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Author Topic: Mach problem or hardware problem?  (Read 15593 times)

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Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2010, 07:58:05 PM »
Well, I went through the optimization document and even cranked my cpu speed down.  I though I was good when I ran the drivertest.exe because it smoothed it out but still no joy.  I don't know what to do next - try a parallel card, get a whole new mb/cpu (intel maybe)?  I just dont know.


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Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2010, 03:14:32 AM »
So it definitel is fine with the older computer you tried? Can you load the xml from that computer onto this one and run it just to make sure its not a config issue of some sort. If it still has a problem then its safe to say its the computer or something on it that is causing problems.
What kernel are you running? Have you tried running the driver test at that kernel if it is faster than 25KHz?

Hood
Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2010, 07:53:57 AM »
I ran the driver test at 45k and it looked fine as well although there are occasional blips.  I tried the XML file from the working machine and it didn't make a difference.   The new machine has a pretty cheap motherboard but it was the only one with a parallel port on it.  It also has integrated video.  I considered buying a video card and PCI parallel card but I don't want to just keep throwing money at it.  I may just bring it in the house and try to find an old machine for the mill.

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Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2010, 08:33:37 AM »
More likely to be the port than the graphics as I would expect the driver test to show it if it was the graphics.
If yo look on the diagnostics page does it show the frequency fairly steady and also is it very close to the set kernel?
Hood
Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2010, 12:19:24 PM »
Here is what it looked like at 45k.  Mostly smooth but there are blips.    When I hook the new machine up to my other mill, of course I have the same stalling issues with multiple axes but it will even stall with a single axis.  And the times I could get the axis to move and not stall, the stepper doesn't sound smooth at all - the sound sort of fluctuates up and down.  Also every second or two it will make a loud BUMP sound.

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Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2010, 01:17:16 PM »
Ah ok then it could well be a graphic issue as often it appears as spikes and the bump sound probably corresponds to the spike.
Hood
Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #16 on: October 02, 2010, 11:02:23 AM »
Man, I have been pulling my hair out over this.  I went out and bought a video card, parallel card, and new motherboard and figured I would start with the cheapest and work my way up.  I first tried the video card - it didn't fix it.  I then tried the parallel card and that didn't fix it.  Lastly, I installed the motherboard and completely reinstalled Windows.  While Drivertest was pretty happy about all of this (practically a completely flat line), it still didn't fix it.  I even had an old computer that was similar to the one on my working machine so I dug it out and tried to use it and even it would not work.

OK, so I took the config file from the new PC and plopped it onto my working machine (backed up its config first) and guess what - I get the same behavior on the working machine with that config file.  Previously, I just went in and modified the ports and pins when I connected it to the new mill.  I took the original config from the working machine, put it on my new machine, changed the ports and pins and it works!

So now I have boiled the issue down to a difference in the configs and I really want to know what it is.  Had I not had a working machine, I would have probably just cranked this one down super slow and figured thats how it should be working.

I downloaded the XML reader and went through it but the new (non-working) XML is twice the size of the working one.  I also don't know what every setting means.  I have attached both XMLs if anyone would be so kind as to help me identify it.


Editd to add - I did notice that Sherline mode was on in the working but that isn't the cause.  I tried that setting on the non-working file as well.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2010, 11:06:15 AM by nucular »

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Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #17 on: October 02, 2010, 11:32:19 AM »
First thing I see is you have the not working one at 100KHz kernel and the working at 45KHz, so try the non working at 45KHz.
Hood
Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #18 on: October 02, 2010, 02:00:00 PM »
crud - i didn't set it back to the baseline after I was horsing with it.  I will create a new profile and test it.  the only things i originally changed were the motor tuning settings, the motor outputs and the input for the estop.

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Re: Mach problem or hardware problem?
« Reply #19 on: October 02, 2010, 02:07:45 PM »
Remember to make sure you dont have sherline mode enabled as that may hamper things as it sets a 40uS pulse width so 25KHz is the max you can get.
Another thing to do is put the pulse width and Dir Prechange on the motor tuning up a bit and see if that helps. I notice in the working one you have 2 for width and 0 for prechange so maybe try at that.
Hood