Hi All,
I recently bought a SmoothStepper and downloaded the latest Mach3 (3.042.015) and latest SS driver and plug-in.
Before I hook up the SS I want to get the new Mach3 running satisfactorily (I have not yet installed the driver or plug-in) but I find that, whenever I activate the closed loop feedback option in spindle control, spindle control does not work as it should.
What happens is that the Mach3 RPM counter increments quickly up to something like 1200RPM (difficult to read it, it's so fast) then decreases to zero - only when the count drops to zero does the spindle start moving, but then the spindle accelerates to way past the dialled-in speed and then decellerates back down to a very low figure before speeding up again to a high setting - then the whole process is repeated for a few cycles before the spindle stops of its own accord.

Before I upgraded to the latest Mach3 (I was running Mach3R2.63) my spindle control was working fine, I've checked my spindle control hardware and it's fine.

Anyone any ideas?

Thanks,
Dave.

What controls your spindle?
Hood

What controls your spindle?
Hood

Hi Hood,
I'm using a Homann Designs DC-02 Digispeed XL, it worked fine before the Mach upgrade and still shows all the correct indicators.
The problem is definitely with Mach3, as shown by the RPM display counting up before the spindle even starts moving.
I have checked out the spindle sensor with my Shumatec DRO and it also works fine (yes, I have also checked all the connections to my breakout board and PC).

As I said, nothing has changed apart from a new Mach3 install.

Thanks,
Dave.

Can you attach your xml so i can see if I can repeat the problem. You might also want to try the latest Dev version.
Hood

Can you attach your xml so i can see if I can repeat the problem. You might also want to try the latest Dev version.
Hood

Thanks for the reply,
I installed the latest Dev version and that fixed it.
The Mach3 RPM counter mysteriously incrementing rapidly and then falling to zero when a spindle command is issued, is a result of having the spindle speed averaging option turned on.
The software immediately tries to average out a non-existent speed when it receives a spindle 'on' command before it satisfies itself that the speed is actually zero, only then does the spindle start rotating.
A bit disconcerting to the uninitiated, I don't recall it happening with the Mach3R2.63 I was running.
Anyway, when I get time I'll hook up the SS and have a play.

Cheers.