Messages

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: pmdx411 cannot communicate with device

« on: March 14, 2019, 02:37:48 AM »

Don't you just love it when something works?    Ham radio to the rescue!!!!

Steve

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: last line not executing

« on: March 04, 2019, 05:55:32 PM »

I'm not sure what your end goal is, but you won't be able to home an axis in an M code script.  The script you posted would work (with modifications) in a button script though. 

Why do we not allow homing in M code macros?  Well..  it is because the machine is not in the IDLE state.  It is in automatic mode.  You can't do a manual mode function (jog, MPG, homing, etc...) while in automatic mode. 

The thing that isn't happening with the script is waiting for the home ops to complete.  You can wait on them by checking the state of the machine with mc.mcCntlGetState().  The first thing to do is call the home ops (checking the return codes to make sure there are no errors).  Then loop until the state is not equal to mc.MC_STATE_IDLE.  Once the state is no longer IDLE, loop and wait for it to return to idle.  The home ops will have completed at that time. 

None of that script checks any return codes.  There are no mysteries if you check the return codes. 

Steve

3

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: pmdx411 cannot communicate with device

« on: February 28, 2019, 09:21:59 PM »

A choke is basically a device to prevent common mode currents on the signal lines.  Usually, all it consists of are ferrite cores.  Such as https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Fair-Rite/2643625002?qs=MLldULe7zY2ZDvtexqlGbA%3D%3D.

Pass the wires from the MC-60 through the core (as many turns as you can fit).  Do all three of them.  It is important that the choke is as close to the G540 as possible.  Say within an inch or so.  Meaning it doesn't have to be .0001 close!   

http://www.w6pql.com/images/hf/hftkctrl.jpg

In that picture above, the heavy pinkish/red wires are passed through some larger cores.  And then there are a lot of signal wires or different colors being choked as well. 

Steve

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: pmdx411 cannot communicate with device

« on: February 28, 2019, 08:59:01 PM »

Probably the new MC-60 motor controller is noisy and wigging out the G540, PMDX-411, USB or all of them!  I would put some chokes on the MC-60 wires close to the G540.

Steve

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 homing erroer

« on: February 28, 2019, 07:39:36 PM »

Also check

Configure->Control->Motors  And make sure the check boxes are checked by all of the motors that you use.

Steve

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: touch probeing

« on: February 28, 2019, 07:37:15 PM »

Blum makes a good line of probes/tool setters too.  None of the good stuff is cheap, unfortunately.

Steve

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Signal scripts while disabled.

« on: February 28, 2019, 04:23:46 PM »

mcSignalWait() used to require that the control was enabled.  The reason was because mcSignaWait() used to be ONLY used by the Industrial MacroB functions and ONLY on the general purpose input and output signals.  In the newer builds, this requirement has been removed and mcSignalWait() will work on ALL input and output signals. 

If you check the return code from mcSignalWait() it would have told you MERROR_NOT_ENABLED.  This is why it is ALWAYS important to check the return code. 

Steve

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Is it possible to call an M code from a different M code?

« on: February 23, 2019, 02:11:52 PM »

Again, a reminder to keep all M code function names and file names lower case. 

Steve

9

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: start move first axis ,then start second axis without wait first reach position

« on: February 23, 2019, 01:50:02 PM »

No.    X, Y, Z, A, B, and C are coordinated axes.  That means that they move in coordination with each other.  Always.  The out of band axes are not coordinated.

Steve

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 license.dat issue

« on: February 16, 2019, 07:39:20 PM »

Please open a support ticket via the www.machsupport.com website.  That is the safe way to deal with license issues. 

Steve