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Can't get 5 axes to work
« on: February 23, 2007, 08:02:47 AM »
Hi all,

I'm trying to get 5 axes to work on Mach 3.
They are all on the same parallel port.
X, Y, Z and A work fine, B does nothing.
The motor definitely works, because, if I swap the A and B pin assignments, then I can get that motor to move.
I am using the 6 axis screen set.
As far as I can tell, the B axis is enabled.
I have set up hotkeys for the B axis, but it still won't go round.

Please help. Is there something I'm missing?

Many thanks

Hugo Elias  -  Shadow Robot Co Ltd

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2007, 10:12:02 AM »
What pins have you got assisgned to what function/motor/driver?

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops
Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2007, 10:54:15 AM »
Hi Graham,

When I have pins  9 &  8 assigned to A, and 17 & 16 assigned to B, then A works, and B does not.
When I have pins 17 & 16 assigned to A, and  9 &  8 assigned to B, then A works, and B still does not.

I am using the 6 axis screens.  When I run the command G00A10B10,  the DRO for A changes on the
screen, but the DRO for B stays at 0.000.

The B axis is enabled in the "Ports and Pins" control. And I can tune the B axis. All the lights and controls give the impression that X, Y, Z, A and B are active, and C is inactive.

Is there somewhere else to enable this axis?

Many thanks

Hugo

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2007, 11:01:27 AM »
It sounds more like the B axis driver card is not enabled if mach will drive A from eather pin combination.

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops
Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2007, 11:09:27 AM »
I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking about a hardware of software thing?

I'm pretty sure this is not a hardware problem. This is because by changing the pin numbers, I can make either motor move. So all of the hardware is working fine.

Or are you refering to an option within Mach 3?

Hugo

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2007, 11:28:44 AM »
Sorry I misunderstood,

Are you running the demo version?

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops
Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2007, 11:33:15 AM »
yes.

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2007, 11:35:15 AM »
If you set Mach to offline mode (led will flash) then go to MDI and type G00 B20. dose the DRO move?

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops
Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2007, 11:46:45 AM »
No, nothing seems to move in offline mode.  None of the axes.
When I type G00A20B20, nothing moves at all.
When I turn off offline mode, then A works again, but not B.

Hugo
Re: Can't get 5 axes to work
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2007, 11:56:33 AM »
I think I got it.  Somehow I had got axis B slaved to axis X.

I discovered this when I jogged the X axis, and found that both of them moved.

Thanks for yout time.

Hugo