Messages

121

General Mach Discussion / Re: Front & rear toolposts in Machturn

« on: November 04, 2007, 09:53:56 AM »

Graham,

the motor controller is the original Gemini. I'm controlling the speed with dc derived from a V to F convertor chip (LM2197). The direction uses the original reversing contactor driven from 2 D2W202F solid-state relays.

I designed my own breakout board, which works fine, but I have found that some printer ports won't drive all the optos. I'm going to add some extra drivers to make it a bit more universal.

Thanks for the motor info. I thought it might be something like that from my measurements on the old unipolar drive. They don't even get warm at the moment, so I'll move it all up a notch.

Tony

122

General Mach Discussion / Re: Front & rear toolposts in Machturn

« on: November 04, 2007, 07:43:00 AM »

Ian,

thanks for that. It does make sense. It's a more direct approach than I was trying, and independent of anything but the basic Mach functions. I suppose the virtue of using tool offsets is that re-setting a tool would be easier.

What state is your TCL in? How much rebuilding did you do? I've now replaced all the electronics except the Spindle motor & drive, the axis steppers & the PSU. Having just replaced the axis drivers with some from ARC-EURO, I'm having some fun trying to decide what current to set on the drives. The motors are the originals, one larger than the other, with no sensible ID. I've got them set to x 1.8A, z 2.1A at the moment, but I suspect they should be higher.
Spindle motor control with the Gemini Drive & solid state relays works fine.

Tony

Tony

123

General Mach Discussion / Re: Front & rear toolposts in Machturn

« on: November 02, 2007, 01:09:25 PM »

Ian.
 I think I've got it. I wasn't changing the sign of the part size when touching the bottom tool.
Also I need to do the same for the 'x' co-ordinates in code generated by the wizards when using tools below the centre line.

Would it be possible to see your code for that part (or something similar) to see if I've got the right idea?

Tony

124

General Mach Discussion / Re: Front & rear toolposts in Machturn

« on: November 02, 2007, 07:04:19 AM »

Ian,

thanks for that. I still don't really understand how you're managing it. Which is your Master tool? I've been using the uppermost as master but when I come to the lower tool the offsets don't seem to work out.

The way I envisage toolplate operation is that, when a tool is called, Mach knows where to put the tip (because of the offset) and(because of the front, rear info) which way the in-feed should go. Z of course works OK as there is no difference.

This is all new to me. The good thing about the TCL is that it's small enough to live on a trolley in my nice warm office while I learn, instead of out in the cold main workshop.


Tony

125

General Mach Discussion / Front & rear toolposts in Machturn

« on: November 01, 2007, 04:07:47 PM »

I've been trying to set up a simple gang tooling plate on my Boxford TCL125. This requires the use of tools from both sides of the work. I assumed that this would mean setting Rear or Front in the tool table, and setting up the offsets in a similar way to single-sided cutting. I get very strange results when I try this. The manual does suggest that switching toolposts is not a good idea but I can't see any other way to set things up.
Has anybody done anything similar ? I'm only doing this to give me something to play with while I think about a tool changer. To my great regret I passed up the chance to buy one for £90 a year ago!


Tony

126

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 R2.56 Problem with feedback spindle control

« on: October 27, 2007, 12:05:27 PM »

This sounds just like the problem like the problem that I had with V2.52. (See my post OCT 11th) I think that its something to do with the new drivers. I got round it by re-installing an older version in another directory and letting it overwrite the drivers. Its worked ok since. Did you do ther full install with drivers? I only realised later that there is an option to not install them.

Tony

127

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle Speed Control

« on: October 11, 2007, 04:18:52 AM »

It worked fine up to & including 2.0.65. I have no other versions in between until 2.48, when it doesn't work.

I have just ( late last night ) managed to make 2.52 work properly by loading 2.065 into another directory afterwards. Both versions then work. I think it must be the latest version of the driver causing a problem with the index input. Previously I had been replacing one version with the other.

Tony

128

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash and spindle speed problems in Turn

« on: October 10, 2007, 02:43:58 PM »

Hood,

I've managed to get everything working on the new PC, using V2.0.65. Not straightforward, as I found that LPT1 pin 13 would not drive the OPTO on my charge pump. I swapped all LPT1 functions to LPT2, which is a plug in card, and all was well.

I then installed V2.048 and found the old problem of incorrect true spindle speed reading and control was still there. I then upgraded to V2.052 and found no change.



Tony

129

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle Speed Control

« on: October 10, 2007, 02:27:58 PM »

Hood,

I just got everything up & running on the new PC. Used V2.0.65 to get it all going ( which was not straightforward, as LPT1 pin 13 would not drive my charge pump OPTO. So I swapped ports and all worked )

Installed V2.048. No correct speed reading or control. Upgraded to V2.52 and no difference.

Tony

130

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle Speed Control

« on: October 04, 2007, 03:44:06 PM »

That would be V2.52 I assume? I only just learned where to find it.
I'm just in the process of changing PCs so I can't run everything up yet. I'm also going away for a few days, so I may not be able to try it for a day or two.
I will report back

thanks

Tony