So, I have a PMDX-411 SmartBob going to Gecko G540 with Mach4 and out of the blue the spindle is not getting a PWM signal. I have ruled out the VFD and my Gecko G540 and just today I probed pin 14 of the SmartBob with my o-scope in situ (with everything connected, Mach4 booted up, etc..) and I always get 0 volts regardless of if I'm sending a spindle on and speed or not.

Now I know this is the issue, but I technically have no way to prove that Mach4 is actually telling the SmartBob to send the PWM on pin 14. I only know that I'm not getting that signal. So, is there a way I can confirm that the software is indeed sending the signal?

I ask mainly because I've had ZERO success trying to contact PMDX for help with this (are they even still in business?) and am feeling like I'm kind of stranded here with this thing.

Thanks for any help!!

Nm, fixed it. User error. :-/

To be fair though, it makes no sense that the "spindle RPM" box on the main screen lets you type a number in, but it does nothing. It had been long enough of a time gap that I had forgotten about all the quirk in Mach4 and how truly bad ArtSoft is at making intuitive and clean UIs. Sorry guys, it's true. You need to hire someone to help you make your UIs .

To be fair though, it makes no sense that the "spindle RPM" box on the main screen lets you type a number in, but it does nothing. It had been long enough of a time gap that I had forgotten about all the quirk in Mach4 and how truly bad ArtSoft is at making intuitive and clean UIs. Sorry guys, it's true. You need to hire someone to help you make your UIs .

To be REALLY fair though, have you ran a Fanuc, Fidia, or Siemens?  Or Linux CNC?  Good luck with anything being intuitive with those.  All things are relative. 

What is it supposed to do when you put a speed in the spindle RPM box?  Start the spindle?  If so, which direction?  Forward or backward?  Would that be what everyone likes?  There is NO WAY we can make a screen set/UI that everyone likes.  And there is NO WAY we can make everything intuitive either.  But we DO give you the ability of making it exactly the way you want it.    We gave you a really good starting point though.  Just modify it to your liking.

Steve

Quote from: devinw on July 29, 2021, 03:08:11 PM

To be fair though, it makes no sense that the "spindle RPM" box on the main screen lets you type a number in, but it does nothing. It had been long enough of a time gap that I had forgotten about all the quirk in Mach4 and how truly bad ArtSoft is at making intuitive and clean UIs. Sorry guys, it's true. You need to hire someone to help you make your UIs .

To be REALLY fair though, have you ran a Fanuc, Fidia, or Siemens?  Or Linux CNC?  Good luck with anything being intuitive with those.  All things are relative. 

What is it supposed to do when you put a speed in the spindle RPM box?  Start the spindle?  If so, which direction?  Forward or backward?  Would that be what everyone likes?  There is NO WAY we can make a screen set/UI that everyone likes.  And there is NO WAY we can make everything intuitive either.  But we DO give you the ability of making it exactly the way you want it.    We gave you a really good starting point though.  Just modify it to your liking.

Steve

Interesting plot twist: I just upgraded to a new build last week and it lets me type the desired speed into that box and works fine. So either a) I'm crazy and it was never like that before or b) this feature was recently added or c) something happened to my old installation that randomly made that feature not work.

I'm betting on  B or C.

PS: I don't think it's fair at all to compare a free open source program (Linux CNC) to a commercial product that costs a significant amount of money. Yes, it is pretty janky I will agree though.

Interesting plot twist: I just upgraded to a new build last week and it lets me type the desired speed into that box and works fine. So either a) I'm crazy and it was never like that before or b) this feature was recently added or c) something happened to my old installation that randomly made that feature not work.

I'm betting on  B or C.

As for B and C, it is possible.  I don't run the stock screens, so I could not say.  I made my own from way way back that I guarantee nobody else would like.  LOL   But that's OK.  I like it.

PS: I don't think it's fair at all to compare a free open source program (Linux CNC) to a commercial product that costs a significant amount of money. Yes, it is pretty janky I will agree though.

But I did also compare Mach to Fanuc, Fidia, and Siemens first though.  That is what we end up replacing most of the time.  And they cost significantly more than Mach.  Like in the multiple 10s of thousands.  Plus, on any given machine, Mach will most likely be the cheapest component of the machine!  Most power supplies cost more than Mach.

I'm glad things are working for you now.  Onward and upward! 

Steve

But I did also compare Mach to Fanuc, Fidia, and Siemens first though.  That is what we end up replacing most of the time.  And they cost significantly more than Mach.  Like in the multiple 10s of thousands.  Plus, on any given machine, Mach will most likely be the cheapest component of the machine!  Most power supplies cost more than Mach.

I'm glad things are working for you now.  Onward and upward! 

Steve

For sure. And I don't have experience with some of those, so I will take your word for it!

But yeah, mostly working now which is good. i still can't do a manual tool change though without troubles since my upgrade to ESS (see my other thread if interested). If I can get that solved I'll be 100%!