a "no signal" condition.

I have a relay that stays on except for an off condition for a split second every second or so.  I know for a fact that the relay's off condition is caused by the hiccup in the charge pump signal.  I've confirmed this with a Function Generator emulating the charge pump's 12.1kHz.

Has anyone else encountered this, or do you have a work around?

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: Clarification of charge pump frequency

« on: September 07, 2007, 07:06:11 PM »

I have been working on a breakout board with a microcontroller monitor.  Every now and then when I start Mach3, it serves up a 6.4kHz chargepump signal.  If I close Mach3 and restart, 12.1kHz.  There's a bug somewhere.