Messages

591

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Bridgeport is getting an overhaul

« on: December 01, 2011, 08:37:58 AM »

Hood,

It looks good! And certainly each machine you do gets better

A few questions:

I know a Smooth Stepper must be in there, but can't see it...?

Also, since you have all those buttons and particularly the FRO and SRO pots, I would assume a Pokeys should be in there, but can't see that one either.

Could you explain what are the buttons on the first raw at the top? SpinEn looks like enabling the spindle drive, but I would expect a On/Off switch and this looks like a momentary switch? And the other two, just curious what are they (Limit and Control)?

Oh... and does Russ sell those relay boards? Where can I acquire one?

Dan

592

General Mach Discussion / Re: PoppaBear needs some help please!!!

« on: November 26, 2011, 11:41:46 AM »

Roger,

While making a worm wheel with a tap like some do will transfer the movement, it shouldn't be considered for efficiency critical or, more importantly, for high load transmission applications. The tooth profile is not thick enough to carry high loads and the helix would be probably too small leading to reduced efficiency. There are many other considerations as well to this.

Dan

593

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Ethernet SmoothStepper first test

« on: November 23, 2011, 11:32:34 AM »

The Arduino does look very capable and flexible indeed, but it's a bit like reinventing the wheel when trying to achieve with it what the Pokeys already does and is specifically designed for.

Dan

594

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Ethernet SmoothStepper first test

« on: November 23, 2011, 11:18:34 AM »

Ah... OK Hood Just thought you found a way to somehow incorporate it on your BOB, but looks like you'd still run another (serial?) cable to your PC. So still looks like a Pokeys is a better way to go.

Dan

595

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Ethernet SmoothStepper first test

« on: November 23, 2011, 10:30:20 AM »

Brett has recently been messing around with the Arduino and we are thinking of incorporating it into a BOB for analogues and maybe a few other things.

Hood,

But you can't establish the communication between the Arduino and Mach over the ESS. So you'd need to connect a cable direct from the Arduino to the PC. Or am I wrong?

What advantages does it give you over a Pokeys?

Dan

596

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Ethernet SmoothStepper first test

« on: November 23, 2011, 06:23:19 AM »

I am then thinking of making a 24v I/O board for ports 2 and 3, probably one will have a couple of analogue ins for FRO and SRO.

How are you going to handle the analogue inputs?

Heres a pic of the one I made for the scorpion, works out fairly expensive getting pcb's done in small numbers

Still cheaper than isolation routing them yourself?

Dan

597

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Ethernet SmoothStepper first test

« on: November 23, 2011, 05:06:38 AM »

Hood,

You might want to check this line driver out:

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/CUI-102E-10/102-1787-ND/1923401

It is designed to be used with AMT encoders, but no reason you can't use it to drive your servos.

Dan

598

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link

« on: November 22, 2011, 09:49:40 AM »

Amazing work there on your new mill, Steve!

I have been thinking of using a 4th axis as a tool grinder for some time now. Nice to see you actually doing it and getting good results. Gives good motivation.

You're videos are very professionally made as always and a pleasure to watch. Thanks for showing!

Dan

599

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: DIR Pulse

« on: November 16, 2011, 03:54:53 AM »

Hi Gerry,

I am only sure I remember Art or Brian mentioning it, but whether it's really the way it works I don't know.

Regarding Sherline mode, I am sure about it, as half the cycle time at 25Khz kernel is 20uSec

Dan

600

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: DIR Pulse

« on: November 15, 2011, 01:56:48 AM »

Hi Michael,

The values entered in those fields is the amount of time to be added to the standard pulse width (around 3uSec). So if you enter 5 there you will get an 8uSec pulse width. I think it is only true for the step pulse, the direction signal being just a change of state, but am not sure about this as some time ago someone was reporting a different behaviour (although with SmoothStepper) which was never confirmed by other users.

 If you need a wider pulse than that then use Sherline Mode (under Ports and Pins), which will give you around 20uSec pulse width.

Dan