Messages

31

NC Pod / Re: Welcome To The NC Pod Development, Discussion and Support Topic

« on: January 16, 2007, 04:17:04 PM »

Wayne,

Thanks for the post. My machine is running with Tek10 TEKdrives, MCG ID33003 from Dan Mauch, US Digital E5DM - 500 differential Encoders. 1:1 to a 5 TPI ball Screw.

Developments, Oh Yes, some exciting things happening. Great to hear from you.

Regards

Dave

32

NC Pod / Re: Not returning to zero

« on: January 16, 2007, 02:14:10 PM »

Greolt

Can you do us a favor, if it is not returning to Zero, is it because it is what you are reading on the DRO or is your machine physically not returning to Zero. If it is the DRO that you are concerned about, work out your step pulses, is the error + or - 1 step of the commanded destination or is the error greater?

Dave

33

NC Pod / Re: Missing steps in jog follow mode

« on: January 16, 2007, 01:11:58 AM »

Ryan,

Thanks for letting us know, I will report the issue as it is not one I have come across before.

Dave

34

NC Pod / Latest Mach3, NC Pod Mach 3 Plugin and NC Pod Firmware........

« on: January 15, 2007, 03:35:40 PM »

This thread is purely to give you all the links to the latest NC Pod Downloads and nothing more.

FIRST SECTION FOR NEW USERS OF THE NC POD

The following things in section 1 only need to be done for the first time you install or update the pod.

.net Framework

To Update the firmware on the NC Pod, you will require the latest Microsoft .net framework - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en . The .net framework is to support the latest microsoft applications that have been developed using visual c# .net, visual basic.net, etc. A download is required for now as it is not an installed componant of Windows XP, but will be an installed componant of Vista.

NC Pod USB Driver

Download this file to a known location and extract the files. After extracting the files, plug in your pod, ensuring you have powered the board with your 5V power supply. Windows will detect a new device, follow the driver installation dialog and select to search your known folder where you extrated the driver files, it should then auto install the driver. Go to your Control Panel/System/Hardware/Hardware Devices and you should see the Pod there happily running, if it has an exclamation mark next to it, then there was a problem with the driver installation.

Download USB Driver - www.cncteknix.com/ncpod/ncpoddriver.zip

SECOND SECTION FOR CURRENT USERS OF THE NC POD WANTING TO UPDATE THEIR DEVICE TO THE CURRENT WORKING DEVELOPMENT VERSION

The NC Pod requires three downloads usually to update it, eventually Mach3 will be distributed with the NC Pod driver, but until it reaches lock down state, we will keep them seperate.

Latest Version of Mach3 (2.00.040) - http://www.artofcnc.ca/Mach3VersionR2.00.040.exe

Latest Version of the NC Pod Mach3 Driver (2.00.038) - http://www.machsupport.com/PlugIns/DeskPod.m3p

Latest Version of the NC Pod Firmware (2014) - http://ncpod.oemtech.com/downloads/ncPOD%20Firmware%20Installer%202014.zip

Please PM me if you have any suggestions, additions or if you want the information expanded for the topic.

Best Regards to you all......

Dave

35

NC Pod / Re: Not returning to zero

« on: January 15, 2007, 02:50:03 PM »

Guy's and Gal's,

I will start a locked thread that I will keep updated with the links to the latest Mach3, NC Pod Mach3 Driver and NC Pod Firmware Updates.

Dave

36

NC Pod / Re: Not returning to zero

« on: January 15, 2007, 01:00:11 AM »

Beta Team,

Art is aware of this issue and at the moment is talking with the Pod developer about it. The Pod and Mach 3 is accurate to +/- 1 step (provided you have the latest version of Mach 3 and the Pod firmware update). I will re-visit this with Art to get an update on his thoughts regarding this matter.

Dave

37

NC Pod / USB Loss of Communications

« on: January 14, 2007, 11:11:26 PM »

There is a known issue regarding the loss of communications between Mach3 and the NC Pod.

1. Is USB 1 - Ensure that you are using a PC or Laptop with USB 2.

On some PC's and Laptop's the Pod will stop communicating after a certain number of minutes (or lines of code). So far, this problem has been fixed by going in to your computers bios. In the bios, you will see a mode for USB called "Legacy Mode". If it is enabled then that is more than likely the problem. To fix the problem, disable legacy mode and re-boot your computer, you should find that it will now have stable communication.

38

NC Pod / Re: Documentation, Tips and Tricks

« on: January 14, 2007, 10:21:19 PM »

Team,

Here is a preliminary connection diagram and setup document that will hopefully take some of the confusion out of connecting your pod for the first time. If there are any mistakes or if I have missed anything, please let me know.

www.cncteknix.com/ncpod/ncpod_diagram.pdf

Take it easy!!

Dave

39

NC Pod / Documentation, Tips and Tricks

« on: January 14, 2007, 10:08:44 PM »

Team,

This thread is for posting helpful Tips, fixes for known problems or documentation relating to the NC Pod. Please try to reduce the number of questions asked in this thread to keep it nice and clean and a good place to come for help. Please feel free, however, to let us know if one of the tips, fixes or documents, did not help ar needs adjustment so we can provide better support.

Kindest Regards

Dave

40

NC Pod / Re: Welcome To The NC Pod Development, Discussion and Support Topic

« on: January 14, 2007, 09:57:33 PM »

Team,

I am going to start a new thread for support documentation, Tips and Tricks. I will open it with a preliminary connection diagram and basic setup document. If we could reduce the number of questions in the thread it would be great, this will keep the trhread nice and clean and a good p[lace to go for help.

Dave