Recent Posts

71

Mach4 General Discussion / Need Help Configuring Mach 4 on OTK Retrofit on AVID/ESS

« Last post by CustomFoam on September 21, 2026, 11:07:13 AM »

I removed the router head from my 2017 AVID (CNC Router Parts) 4896 Pro ESS NEMA 23 3/8" shaft router, which I use to cut foam (www.houstoncustomfoam.com ). I installed the Ecocam EOT-4 cutter head, the 4th controller for the A axis, wired it all up and can't figure out how to get the last part of the configuration correct. I use Cut 2D to generate a circular test file, cutting on the line. When I open the file and start the run, the X, Y and Z axes do just what they're supposed to and the image on Mach 4 shows the cutter following the circle path, with the angle of the knife doing what it is supposed to, turning slowly to stay tangential to the cutting path.

The problem is that the actual knife rotation does not behave as it should. In one configuration, I can get the A axis to jog using the screen button, and the knife does not rotate at all. In the present configuration, the A axis jog buttons do not work, and the knife just rotates continuously, like a drill. I have not been able to get the knife itself to behave properly, as it is shown on the M4 screen.

I'm asking for suggestions to get this going. Thanks in advance.

72

MachPro General Discussion / Erratic GoTo Part Zero function

« Last post by joeaverage on September 20, 2026, 03:31:42 PM »

Hi,
yesterday the <GoTo Part Zero> button seemed to work, but this morning it does not.

When I hit the button a dialogue pops up saying to hit <CycleSart> in order to go to part zero, hit <CycleStart> and nothing.....
The Status bar shows Table:0000019985EF71C20.

What does this mean?
Why did this button work yesterday and not today?

Craig

73

MachPro General Discussion / Re: Shot myself in the foot!!

« Last post by cd_edwards on September 20, 2026, 08:29:43 AM »

the ESS plugin should be 326 if I remember correctly and it's only included with MachPro. It's installed when you install machpro. The plugins from Warp9TD are not what you want as they are for Mach4 only

74

MachPro General Discussion / Perfect DRO block.

« Last post by joeaverage on September 20, 2026, 01:45:02 AM »

Hi,
I am moderately frustrated that the Axis Position Group, which I have long called the DRO block on the main (Gcode) page/tab
is not editable.

Today however I was fiddling around with the Tool page/tab, and on that page is the essetially similar DRO block, but in this case there is
a <ZeroAxis> button alongside each DRO. Also, the numeric content of the DRO is editable, for example; 'double-click and divide by two.
If the <DRO_AutoCalc> function is instantiated, then it's possible to do mathematical manipulation of the numeric content of the DRO.

This is exactly what I'm looking for, it behaves almost identically to the DRO block in Mach4.

Is it possible to call this particular hard coded DRO block into the main (Gcode) page?

99% of my work with my current Mach4 setup is done just on the main page, I very seldom need to view other pages/tabs, and I now
realize that it is the functionality of the DRO block that gives the most productivity gains. For this purpose, the DRO block of the Tools tab
is much preferred.

Craig

75

MachPro General Discussion / Redundant Entries in Machine IO Tab

« Last post by joeaverage on September 19, 2026, 10:51:37 PM »

Hi,
being horribly confused by the Machine IO Tab.

The legitimate enabled outputs seem to work as you'd expect, going active with the signal. But note the additional and repeat entries in the list. Those
particular variables had previously been removed using the 'Remove all Variables' function, but they remain visible in the panel but no longer reflect the
state of the variable.....very confusing.....are you looking at a genuine signal state or are you looking at some screen artefact that is NOT reflective of signal state?

Craig

76

MachPro General Discussion / Homing Offset in Control Plugin

« Last post by joeaverage on September 19, 2026, 10:17:47 PM »

Hi,
I've been configuring my machine to run MachPro from its current Mach4 installation.

I have home switches on all three axes. The Y axis home switch event occurs with the table closest, thus the actual desired machine coordinate at that location is not 0 but rather
350, with 350mm being the travel of the Y axis. I have always used Home Offset in Mach4 and worked fine. For some reason MachPro will NOT set the machine coordinate to the programmed (350)
Home Offset but always set the machine coordinate to 0 irrespective of whether I program Home Offset or not.

Anyone had the same problem?

Craig

77

MachPro General Discussion / Re: Shot myself in the foot!!

« Last post by joeaverage on September 19, 2026, 04:08:24 PM »

Hi Colten,
you are right.

When I downloaded a fresh copy of MachPro I downloaded a DEMO version. I have a license and I applied that, whereon MachPro changed to 'Licensed'.
I downloaded a fresh copy of the ESS plugin, but that's where I stalled. I could not get MachPro to open and recognise the ESS plugin. The latest ESS plugin is 320,
at least according to the Warp9 website.

This morning in a fit of desperation I downloaded a new copy of MachPro, but this time at your advice made sure that it was a 'Normal' copy rather than DEMO.

That in turn bought up the dialogue about setting the ESS as motion control and it automatically installed ESS v326. But that is not the same v320 as recommended
by Warp9. I can only assume that v326 is for MachPro whereas v320 is for Mach4???

Anyway, MachPro is successfully installed, the license file applied, a suitable ESS plugin installed and the ESS as the active motion control. ALL GOOD!!!!

This whole episode has rather been my own fault.

Several days ago I downloaded MachPro for the first time, and it installed correctly, with license and ESS plugin.

I had tried editing the AxisPositionsGroup using the screen editor, but found much to my frustration that I could not get the edits to 'stick'. Indeed this forms the core of another
thread about that exact same subject. Paul Stephens has very adequately answered that enquiry.......but in my effort to edit that group had screwed it up to the extent that the
AxisPositionGroup failed to load at all. Bugger!!! That's when I decided to download a fresh copy of MachPro.

The take-away lesson is do not try to screen edit those hard coded groups lest you succeed in screwing up the functionality therein.

Thanks for your help. I'm now back to configuring MachPro to suit my machine.

Craig

78

MachPro General Discussion / Re: Shot myself in the foot!!

« Last post by cd_edwards on September 19, 2026, 12:55:53 PM »

Make sure when you install, you are not installing in demo mode. Look on top right of the installer

79

MachPro General Discussion / Shot myself in the foot!!

« Last post by joeaverage on September 18, 2026, 11:20:34 PM »

Hi,
I've been fiddling around trying to install MachPro and managed to stuff up the built-in screen set. 'I know....I'll download a fresh install'.
That's what I did, it installed and I applied the license without trouble.

But now I cannot get MachPro to read the Warp9TD plugin file.

This is the exact same file I downloaded several days ago, and MachPro quite happily made the ESS my motion controller.....but now it won't.
The Warp9 plugin does not appear in the Control/Plugins list, and when I go to use the <Add> button the plugin file does not show up and yet I have
copied it into the Mach/Plugins folder along with the .sig file.

Don't know what I'm doing wrong? Anyone have any suggestions?

Craig

80

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Auto Probe and Tool offset

« Last post by derlean on September 18, 2026, 11:00:02 PM »

I think the issue may be related to how the tool offset is being applied when you re-zero tool 1 on the material surface. Since I’m not a coder either, I’d probably start by checking each offset and zeroing step carefully to see where the expected height adjustment stops happening.