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Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2019, 05:27:21 PM »
Hi Craig, I'm thinking I need to go with a controller and not parallel port .
Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2019, 05:31:41 PM »
Hi,
Mach4 was always intended to be paired with an external controller. Having said that I am surprised that you can't get
the Darwin parallel port to probe correctly. I may miss on some of the realtime functions like THC but it does do probing.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2019, 09:03:42 PM »
Hi,
before you commit to the expense of a controller.....

A g31 move is a special example of an ordinary g1 move. For example:
g31 z-5 f100
means 'move from the current z location to z=-5mm at a rate of 100 mm/min. It moves as if it were a g1 move.
Where it differs is that if the motion device detects a probe event while the move is in progress the machine stops,
aborts (clears) the remainder of the motion buffer and reports its X,Y,Z coordinates to Mach.

Firstly note that the Z axis coordinate is in 'work coordinates' not 'machine coordinates'. Lets say for example that the
current work coordinate is -10mm. When Mach encounters the g31 command above it will move upwards form its current
z=-10mm to z=-5mm and it wont encounter a probe event while doing so.

The point being that if the work coordinate system is out of kilter with the work surface (or touch off surface) unexpected
results can occur. Given that you don't have home switches it would be easy to have the work coordinates out of kiliter
along the lines I have suggested or some other combination that produces unexpected and failing results.

May I suggest homing your machine as normal. Jog to the touch off plate and lower until your probe is just or nearly
touching the plate. Then zero the work coordinates using the DRO buttons. Jog the machine upwards a mm or two.
Now try an MDI of:
g31 z-10 f100 (metric)
g31 z-.5 f4    (inch....bloody queer Yankees)
and see what happens.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

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Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2019, 09:34:12 PM »
I'm thinking I need to go with a controller and not parallel port .
An external motion controller still need to talk to parallel port type Break Out Board(S). So if the problem is the B.O.B. settings, buying an external motion controller will still have the same problem.
Do check the B.O.B. settings and power supply. Some B.O.B. have OPTO-ISOLATION for their input pins and so will need a separate 12-24V POWER supply and you may need 2 wires for the probe since the optically isolated input sometimes is often not be connected to the machine body earth.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2019, 09:35:57 PM by reuelt »
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Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2019, 09:55:00 PM »
Hi,
OP has previously established (reply #2) that the probe LED operates as expected ie the BoB is correctly signaling
Mach.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

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Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #15 on: April 12, 2019, 11:37:02 PM »
Hi,
OP has previously established (reply #2) that the probe LED operates as expected ie the BoB is correctly signaling
Mach.

Craig
Sorry, my bad.
Thanks.
But some BOBs have only one or 2 fast pins (with fast opto-isolation chips) for probes. The rest of the inputs have SLOWWW opto chips.

ALSO the pin could be inverted ie. already active (normally CLOSED) just like limit switches. May need to try inverting the pin for probes - to normally OPEN.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2019, 11:42:53 PM by reuelt »
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Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #16 on: April 13, 2019, 07:54:39 AM »
It has been tested  with the pins inverted , so I'm thinking ess rather than port with a Bob .
I had issues with linuxcnc , the probing that was programmed to the motion control worked but g31 was an issue . That is leading me to believe it maybe an issue with Bob.  Correct me if I'm wrong!
Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #17 on: April 13, 2019, 07:58:39 AM »
Hi,
did it work when you MDI'd a g31?

Craig
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Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #18 on: April 13, 2019, 08:21:47 AM »
It has been tested  with the pins inverted , so I'm thinking ess rather than port with a Bob .
I had issues with linuxcnc , the probing that was programmed to the motion control worked but g31 was an issue . That is leading me to believe it maybe an issue with Bob.  Correct me if I'm wrong!
if you follow this thread
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=34520.0
you will notice that ESS had probing problems too. Then someone wrote a custom LUA script to get his G31.1 going.
So the problem is MACH4's default G31 script may have a bug that requires a workaround.
Perhaps you could contact NFS technical support directly as they are supposed to be still supporting MACH4 customers via email.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2019, 08:24:59 AM by reuelt »
"the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
Re: probe error : no contact with probe
« Reply #19 on: April 13, 2019, 10:12:37 AM »
It has been tested  with the pins inverted , so I'm thinking ess rather than port with a Bob .
I had issues with linuxcnc , the probing that was programmed to the motion control worked but g31 was an issue . That is leading me to believe it maybe an issue with Bob.  Correct me if I'm wrong!
if you follow this thread
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=34520.0
you will notice that ESS had probing problems too. Then someone wrote a custom LUA script to get his G31.1 going.
So the problem is MACH4's default G31 script may have a bug that requires a workaround.
Perhaps you could contact NFS technical support directly as they are supposed to be still supporting MACH4 customers via email.

Thank you ! I figured that what ever issue was on the ess side and not mach4 . I will contact them .