I have installed a Pokeys 56U in an aluminum control panel box and configured it do do a few simple things to start:

1) an MPG
2) a 3 position rotary switch for step increment
3) a 4 position rotary switch for axis select (x, y, z, a)
4) two buttons: feed override up and down
5) three buttons: Start, Stop and Hold

I'll add more later but I wanted to start with these. I've verified that all of the functions 2-5 in the list work properly in Mach with the plugin. The MPG also "works" to jog but does not do step mode jogs. I discovered some oddness that when I jog in MPG mode, then go to CONT mode and use the keyboard and then back to MPG mode, the MPG does not work. I have to hit the eStop Mach button and then clear it and then the MPG mode works again. I also noticed, and this is the very odd thing, that the Mach speed override spontaneously decreases - even if I'm not doing anything, the mill is not running and I am just watching the screen. I haven't been able to correlate this to anything I do with the functions above. But, if I disable the Pokey plugin, this does not happen. I then re-enable the plug in and disabled all of the Pokey functions. In this configuration, the speed override also spontaneously decreases. I've tried plugging the Pokeys into a different USB port but the problem still exists.

Not sure what to do about this. My pokey is mounted in the aluminum box panel. There are some other electronics in there - most noticeably the spindle speed controller (KBM-125) and 2 wall warts for 12 and 24V. I am not running the spindle motor when I observe this issue. Everything is grounded to the aluminum box which is then grounded.

Any suggestions on what to do or what might be going on?

Thanks,
Michael

Hi, Michael

If you selected 'Let PoKeys handle MPG jogging', you have activated the internal (device-side) jogging that supports only continuous mode. If you need to switch between different modes, you will have to stick with Mach3 handling the jogging directly (uncheck the 'Let PoKeys handle MPG jogging' option), but the motion is somehow more ackward to use.

Regarding the speed override creeping - if PoKeys is encloused in the same cabinet as other high power equipment, it will pick up electrical noise from the environment. PoKeys has weak pull-up resistors built-in for each pin (in the range of 100 kOhm), that equate in high-impendance nature of PoKeys inputs. Coupled with unconnected wires (to the switch that is not pressed), these act as antennae and pick up electrical noise.
To solve the issue, add additional stronger pull-up resistors (try with 1 kOhm) between PoKeys pins and +3.3V or +5V (use the ones on the PoKeys device).

Regards,
Matevž

Thanks Matevž. I'll give both of those a try.

Cheers,
Michael

Matevž, where is the "Let PoKeys handle MPG jogging" option? I can't find it in the PoKey config screen in Mach.

Regards,
Michael

Sorry, I was reading your initial post too fast - this option is only available if PoKeys is used as motion controller device.

Since (in your case) PoKeys only forwards MPG position to Mach3 and all motion is generated by Mach3, the issue you are describing is Mach3 problem (either Mach3 code or configuration, but since MPG works in continuous mode, the configuration should be OK).

Regards,
Matevž