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Spindle speed not accepted
« on: March 13, 2015, 03:49:15 PM »
Hi

I have just started converting my Dyna Mechatronics 4400 to Mach3 (I will go with Mach4 later on when it has matured a bit).
I have a problem with the spindle speed.

My Setup
* Mach3 R3.043.066
* Ethernet Smoothstepper (ESS_v10h2d1a.dll)
* Windows XP Pro SP3 x86
* CNC4PC C23 breakout board. Using onboard analog output controlled through step pin (port 1 pin 14)

If I enter a speed in the Spindle Speed field and press Spindle CW F5 the spindle starts at correct speed. Also, when I press the spindle override buttons, the spindle speed changes.
So far, so good.

Description of problem
If I enter S1000M3 in MDI mode, the spindle starts, but at the wrong speed. The entered speed (1000) appears in the Spindle Speed field, but wrong speed.
If I change Spindle Speed Override just by one click, the speed changes and ends up correct.

The same thing happens if I run a program in auto, i.e. the spindle speed does not get correct until I increase/decrease override.





I have no idea if this problem is relate to Mach3 or the ESS, so I will post this into both forums. Has anyone else experienced this? May there be something wrong with the configuration?
Why do it the easy way?

One of my other projects:
http://svarthaletracing.se

Offline Hood

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Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2015, 06:41:23 PM »
I think it may have something to do with the CNC4PC board, I have no issues on the two machines I use the ESS/SS on but I have step/dir servos rather than a spindle control board.
I am sure I saw someone recently with a similar issue and the same speed controller.

Only other thing I can think it may be, if it is not the controller, is the version of Mach, 066 has some weird issues, so try an earlier version, 062 is what I use.
Hood
Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2015, 07:24:46 PM »
Hi

I honestly do not think the cnc4pc board is the problem here.
It works alright as long as a pulse train with the right frequency is fed to it. The C23 board would not know any difference between executing an S instruction (not working) or altering the spindle speed by changing the override (works). This must be a bug/fault/misconfiguration in either Mach3, the ESS plugin or the ESS firmware.

I used an older version until yesterday. Unfortunately I do not remember the exact version though...
Why do it the easy way?

One of my other projects:
http://svarthaletracing.se

Offline Hood

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Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2015, 07:33:07 PM »
Ok, maybe so but there was something recently I saw and it was to do with the way the board worked. It may have been to do with PWM and not Step/Dir, can't recall.

One other thing you could try is lower the pulse width in the ESS plugin, try 2 or so.
As said though I have used the SS since its Beta days and the ESS since before its official release and never had that issue with Step/Dir spindle, had other issues but nothing related to yours.

I use an older ESS plugin, not updated for a while so I suppose it may have crept in recently so may be worth trying an older plugin.

If you can get hold of a scope you could see if what Mach is putting out via the ESS is correct or not.

Hood
Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2015, 07:39:32 PM »
I have an oscilloscope and recall I verified the output frequency a year ago. The project then halted for a while because I had other priorities. Can check again...

Nothing is impossible, but I seriously doubt there is a problem there. When starting the spindle it ramps perfectly from zero to top speed (the ramp is set in Mach3, not in the spindle drive) - which indicates that the frequency to voltage conversion runs fine. :)

Changing parameters could work. Maybe a certain combination of parameters will trig some kind of bug. I used an older ESS plugin until yesterday also. Don't remember the exact version but I believe I downloaded it somewhere around 12-18 months ago.
Why do it the easy way?

One of my other projects:
http://svarthaletracing.se

Offline Hood

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Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2015, 07:43:03 PM »
See what the scope tells you then, hopefully you will be able to narrow things down a bit.
Hood
Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2015, 09:21:48 PM »
Could this be related ?
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,28916.0.html

Some "Clever man" posted there.
 :)
Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2015, 04:14:30 AM »
Could this be related ?
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,28916.0.html

That could definitely be the solution! I really put some effort in searching the forum but managed to miss that one.
I'll try that out and report back :)
Why do it the easy way?

One of my other projects:
http://svarthaletracing.se

Offline Hood

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Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2015, 01:32:18 PM »
Russ, that was the post I had in mind last night, thanks for finding it.
I think the CNC4PC board works a bit weird, it is normal to use relays when using a VFD but I think it does things differently and that is where the problem creeps in, hopefully it will fix LinusN's problem as well.

Hood
Re: Spindle speed not accepted
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2015, 11:30:50 AM »
Found the problem earlier today.
The macro file spindlespeed.m1s was empty. Don't ask how that happened...

After adding
Code: [Select]
Dim rpm As Double
rpm = GetRPM()
SetSpinSpeed( rpm )
to it, everything seems to be working fine!
Why do it the easy way?

One of my other projects:
http://svarthaletracing.se