Hi everyone!

I've been driving my self nuts of late trying to fix this problem, so I thought id ask here for help please.

Ill try and put in all the info, to frame the problem correctly..

I'm a home CNC enthusiast, I like to just make stuff

CNC wood router
Old PC (HP) died of old age so got a new PC - HP medium format running Icore5 Windows 7 32bit -  DB25 coming off the motherboard pins (checked voltage 3.4vdc) Fresh installation.
Gecko Drive G540 (just serviced as I thought it was at fault)

Mach3 loaded and running sweet, until randomly the machine sometimes it just does a slow x,y,z plunge which i cant stop from Mach3, I have to press the off button on the CNC Machine. This has happened whilst doing nothing or worse it's happened during a project which ruined it.

I ran the same code 6 times and it happened once (6th time) the only difference was I'm pretty sure it happened while i was going between tabs on Mach3.

I found that I could replicate the fault on demand which is a break through really, If I have everything on, M3 running and click file Entib or Merlino the machine will do a slow x,y,x dive that i can only stop by killing power to the machine.

I can also make it happen sometimes by opening another program while M3 is running at idle (autocad)

I dont think its M3 I think it might be something with the PC.

Sometimes when every thing is just sitting there doing nothing, the machine will shudder and sometimes start an x,y,z dive, while doing nothing at all, while diving the DRO dont show any movement, if i unplug the DB25 it still moves....


No idea what to do next, was hoping with lock down to get back into this.

Would be grateful for any help, happy to set up teamview session if needed.

Thanks in advance
Darian

Hi,
Machs parallel port is adversely affected by any software loaded and certainly running on the same PC.

I use an Ethernet SmoothStepper abd have found among the advantages is that Mach and the ESS is MARKEDLY
less prone to problems you describe. I would recommend you consider it.

Craig

Hi

thanks for the reply, I have never heard of this so ill start looking online...

Oh I see its a piece of hardware?

Its odd though as my old machine never had this problem, that's why I thought it must be the new machine config?

thanks

Darian

Hi,

Its odd though as my old machine never had this problem, that's why I thought it must be the new machine config?

Yes, it probably is. The problem is that some PCs do a good job  with Machs parallel port and some do not, and often
without any rhyme or reason.

An external motion controller takes the variability out of the equation. It also means that you can use 64bit OS's
including Windows 10 and use laptops, neither of which are any good with Machs parallel port.

Craig

thanks Craig

Just trying to work with what i have at the moment while in lock down, Looks like an external controller is a good idea though.

thanks for taking the time to reply!

Darian