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Author Topic: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC  (Read 4166 times)

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Offline TPS

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Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2019, 01:46:16 PM »
again Pictures/Manuals ???

everything else is like watch into the Magic glas ball. :)
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.
Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2019, 12:11:35 AM »
Hello and thanks to everyone who has helped. I think the problem is solved. Upon opening "Mach3Mill" a dialogue box is displayed requesting the port to be used.
Options are: "Normal Printer Port operation. (this is the one I used at first)
           and   "RnR Motion Controller"         (this is the one I changed to. The supplier didn't mention this in the manual supplied)
       
As soon as I changed to the second option all motors and spindle worked. The only problems still are:
* The E_Stop button on the CNC controller doesn't work. (Only the one on the screen works)
* None of the LED's on the diagnostics page light up when they should.
* Spindle won't go above 8,000 RPM (Error msg comes up if you try to go higher and returns it to 8,000)

 It appears that the CNC mill doesn't have any home switches or homing facility.
 What would happen if the carriage hit the end of travel? Damage? or overload?
 
 This is possibly all the help needed at this stage,thanks again.
       Cheers  Gary

Offline TPS

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Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2019, 02:20:07 AM »
Quote
As soon as I changed to the second option all motors and spindle worked.
sounds good, nice to hear that it is working now

Quote
The only problems still are:
* The E_Stop button on the CNC controller doesn't work. (Only the one on the screen works)
figure out to witch Input the button is wired to, then check Config -> Ports&Pins -> Inputs

Quote
* None of the LED's on the diagnostics page light up when they should.
witch LED's do not work

Quote
* Spindle won't go above 8,000 RPM (Error msg comes up if you try to go higher and returns it to 8,000)
check Config -> Spindle Pulleys -> Pulley Number 4
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.
Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2019, 10:58:21 AM »
Hi and thanks TPS, I have solved the max spindle speed problem. I fished around and found the place where that can be set.
      The LED's that didn't light up were the EJog ones when the respective axis was jogged. Also there were no green lights showing pins active (Upper right hand side on diagnostics page.) The machine seems to work OK but I am concerned if it were to over-travel.
It appears that the CNC mill doesn't have any home switches or homing facility.
 What would happen if the carriage hit the end of travel? Damage? or overload?
Thanks,Regards  Gary
Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2019, 11:20:39 AM »
Hi,
the cheap USB external controllers supplied typically have the equivalent of 'one ports' worth of IO,
that is the same number of inputs and outputs as Machs parallel port......12 outputs and 5 inputs.

You are pretty much required to have one input as an Estop. that leaves just four inputs for limit switches,
home switches and a probe. As you can see inputs are at a premium.

Over the years many people have used different wiring schemes to combine as many limit and home switches together
to conserve inputs.

You will have to identify the inputs on your board and use those. Support and documentation for those cheap USB
boards is atrocious. Good luck.

I bought an Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS) and it has 'three ports' worth of IO, 51 inputs and outputs....plenty!
It means I don't have to combine limit and home switches. My current setup has three home switches (x,y,z), each
on there own input and all six limit switches wired in series on another input and one input for a probe.
I could, and in fact should, have all six limit switches on individual inputs, it lessens confusion and improves
the safety and security when recovering from a limit event. The ESS has plenty of spare inputs so why not use them?

Craig

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

Offline reuelt

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Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2019, 08:19:07 PM »
Hi and thanks TPS, I have solved the max spindle speed problem. I fished around and found the place where that can be set.
      The LED's that didn't light up were the EJog ones when the respective axis was jogged. Also there were no green lights showing pins active (Upper right hand side on diagnostics page.) The machine seems to work OK but I am concerned if it were to over-travel.
It appears that the CNC mill doesn't have any home switches or homing facility.
 What would happen if the carriage hit the end of travel? Damage? or overload?
Thanks,Regards  Gary

Attached is a manual usable for your RnR USB motion controller.
Please plan to install Home/Limit switches as a matter of URGENCY.
"the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"

Offline RICH

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Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #16 on: May 12, 2019, 08:00:11 AM »
It appears that the CNC mill doesn't have any home switches or homing facility.
 What would happen if the carriage hit the end of travel? Damage? or overload?

Simplistic answer is it all depends on the conditions at time of impact. The resultant affects of the
impact can vary from nothing to major. 

Safety considerations should be personal safety primary and damage to property secondary!

Personaly don't have switches on any of my machines except a hand held manual kill switch to stop axis movement instantly.
I don't recomend what I do to anyone! ::)

RICH
Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #17 on: May 18, 2019, 06:30:38 AM »
Thanks again everyone for the help, I am a lot wiser now. Youtube tutorial guys; some of them say that with the CNC routers that they build, they don't add limit switches. they just take care to not over travel. If I did put them on would they be the micro switches that I see on Ebay or some special one?
 Also, I have noticed that every now and then my machine goes haywire and wont move or spindle wont turn on. I reboot the operating system and everything works again. Do others have this problem ?(I have WinXP communicating through a USB cable)
Cheers
Re: Can't Install Mach3 on my PC
« Reply #18 on: May 18, 2019, 02:11:45 PM »
Hi,

Quote
Also, I have noticed that every now and then my machine goes haywire and wont move or spindle wont turn on. I reboot the operating system and everything works again. Do others have this problem ?(I have WinXP communicating through a USB cable)

Classic symptoms of electrical noise breaking USB communications. Ethernet is a better solution for noise immunity.

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