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Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« on: March 18, 2019, 10:32:00 PM »
Hello,
Total newb here.  Guy in our shop wanted to license our PC that was running our CNC and ended up installing Windows 10.  Long story short, I have since re-installed Windows 7 after not being able to get Mach3 to run with Windows 10 and when the guy installed Windows 10 he did not back anything up.

I have now been tasked with getting Mach3 back up and running on Windows 7.  I have installed the software and am able to get the E-Stop to work, but when  I try to jog the motors, the DRO reads, but the motors don't move.  I have gone through forums and watched videos, but can't find anything as to why it won't work.  Everything worked fine til someone got a bright idea and now we have nothing. 

I have also ran the Driver Test in the Mach3 folder and that came back successfully.  No wiring has been changed.  Can someone take a look at my XML file and see if I've missed something rather obvious???

Thanks in advance and let me know if there is any other info I can provide to assist. 
"Failure is not an option, but the option exists"
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2019, 10:57:27 PM »
Hi,
just to be 100% sure you are talking Windows 7 32 bit?
You are trying to use Machs parallel port?

Quote
I have also ran the Driver Test in the Mach3 folder and that came back successfully.

Can you expand on this? Ideally a screen shot of the DriverTest screen......it tells a good deal about the health of the
parallel port.

Craig

'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2019, 11:19:53 PM »
Craig,
My apologies, yes, 32-Bit Pro.  I installed the Parallel Port Driver from Mach3 as well.  For some reason I can only attach one file, or it says file is too large.
Thanks for the quick response and let me know if you need more pics.
"Failure is not an option, but the option exists"
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2019, 11:27:30 PM »
Hi,
OK, that looks pretty good, the parallel port driver seems to work.

What we need to test now is the BoBs ability to signal Mach. Do you have an Estop button?
If so can you enable/reset Mach and then cause an Estop by using the physical Estop button?

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2019, 11:42:49 PM »
Pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean BoBs? 

I do have an EStop, and I am able to push it and have the Reset button start flashing in Mach.  Once I pull it back out, I am able to press the Reset button and it stops flashing. 
"Failure is not an option, but the option exists"
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2019, 11:54:58 PM »
Hi,

Quote
but what do you mean BoBs?

Sorry, it means 'breakout board', in your case the PMDX-122.

The fact that you can cause an Estop by hitting the button confirms that an input to the PMDX-122 is propagating
through it to Mach. Its a pretty fair bet then that the reverse is true, that is that Mach can communicate to the BoB.

We can test that.

MDI he following:
G0 X1
X0
X1
X0
X1
X0

That sequence would ideally cause the X axis to move back and forth one unit. What I want you to look for
is the LEDs associated with the X axis stepper driver. I would guess pins 2 and 3 are associated to the X axis,
and probably pin3 is the direction pin. With the sequence of moves I would expect the LED to light in one direction
but then go out in the other direction. Does this in fact happen?

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2019, 12:13:00 AM »
I will try this tomorrow and let you know what I find.
"Failure is not an option, but the option exists"

Offline reuelt

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Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2019, 07:27:28 AM »
Hello,
Total newb here.  Guy in our shop wanted to license our PC that was running our CNC and ended up installing Windows 10.  Long story short, I have since re-installed Windows 7 after not being able to get Mach3 to run with Windows 10 and when the guy installed Windows 10 he did not back anything up.

I have now been tasked with getting Mach3 back up and running on Windows 7.  I have installed the software and am able to get the E-Stop to work, but when  I try to jog the motors, the DRO reads, but the motors don't move.  I have gone through forums and watched videos, but can't find anything as to why it won't work.  Everything worked fine til someone got a bright idea and now we have nothing. 

I have also ran the Driver Test in the Mach3 folder and that came back successfully.  No wiring has been changed.  Can someone take a look at my XML file and see if I've missed something rather obvious???

Thanks in advance and let me know if there is any other info I can provide to assist. 
My wild guess is that you still have YET to enabled Port 1 PIN 17 in MACH3 as the CHARGE PUMP output.
Please check & confirm.
« Last Edit: March 19, 2019, 07:33:11 AM by reuelt »
"the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2019, 01:01:19 PM »
Craig,
I had one of the CNC operators try the MDI code you provided.  No LEDs lit up on the stepper motor.  The DRO said that the motors were moving, but nothing was moving on the table. 

reuelt,
You were correct, I enabled Port 1, and entered Pin 17 for the Charge Pump output.  No dice. Still have the same results. 

"Failure is not an option, but the option exists"

Offline reuelt

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Re: Mach3 / PMDX-122 Issue
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2019, 01:36:07 PM »
You need to save settings and restart Mach3 after change.
Also please try to untick the "active low" of pin 17. Perhaps it require an "active high" for the Charge pump.

Reuel
« Last Edit: March 19, 2019, 01:40:02 PM by reuelt »
"the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"