Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 09:48:35 PM

Author Topic: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540  (Read 11967 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2018, 12:16:52 PM »
Here...

Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2018, 02:24:47 PM »
Hi,

Quote
In Mach3, I will assign X Home to pin 10, Y Home to pin 11 and Z Home to pin 12
if you chose to follow what I've recommended, this is correct.

Quote
I will then assign X++, Y++ and either Z++ or Z-  to pin 13. Does this sound correct?
This is not correct, You will need six switches, two on each axis all in series. Note the are separate switches to the home switches.
X++, X--,Y++,Y--,Z++ and Z-- will ALL be assigned to pin 13. Thus if any of the limit switches operates the machine will stop.

This is my recommendation, there are other ways to do this.  They rely on using three switches as both home and limit switches. When the machine is homing
it disregards the limits and treats them as home switches. It economises on switches. The downside it that when the machine is homing it is unprotected
against over limit excursions and an over limit event is most likey when trying to home.

You really need to decide whether you want to have nine switches (three homes, six limits) or wish to economise.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2018, 12:59:03 AM »
I figured out what my immediate problem was... The signal on pins 12 and 13 of the parallel port cable is not making it all the way through. 10 and 11 are there. I am going to order a UC100 on Monday.

Thanks for the help so far.
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2018, 01:11:14 AM »
Hi,
beware that there are a lot of Chinese UC100 knockoffs on Ebay and other places. Make sure you get a genuine one from CNCDrives or their nominated distributor.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2018, 01:56:34 AM »
Hi,
yes I believe Automation Technologies is the US distributor.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #16 on: March 07, 2018, 10:54:29 PM »
Ok... the UC100 arrived. I followed the instructions for the automatic installer. I let it install the drivers, plugged in the UC100 to the computer via the USB, rebooted the computer, started Mach3 and let it do it's thing.

Now I'm having an issue where when I hit the reset button on the screen the following happens briefly:

On the G540
1 - The red "fault" light goes off.
2-  The green "power" light turns on.
When looking at the UC100 In/Out Monitor:
3- The red "Estop" indicator turns off (blank).
4- The blank "idle" indicator turns red.
5- The Pin State of "15. Inp ." (yellow) goes blank.
6- The Pin State of "16. Out." (blank) flashes red.
7- The motors go active (not moving).
8- The Blue and Green LEDs on the UC100 are lit constantly, the Blue flashes off when the Reset button is pressed.

The above lasts about 1/2 seconds.

Then it goes back to the previous state.

Motors inactive, "Fault" lit red,"15. Inp." lit yellow, "Estop" lit red and "Reset" button flashing indicating "Emergency Mode" on the screen.

When I watch via the diagnostics page, I see none of the indicators lit until I push "Reset". When I do that, the "Emergency" indicator flashes briefly.

All of the limit and home switches are showing the proper indications on the diagnostics page.

I had outputs 3, 5 and 7 indicating red in the UC100 Monitor until I checked "Dir LowActive" for X, Y and Z axis in "Motor Outputs". With those checked, those indicators are blank. Even with these unchecked, the machine still does the same thing, except that the indicators for Outputs 3, 5 and 7 are lit red.

I do not see the change of indicator expected when changing the Estop switch position. There is no indication on the diagnostic page or the UC100 monitor.

I was using the older XP based computer for all of the above testing. I decided to try a newer 64 bit Win7 machine. I loaded Mach3 and repeated the driver installation procedure on the new computer only to get the exact same results.

It seems that no combination of Active Hi/Low for any of the inputs including the Estop will get this thing to stay active. I didn't have this problem before the UC100. Without that, inputs 3 and 4 were not making it to Mach3. It would go active, it just didn't respond to inputs 3 or 4. I have tried this with the Max Step Rate set to 100kHz and 50 kHz. Also just for giggles, I tried Dereference axis on Estop both ways, no difference though.
So, no joy as of yet.

Tony
« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 11:11:31 PM by dorrisant »
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2018, 07:04:41 AM »
Hi,
let me guess you've got everything hooked up and its not working so you are doing things t try to get it to go. You are doing a scattergun thing.
You cannot multitask...your wife may be able to ....but you cant.

Disconnect everything, the motors, the homes and limits, everything except the power supply and the Estop circuit. Work on the Estop alone until you get
it working and understand why.

Then hook up one axis only and work on that.

Trying to get it all going at once will likely see you hit it with a hammer in frustration.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #18 on: March 08, 2018, 09:39:42 AM »
Please don't assume you are conversing with an idiot. 20 years ago, I was automating machines from the 1800s, converting all of the hand driven levers to hydraulic actuators with limit switches and hand-off-auto stations. I even set up hopper feeders etc... The next job I had at a torch tip factory, included building machines that didn't exist until our engineering team built them. I put in more time than anyone into those projects. Point is, I have been doing automation and troubleshooting of the like since the mid 90s. I think I can keep track of some limit switches for three axis as well as the estop. What you are saying is condescending. If you want to see what kind of work I do now, look here: www.volitionamps.com , if I can wire those up, I think you would agree that the wiring we are talking about seems simple by comparison.

I can't count the number of Bridgport mills or Cincinnati lathes that I have installed servos and scales on. I cannot tell you how many Idecs or Slc50s I implemented in years gone by.

I can and do multi-task regularly. I am not just changing stuff at random. I read some of the similar problems and attempt some changes. If I see no change, or nothing in the right direction, I roll them back. I can keep track.

You may not be able to help, but there is no need to assume that just because you don't understand my issue, I am doing heretical things in a haphazard way. My troubleshooting methods are quite refined.

I do admit that this is new to me and others have more experience. That experience can help detect what might be faulty or just mis-configured.

All of this to say, rest assured that my limit switches and estop are connected and functioning properly as far as mechanicaly and electricaly. The interface between Mach3 and the G540 are what I suspect to be bad or mis-configured.

Also, there is a difference between being rather good at something while implementing a new method of arrival and being a total hack. I am the former, not the latter.

I have checked everything you are imply that I should disconnect and recheck. I do this as I go as a general practice. Maybe we could skip ahead to find the real problem.

Shall I post pictures?

Offline TPS

*
  •  2,501 2,501
    • View Profile
Re: Limit switch set up on Mach3 with the Gecko g540
« Reply #19 on: March 08, 2018, 09:51:21 AM »
i have realy no experience with the UC100,
but the red idle led would make me thinking about.

whats about to contact Automation Technology Support
to get a information what the red idle led want's to tell us.

in the manual i found nothing about red only about green ight.
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.