Messages

1201

Galil / Re: icm 2900 screw connectors

« on: March 04, 2014, 03:05:21 AM »

They are a pretty common connector.  I purchased them from Digikey or Mouser Electronics.  There is a top access part number and a bottom access part number.  But I ordered just top or bottom (I can't remember which) and they will interchange but just not wire up as nicely.  If I can find my receipt from waaaaaay waaaaay back when, I'll post up the part number.

Ahh...  Here it is.  http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/ELFF04230/APC1176-ND/1787967  They only have the top access ones in stock. 

Steve

1202

Galil / Re: Old Dynapath System 10 upgrading to Galil CS 18420 ICM 2900 No idea on wiring???

« on: March 04, 2014, 02:48:41 AM »

Yes... stepper or servo?

The pins pretty much are how you map the Galil inputs and outputs.  The pin map is in the Galil Plugin PDF.  Basically you find the input or output you want and look up in the PDF and you assign that pin number yo the Mach input or output signal you want to map it to in "Ports and Pins". 

The encoders are internally mapped, so don't do anything on the "Encoders" tab of the Mach config.  Just make sure the encoders are wired up to the ICM.  The AMPENA output on the ICM is also internally mapped.  It is actually toggled high with the Galil command "SH" and low with "MO"  The plugin issues these commands to the Galil appropriately. 

Steve

1203

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: March 04, 2014, 02:38:49 AM »

If you would not mind could you try to explain the gear ratio part of Mach.
I keep reading that section, but I just do not really get it

In Mach, we need to know the amount of encoder counts that results in 1 unit of measure.  If you set your machine up for inches, then we want to know how many encoder counts/steps it takes to move the axis exactly 1 inch.  Hence the term Steps per Unit.  One of my machines is 12700 steps per inch.  This is inclusive of any gear reduction!  But in the end, we don't care about the gearing.  Only about how many steps it takes to get to one inch.  If you set Steps Per Unit in "Config -> Motor Tuning" to this value for each of your axes, you can't go wrong. 

Mach allows each axis to have a different steps per unit.  In a simple scenario like a 45 degree angle cut, X may move 2000 counts and Y may move only 1000 counts.  But if the steps per unit for X and Y are correct, they will both move the same distance and thus produce the 45 degree angle.  This works fine in Mach because we told the machine to move a certain distance that is based in the user units for X and Y.  This is a lot tougher to deal with on the Galil because you are not dealing with distances.  You are working in encoder counts!!  1000 counts on X would be exactly half of the distance of 1000 counts in Y in the 45 degree angle scenario. 

So in Galil code, you have to do a little math in your head to extrapolate a distance based on the number of counts it takes to get there for any particular axis.  In stead of saying "G01 G91 X1 Y1" in Mach, you would give the Galil a command of "PR 2000, 1000" to do the same move.  PR is "Position Relative" (incremental move) and is equivalent to G91 in G code.  So you can see here that having the same number of counts to move each axis a certain distance is VERY beneficial when working in the Galil environment.  It makes things a lot more simple.  Now, how about plotting a circle with X and Y counts per inch being different?  Boom!  Mushroom cloud!  At least in my head it is. 

This is not an issue in Mach because Mach does all of the math for you.  Isn't Mach wonderful?  Thank you Mach!

Steve

1204

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: March 03, 2014, 11:45:30 AM »

Matt,

I'm glad you found the issue!  Those things can be hard to diagnose for the very reasons you stated.  

And you also raised a really good point about drive ratios!  Galil does provide some relief for mismatched ratios or encoder counts with the ES command.  But it is limited to Vector Mode operation.  So it is best to have the ratios the same to reduce headaches.  Trying to code a circle in Galil code with different axis ratios can make one's head explode...

Steve

1205

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: March 01, 2014, 12:29:24 PM »

No, it has not been updated.  I will have to build a full release and get the web gods to comply with a small sacrifice of some inanimate object. 

1206

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: February 13, 2014, 07:21:33 PM »

I'm running Version R3.043.062.  But I'm sure the newest Mach3 Rev. would also work.

Steve

1207

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: February 13, 2014, 12:08:27 PM »

Yes.  But you can only be assured it works with XP32 and Smart Term.    XP is a bit long in the tooth these days and MS will drop support for it in 2 months!  But if you get a machine that is stable with it, you should be able to run Mach3 on XP for quite a while.  Just remember that if something goes "poof", you will have a hard time getting it replaced as compared to just buying a new PC and going from there.  Most new PCs don't even have the good 'ol PCI slots anymore.  

I recommend any Ethernet controller.  21x3, 21x0, 22x0 for the older ones.  41x3 and 40x0 for the new ones.  The new controllers are really fast.  They take input from the command line approximately 10 times faster.  They also have a new motion mode called PVT (vs. linear interpolation) and can also use contour mode.  Ethernet will be around for a really really long time.  And it requires no driver from Galil that may become antiquated by new Windows versions or hardware changes.

Steve

1208

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: February 13, 2014, 12:25:34 AM »

I posted this in another thread, but this thread that is the only one getting any action so I am going to ask again here.

I am setting up a new dedicated computer now for Mach3 . I was able to pick up an Optima 1830 Pci
I had some new unused parts available even though they are dated by todays standards.

Intel q6600 Gigabyte board 500 gb 4gb DDR3 1600 ram 750 Watt Power Supply

So I can now run a faster computer than the one with my Galil ISA card

Do I install Smart term still or the new galil Suite?

Thanks,
Joe

What OS?  Smart Term only works up to XP.  Anything newer and you will have to use Galil Tools and the non Smart Term Galil plugin.  This MAY work for you.  I just have never tested it.  In any case, stick with a 32 bit OS as the code in the Galil plugin has a better chance of working with that.  I have tested the Galil Tools based plugin with a 18x6 Accelera PCI controller and it worked.  But I have no Optimas or Econos to test with. 

The no nonsense combo that WILL absolutely work is Windows XP32 with Start Term (version 7) drivers. 

Just a heads up...  For the future, I am thinking about dropping support for all bus based controllers.  This is not a decision I took lightly.  And I actually haven't decided yet.  But it is getting increasingly harder to support the bus based controllers.  Namely because I don't have one of each (and they all act a bit differently with data record retrieval) and my latest PC doesn't even have a regular PCI slot!  Conversely, nearly ALL PCs have Ethernet cards in them and the Ethernet cards all work the same.

That and the fact that I don't believe Galil even plans on releasing another bus based controller.  Meaning PCI-e is not in the cards. 

Just something to think about...

Steve

1209

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: February 13, 2014, 12:11:49 AM »

Nice!  I'm glad it works for you! 

1210

Galil / Re: Problems with losing position

« on: February 11, 2014, 12:42:28 AM »

The communication between Mach3 and the Galil is handled by the the plugin.  No serial.  Only Ethernet or bus.  Serial is too slow.

Galil can output Step/Dir for steppers or position controlled servo drives.  It will also do analog out for analog command servo drives.  Your choice per axis.  However, step/dir has no feedback loop, so you loose that!  It is no better than any other stepper system.  To use the Galil to it's full potential, it requires that the encoders are connected to the Galil and analog commands are sent to "real" servo drives.  I'm not a fan of the position control "step/dir" drives.  Better than a stepper as far as losing position is concened, but Galil is not closing the servo loop at all with that kind of drive.  With that kind of drive (or steppers for that matter) Mach gets no position feedback from the Galil and it can only maintain a calculated position of where the motors should be.

But with analog drives, the encoders are hooked to the Galil, right?  Well, the plugin has access to the Galil's encoder data.  It simply forwards it on to Mach.  

Encoder -> Galil -> Plugin -> Mach DRO is the path.  The DROs don't control the movement.  The Galil does.  Mach only references the position in the DRO (that it got from the Galil) when it wants to know the start point at which to plan a trajectory.  Other than that, it is for display purposes only.  But the DROs are indeed fed from the encoders.  

1.  Mach constantly gets updated with the encoder position (in machine counts).  It takes those counts and figures the position in user units based on the motor tuning and applies the current fixture offset to it.  
2.  Say you have the part zero set (G54) at X 0 and you want to move to X1.  "G01 X1 F20" then you hit Cycle Start (or enter on MDI)  Mach then looks at the current position as fed from the Galil and plans a trajectory to get to X1.  Say this total distance is 10000 counts.
3.  Mach begins streaming a trajectory down to the Galil.  Lots of points make up this trajectory over the time and distance to get there.  But in the end, 10000 counts will be doled out to the Galil.
4.  Now, the Galil has to execute the trajectory.  PID setup willing, it will arrive at the X1 destination.  The Galil is at X1 and updates Mach's DRO to X1 and the table is at X1.  So the tool is at X1.

Now, if the PID is too soft and the Galil can't get the table to X1 (too much dampening and not enough gain with no integral), that is NOT Mach's fault.  This is an extreme case but I have seen really bad servo tuning!  Most cases is that the PID overshoots (too much gain, not enough dampening and the servo may "hunt") and then settles to the commanded position.  In this case, position is never a problem.  You hit the mark.  In EITHER case, the Mach DROs will show exactly where the tool is.

The problem with the Stop() was that the DROs were not synchronized with with the Galil.  Because the DP command was used to apply an offset.  Thus Mach lost it's correct reference.  Basically, it was like applying an arbitrary fixture offset.  Any movements planned from then on would have this offset applied.  It was NOT that the DROs were not getting updated.

Steve