Messages

231

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Smooth Stepper Ethernet + Mach4, where am I wrong?

« on: March 10, 2021, 10:58:54 PM »

That is not my experience with ESS and Mach 4.  You should be able to control the buffer depth in the ESS plugin.  Contact Andy at Warp 9 and see what he has to say.  That would be the first place I would start. 

I have two machines in my basement using Mach4/ESS and they are both flawless, responsive, and NEVER give problems.  I keep an ESS on my desk to test with as well )Two thee currently.  And if you sneeze at the shop, you will have hit an ESS somewhere.  There wouldn't be that many ESS boards laying around our trenches if they didn't work well. 

Steve

232

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: What does .PlcCycle() Do?

« on: March 10, 2021, 10:31:00 PM »

The LUA code that the PMC generates is not meant to be used outside of the context of the PMC functionality.  It has special hooks that the Mach4GUI uses and nothing else will ever call them.  Taking a PMC generated LUA file and trying to modify it is guaranteed to end in failure. 

It is much better to start with the original .pmc file and work all of the logic in the PMC editor.  The PMC editor just takes the ladder logic and generates LUA code to to work with the screen set.  The .Plc_Cycle() is what the screen set calls to run the logic in that generated file.  In hindsight, I probably should have compiled the generated LUA code into bytecode.  But I left it as plain text LUA code because it was easier to debug. 

Steve

233

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Change retraction value at cycle G73

« on: March 10, 2021, 10:17:12 PM »

Mike is always clear and kind.  I consider myself fortunate to have met him in person.   

The G code manual shows how to read and write parameters with G code.  Look for G10 L50.

Steve

234

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Can Mach4 Do This? (Mach3 Can't)

« on: March 10, 2021, 10:02:11 PM »

In Mach3, an axis was analogous to a motor.  Meaning a Mach3 axis could only drive one set of motor output.  A 1:1 Axis to Motor relationship. 

With Mach 4, and axis is a plane of motion and it can be driven by several motors.  A 1:n Axis to Motors relationship.  So yes, Mach 4 can handle your hardware issue.   

H9oming is a function of the motion plugin.  Most handle gantry axes quite well.  Check with your motion controller manufacturer first.  As far as Mach 4 is concerned, we just set both motors off moving toward the home switches.  We do require home switches on all of the motors though.   

Steve

235

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Modbus Basic Step By Step Manual with Examples

« on: March 10, 2021, 09:50:16 PM »

Wow...  Nice job!  You have the heart of a teacher, so it seem appropriate that you are teaching a class. 

Steve

236

Mach4 Plugins / Re: Mach4 Plugin-Development

« on: March 10, 2021, 09:44:37 PM »

Ok guys, starting with build 4688, I have included a plugin that will handle the WHB04B-4 and WHB04B-6 XHC MPGs.  It will eventually support the older WHB04 but I haven't gotten one in yet to test with.

There are a lot post with erroneous model numbers, incomplete or otherwise, out there that was a huge source of confusion for me.  So to be clear, the MPG that this plugin supports looks like this:


Steve

237

Mach4 Plugins / Re: XHC WB04 plugin

« on: March 10, 2021, 09:35:21 PM »

Ok guys, starting with build 4688, I have included a plugin that will handle the WHB04B-4 and WHB04B-6 XHC MPGs.  It will eventually support the older WHB04 but I haven't gotten one in yet to test with.

To be clear, it supports the MPGs that look like this:


Steve

238

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: edit screen

« on: February 19, 2021, 04:32:27 PM »

Yes.  Unless the code calls a module that is external to the screen.  But if you made the modifications to the load script itself, then those modifications travel with the screen. 

Steve

239

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Signal Number Definitions

« on: February 19, 2021, 12:42:02 AM »

it would be mc.OSIG_SPINDLE_FWD.

240

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: service timer

« on: February 06, 2021, 01:14:09 PM »

http://www.machsupport.com/ftp/Mach4/DevlopmentVersions/

Get the latest one.  4609, I believe

Steve