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Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« on: March 05, 2020, 01:37:08 AM »
Hi Guys,

My first post and hope someone can help.

I am attempting to connect my 10W laser to Mach3 and a Smoothstepper using the Endurance online instructions, however, i have a problem.

As the Smoothstepper connects directly (no parallel connection cable) onto my C62 BOB , there is no Port 1 Pin 17 (or any other pin) accessible as the Smoothstepper is connected to all Port 1 and Port 2 pins.

Does anyone know if there is a TTL / PWM connection on the Smoothstepper Port 3?

I can’t find any information on this? All information online keeps stating to connect the laser to Port 1 Pin 17 (or 14) but this is impossible for me. Any ideas how i can do it as your help will be much appreciated

Thanks
Dean
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2020, 02:54:46 AM »
Hi,
port 1 pin 17 from the ESS is buffered and converted to an analogue output on the C62.
If you wish to get access to the raw TTL PWM output (buffered) then you will have to solder a wire between
the buffer IC and the digital-to-analogue circuit.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2020, 05:16:55 PM »
Hi Craig,
Thanks for the reply and suggestion. 
Unfortunately I am not an electronics engineer so do not understand where the wire needs to be soldered.
I received another message on the Endurance Laser forum and was told by another user that they use Port 2 Pin 17 to use the PWM control.  I will try this today.
I contacted Arturo at CNC4PC and he has suggested i use the 6th Axis RJ45 terminal, but i cannot get the terminal to function.  No LED lights for some reason.  Maybe a Jumper setting on the C62 but i cant work it out.  Any ideas?
Thanks
Dean
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2020, 06:40:02 PM »
Update, so i cant use Port 2 Pin 17 either as the Charge Pump uses these.  Now I am really stuck
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2020, 11:10:47 PM »
Hi,
that is the downside of using a 'fully featured' BoB like a C62, you are now constrained to use the architecture that
the manufacturer has determined as being most suitable for their prospective customers. In your circumstance you require
a slightly different architecture.

The other extreme is the very simple bi-directional C10 ($23 each).  It has the equivalent of one ports worth of IO where pins 2-9
can be used as either inputs OR outputs. The downside is that there is no opto-isolation, nor relays, nor PWM to analogue. If you
require any or all of those features you have to add the few electronic components to enact it. This allows maximum flexibility but
demands that you add the 'frilly bits'.

I use two MB02's from Homann Designs in Austrailia (not to be confused with the MB03 series of products by CNCRoom in Malaysia)
which are almost indentical to the C10's. Electronics is my thing, so if I decide a particular inpput would benefit by opto-isolation, i add it.
Likewise if I require 24V outputs I add the required level translation transistor.

You maybe required to adopt the same strategy.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2020, 11:37:39 PM »
Hi Craig, Thanks for the detailed info.  I am in Australia (Tweed Heads area) and have purchased a smoothstepper from Homann Designs previously.  I'll have a look at the boards you mention and see if i can utilise them into my system.  Playing around with it today, my C62 board has now gone permanent Estop error.  Not sure what has happened but not the first C62 board that has stopped working.  I have asked Arturo (CNC4PC) if he has another board that would be more suited to both CNC router and Laser and just waiting on his reply.  In the meantime, Ill check out he boards you mention.  i need at least 5 axis as i have X,Y,Z,A and Slave B.
Thanks again
Dean
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2020, 02:14:19 AM »
Hi,
for cryin' out loud mate......you're in Aussie.....so buy Aussie made.....Peter Homann is a good bugger.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2020, 02:32:01 AM »
Hi,
if you bought two MB02's, or equivalently two C10's, with port 1 bidirectional pins set as outputs and port 2
bidirectional pins as inputs you would have a total of:

12 (port 1) + 4 (port 2)= 16 outputs
4 (port 1) + 13 (port 2)=17 inputs

With 16 outputs, counting two for each axis, 5 axes for 10 outputs, plus two/three for a spindle or laser, still leaves
you with at least three outputs to spare.

If you had one input per limit switch and one input per home switch you can have all nine switches on their own input
without having to combine them onto fewer pins.

This is the advantage of an ESS.....plenty of IO....so use it!

In Mach4 you can have up to six axes, each one with up to four slaves.

The scheme you have proposed makes sense for Mach3 (X,Y,Z,A and B as a slave) but in Mach 4 you would have
X,Y plus slave,Z and A axes. In addition you can have up to six out-of-band axes which can be jogged or moved independently
of the coordinated axes and of each other. Mach4 offers a great deal more flexibility when it comes to axis arrangements
and assignments.

Craig
« Last Edit: March 06, 2020, 02:46:10 AM by joeaverage »
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2020, 02:47:19 AM »
Hi,
for cryin' out loud mate......you're in Aussie.....so buy Aussie made.....Peter Homann is a good bugger.

Craig
Ha Ha,  very true but I had no idea they were made in Australia.
Re: Mach3 ESS and Endurance 10W Laser
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2020, 02:52:20 AM »
Hi,
if you bought two MB02's, or equivalently two C10's, with port 1 bidirectional pins set as outputs and port 2
bidirectional pins as inputs you would have a total of:

12 (port 1) + 4 (port 2)= 16 outputs
4 (port 1) + 13 (port 2)=17 inputs

With 16 outputs, counting two for each axis, 5 axes for 10 outputs, plus two/three for a spindle or laser, still leaves
you with at least three outputs to spare.

If you had one input per limit switch and one input per home switch you can have all nine switches on their own input
without having to combine them onto fewer pins.

This is the advantage of an ESS.....plenty of IO....so use it!

In Mach4 you can have up to six axes, each one with up to four slaves.

The scheme you have proposed makes sense for Mach3 (X,Y,Z,A and B as a slave) but in Mach 4 you would have
X,Y plus slave,Z and A axes. In addition you can have up to six out-of-band axes which can be jogged or moved independently
of the coordinated axes and of each other. Mach4 offers a great deal more flexibility when it comes to axis arrangements
and assignments.

Craig
Hi Craig,  I looked at this board but see it uses a parallel cable.  Question: can i use the ESS on it so that i have Ethernet connection?  If so, i would be happy to go that way but also, i would need some help as i am not sure how to set up two BoBs together using 1 ESS.  Or would I just need the 1 BoB and use with the ESS.   No fully clear on this.

As for Mach4, i cant use it as i have purchased an Auto Tool Changer Screenset which works perfectly for my router tools and I cant use this on Mach4 so Mach3 it is for some time.