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Author Topic: Need a little help to just get the motors moving  (Read 6458 times)

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Need a little help to just get the motors moving
« on: November 30, 2005, 12:15:35 AM »
I'd like to get Mach 3 to just get my motors turning.

I'm afraid I don't find the configuration tabs very intuitive andI find that the manual bogs me down too much at first with all of the limit switches etc.

It appears that I just need to set the port & pin numbers on the motor output tab. I think I have that all figured out.

On the input signals tab, I have cleared all of the check but the Estop check is always there when I come back to this tab even after saving the configuration. Could this be causing me a problem ? ( I have no Estop switch wired yet).

I have my motors tuned at 40,000 / unit which is the same setting I used in Mach2.
David Morrow

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Re: Need a little help to just get the motors moving
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2005, 03:24:59 PM »
Hi David,
  Your e-stop will always be active (it cannot be turned off). However, if you are having problems resetting(the big red button on the main screen and other screens) go to the e-stop again in the configuration inputs and check or uncheck(one way or the other) the "active low" box, save, and try again. You should be able to activate Mach3 then....if this is what problem you are experiencing.

John (Bloy)

P.S.  Let us know if this gets you further
« Last Edit: November 30, 2005, 03:26:53 PM by Bloy »
Re: Need a little help to just get the motors moving
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2005, 11:55:54 PM »
Hi David,
  Your e-stop will always be active (it cannot be turned off). However, if you are having problems resetting(the big red button on the main screen and other screens) go to the e-stop again in the configuration inputs and check or uncheck(one way or the other) the "active low" box, save, and try again. You should be able to activate Mach3 then....if this is what problem you are experiencing.

John (Bloy)

P.S.  Let us know if this gets you further

I went back to the online video tutorials and found that the first part of the configuration is actually in the first, installation video. That certainly helped me understand that I could start with a really clean initial setup and not have to setup any limit switch items. That helped take some confusion out.

I checked the Estop "active low" box but still got nowhere. When I use the cursor keys and Pgup and Pgdown keys, the DRO's move just fine now but nothing from the motors. I also saw someone on the CNC Zone forum was at his wits end trying to do the same thing as me - misery loves company.

So, at this point, my old Mach 2 installation still works fine. My new Mach3 configuration is very clean - motor pin settings only + Estop set to "ActiveLow". No LED's lit in the wrong place on the diagnostics screen that I can see. Motors are still stone, cold, dead though.

Is it possible that my Mach2 installation is interfering with Mach3 ? Please say "no" because if I uninstall Mach2 I won't have a working mill unless I reinstall.

Don't give up on me.

G'night John Bloy

David Morrow
« Last Edit: November 30, 2005, 11:58:33 PM by David Morrow »
David Morrow

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Re: Need a little help to just get the motors moving
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2005, 12:33:16 AM »
No, you don't have to uninstall Mach2.  They will reside on the computer together. You just can't RUN them at the same time.   I wouldn't want you to lose a working  mach2 ...

  Ok..your DRO's are working. That means that your estop is set right and you have control of Mach3.  In the Ports & Pins/motor outputs, are your port pins set to 1(assuming you are using port 1) for the step and direction of each axis?  (Something I remember missing when I first went to Mach3)

In Mach2 the units are per sec.  in mach3 the units are per min.  This may alter your motor tuning settings if you haven't already noticed this.  If set too low your motors may be hardly moving when calling for what would normally be a noticable movement.

Heh..I'm just throwing out anything now....just go over again all the configuration items one by one and examine closely.

I do recall Art's suggestion to concentrate on one axis at a time and get IT running and then adding the other axes as each one is successfully in operation.

  I suggest maybe if you have gone through everything and still can't get any action that you post in the yahoo forum and maybe someone that is up on all the possibilities will guide you.  Mine just works and I am kinda foggy about the configuration nuances as I haven't been in there for a while to readily note the differences between Mach2 and 3.  I'll look at mine again and maybe I'll see something I can report on.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2005, 01:31:05 AM by Bloy »
Re: Need a little help to just get the motors moving
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2005, 07:01:17 AM »
Hi David,
Please try this, I have tested it on my computer here and it works.

Tank you
Brian
Fixing problems one post at a time ;)

www.newfangledsolutions.com
www.machsupport.com
Re: Need a little help to just get the motors moving
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2005, 11:17:27 AM »
Please let me know your address where I can ship your Christmas present - do you prefer Ferrari or Porsche ?

Works like a charm. I'm going to play with it tonight and see where I sent my self astray. I quick look suggests that I should have had a lot more Active Low boxes checked.

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.
David Morrow