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Author Topic: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues  (Read 1510 times)

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Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« on: June 15, 2019, 01:58:27 AM »
Hi friends,
N00b CNCer here, and brand new to this forum.  Trying to get to the bottom of an issue I'm having with implementing a zero plate install.  I have my limit switches all plugged into input 1 on the mx4660 controller, with a pull-up resistor (inputs 1-4 are nominally grounded). 

The common practice I've seen seems to be to install the zero plate in Input 4 (pin 13 in Mach3).  This also gets the pull-up resistor (or in this case a pull-up jumper) to power, and in the ports and pins, I have Probe mapped to Port 1, Pin 13, Active low. 

Now ideally, it seems like if I touch my clip to my zero plate, pin 13 would go active, and the digitize light should light up on the diagnostics page.  This is not the case.  Instead, the machine thinks my limit switches have been triggered and it goes into e-stop mode.  Doesn't seem to matter whether I'm on Input 2 and pin 11, input 3 and pin 12, or input 4 and pin 13.  All result in the same behavior where if that input goes active, its an e-stop. 

This is confirmed with the Plugin Control -> Data monitoring which flashing pin 15 regardless of whether I'm toggling pin 11, 12 or 13.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  I'm sure this is the wrong place for this post, so mods feel free to bump me.  I didnt see any mx4660 or leadshine headings in the tech support section.

thanks all,
John

Offline TPS

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Re: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2019, 02:57:36 AM »
if you have a look to the Manual, you will see that I1-I4 are internal hardwire by an or gatter to the estop Input.

so you have to use one of the other Inputs.
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.

Offline MN300

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Re: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2019, 10:35:01 AM »
The highlighted signals in the previous post are stepper drive module faults, not limit switches.

The IO table says the Estop and stepper drive module fault signals are combined to become the fault signal.


Offline MN300

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Re: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2019, 10:47:07 AM »
The title of the diagram showing the switches is "Home / limit switch connections to Input1-4 of the MX4660".
You wouldn't be able to home if the Estop was activated by those switches.

Offline TPS

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Re: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2019, 10:53:03 AM »
you are absolutly right, thank you for correction.
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.

Offline TPS

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Re: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2019, 11:07:53 AM »
so you have made

a link from +12V out to OPTO2
and connected your touch plate to Input4 ?
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.
Re: Mach3/MX4660 Zero-Plate Issues
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2019, 11:25:27 AM »
Thanks for all the responses.

TPS, I found one of your other replies to a similar problem on a different thread and I realized my mistake was not powering the OPTO2 channel, which as you described above leads an external logic high on input 3 & 4 to throw an e-stop error.  Jumper OPTO2 to +12VDC brings Inputs 3 & 4 to 12V and gets their internal circuit juices flowing correctly (can you tell I'm not an EE? haha), so then the zero plate is connected to input 4 and ground only (no jumper from +12VDC or OPTO2 to Input 4, that seems to be done internally).  Works like a charm.

For future people having this problem with MX4660 & Mach 3, config is as follows:

1) Jumper OPTO2 to +12VDC n (Failure to do this will cause e-stopping when to activate input 3 or 4)
2) Zero Plate leads connected to Input 4 & Ground
3) in Mach3: Config-> Ports & Pins -> Input Signals tab: Set PROBE to "Port 1" , "Pin 13" and check "Active low"
4) Watch and download Gurubrew's code from here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4DeVa8rzA0

Thanks everyone for the help.