Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 09:57:01 AM

Author Topic: What should I see in the "Diagnostics Alt-7" window if Mach3 configured properly  (Read 18042 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Blu

*
  •  5 5
    • View Profile
How do I configure my Mach3 software to drive a motor?  I have had success with “inputs,” but can’t seem to get any “outputs.”  The simulated “LEDs” on the Mach3 “Diagnostics Alt-7” window do not light up for any of my outputs.  The installation guide is vague about what to expect on this screen.  Additionally, the “Port 1 Pins current State” shows five green lights lit up.  From left to right, these are the top 4th through 8th boxes of the 24x total boxes.  My emergency stop button is the only function that has successfully lit up in the “Diagnostics Alt-7” window when I’ve activated the switch.

I have followed the examples in the “Mach3 user’s guide to installation, configuration, and operation” and cannot get my stepper motor to turn.  My diagnostics will begin with verifying that the software is configured correctly.

I ran the “DriverTest.exe” application and the compatibility test resulted in a “System Excellent” message.  The Mach3 software seems to have installed properly and I have not had any issues using the software without my hardware connected.

In the “Port Setup and Axis Selection,” I only enabled the Port 1 and have a port address of “0x379” with my Kernel speed set to 25000Hz.

At the “Motor Outputs” tab I’ve set the X Axis Step Pin# to pin “3” and the Dir Pin# to pin “2.”  I’ve checked the “Enabled,” “Dir LowActive,” and “Step LowActive” and made the both the Step and Dir Ports “1.”  This is the exact configuration in Figure 5.4 of the installation guide.  The wiring schematic provided with my C10 breakout board and my KL-4030 stepper driver show my breakout boards pin 2 connected to a “pul-” terminal on driver and breakout boards pin 3 connected to a “dir-“ on the driver.  I’m assuming this is because the signal from these pins is supposed to be “Active Low.” 

Since I only want to drive the stepper motor to begin my design, I have not enabled my limit switches or home switches in the “Input Signals” tab.  However, I did enable the “EStop” signal for pin 10 and set the port# to 1.  I did not choose the “Active Low.”  I measure 5Vs at pin 10 on my C10 Breakout Board. 

I don’t understand how to use or if I need to use the enable signals in the “Output Signal” tab.   The installation guide specifies that one output can be used for all the axis drives, but I’m not clear on how this is implemented in my wiring.  I am not using a charge/pump monitor.  The C10 breakout board does have an enable pin which I’ve jumped to a 5V, 400mA DC power supply that powers the breakout board.

The “Output Signals current State” does not respond to any G Code I’ve tried or when I’ve used the “Servo Freq. Generator,” although the coordinates in the X axis do change and the display shows the a path.  Also, I’ve used a multi-meter on the parallel port and found some of the pins at 5Vs. 

   Based on my successful emergency stops at the input and the voltage at the outputs on the parallel port, I assume I have some communication and that either 1) my breakout board is messed up and not breaking the signals out properly or 2) I don’t have the Mach3 software configured correctly.  However, I can’t rule out my Mach3 configuration until I know what I’m supposed to see functioning in the “Diagnostics Alt-7” window.

I’m currently running Mach3 on an old Toshiba laptop with a single parallel port using Windows XP, my breakout board is a C10-Parallel Port Interface Card, the stepper driver is a KL-4030, and my motors are 425oz stepper motors. 

Anyone’s insight is greatly appreciated.  Do I have my Mach3 configured correctly?
Blu

Offline Tweakie.CNC

*
  • *
  •  9,196 9,196
  • Super Kitty
    • View Profile
Hi Blu,

Some laptops work and some don't.
To avoid this problem it would be best if you switch to a PC (WinXP) for your initial setup and trials.

Check your wiring between the C10 and the 4030 just to make sure you have the step and direction pins connected correctly (as per the Keling manual) then check your Mach setup again just to make sure you have the motor pins configured correctly.

Tweakie.
PEACE

Offline Blu

*
  •  5 5
    • View Profile
Thanks.  Aside from my wiring of the breakout board and driver being potential incorrect, I still don't know if I've configured Mach3 correctly. 

If Mach3 is configured correctly and the breakout board is not connected, what should the simulated LEDs be doing in the "Diagnostics Alt-7" window? (ie. at the outputs and the "Port 1 Pins current State")  Are they supposed to turn green, red, or amber?  Mine do nothing regardless of my breakout board being disconnected.

Blu

Offline Tweakie.CNC

*
  • *
  •  9,196 9,196
  • Super Kitty
    • View Profile
Hi Blu,

This is bit of a grey area and that particular display should not be regarded as evidence that Mach is configured correctly.

A more reliable approach to seeing the input and output activity from your parallel port would be to run the free program Parmon which can be downloaded free of charge from here http://www.geekhideout.com/parmon.shtml

Tweakie.
PEACE

Offline stirling

*
  • *
  •  2,188 2,188
  • UK
    • View Profile
    • www.razordance.co.uk
This is bit of a grey area and that particular display should not be regarded as evidence that Mach is configured correctly.
Your such a diplomat Tweakie  ;D. You beat me to it but I was just about to post "Ignore them - they don't work and never have"  ;D

Ian

EDIT: This is mine and it rarely changes regardless of what's active and what's not. All the other diagnostic LEDs work of course.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2012, 07:18:26 AM by stirling »

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Your such a diplomat Tweakie  ;D. You beat me to it but I was just about to post "Ignore them - they don't work and never have"  ;D

And should be removed, along with the Abnormal Condition IMO.
Hood

Offline Blu

*
  •  5 5
    • View Profile
Thanks for the link to the parallel port monitor that Tweakie sent.  I tried it, but it doesn't show that the outputs at my pins are changing.  The monitor showed pins 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13 active regardless of what ever commands I gave Mach3 for movement in the X, Y, and Z axis.

I used a multimeter to check the pins and configured the "motor outputs" for the x axis and made the step pin # 2 and the dir pin # 3.  Both were toggled for Active Low.

I used the "Servo Freq. Generator" in the Diagnostics screen and measured the voltage at each pin.  Pins 1, 2, and 4 alternated between 0V and 3V every one second, which corresponded to the one second "reversal period" in the servo frequency generator.  Pins 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 responded the same way except they alternated from 1.5V to 4.5V.  All other pins measured 0V.  I used pin 24 as ground in my measurements.  These were all measured off the computers parallel port not the breakout board.

I thought I was onto something and satisfied that I was getting something from the parallel port.  However, I'm a little suprised by which pins responded to my x axis "motor output" configuration.  I expected pins 2 and 3 to be the only pins with voltages.  Is this normal? 

If it is normal, then I can narrow down my troubleshooting to the C10 breakout board and not my computer and Mach3.

I don’t have a desktop computer to install Mach3 on.
 
Blu

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Can you attach your xml please.
Hood

Offline Blu

*
  •  5 5
    • View Profile
Hood,

I've attached my ".xml" as requested.  Thanks.

Blu

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
xml looks fine as far as setup of only X axis so you should only see changes in X axis pins.
If you look on the diagnostics page do you see a time in int? Also do you see a frequency?

Hood