Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Losing steps in Z

« on: April 20, 2016, 10:06:40 PM »

No, I'm done with Mach4.
I'll take the refund.
If you want me to test for your own benefit, I'll do it, but You can probably reproduce the problem on your own.
Bob has my email, let me know how you want to proceed.

2

General Discussion / Re: Losing steps in Z

« on: April 20, 2016, 08:43:34 AM »

This is ridiculous, cutting lithophanes left and right and every one of them is perfect with Mach3 and a parallel port.

Need to know, what's the return policy from you guys??

3

General Discussion / Re: Losing steps in Z

« on: April 16, 2016, 10:10:49 AM »

Here's an interesting turn. With all the problems Mach4 has, figured I'd try Mach3 again. Took a while to config it, a lot different than Mach4, forgot how much so, but got it going, ran the same gcode one time, perfect Z from start to finish!

So the problem is somewhere from Mach4, out the PMDX-410. Used the parallel port straight to the G540 with Mach3, actually with a C26 (cnc4pc.com) in between, ran perfect!

4

General Discussion / Re: Losing steps in Z

« on: April 15, 2016, 11:06:24 AM »

Have you checked the X and Y axis to see if they also have this issue?

I haven't seen any problem with the other two axes but I also didn't see a problem with the Z until doing a lithophane. I have done other 3d carvings with no noticeable deviation in the Z.
So to answer your question, No, I have not checked the X and Y but only because I have no idea how to. I've been trying to come up with a way to generate the type of movement the litho causes in the Z, in the other two axes, but I am not having any luck there. I will say that I changed the pulse width on all motors though, just because I'm guessing it may be effecting all of them. I also do not think there was any difference between going to 20us as opposed to 10us. I will have to double check this tonight but I think the amount of change that the 10us pulse made was the same as the 20us pulse.

Please send me a profile package, and if possible a GCode file that causes this problem (the smaller the better).

As far as the file, I've actual been using 3 different files with the same results from all of them. I'll send the one I used last night but it is a lithophane, so it won't be 'very' small.

Also, I guess I forgot to mention that I did swap the motor outputs, as you asked, with no difference. I used the Y output, with the Z cable. So the only thing common at that point was the motor and cable but I have previously replaced them individually with no improvement.

5

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / 410 case

« on: April 15, 2016, 09:15:11 AM »

I had to take my 410 out of my control cabinet for what appears to be interference problems so I made a case for it.
If anyone else needs or wants it, here are the stl's.

New zip. Corrected one problem found on the top part.

6

General Discussion / Re: Losing steps in Z

« on: April 14, 2016, 10:50:10 PM »

Bob, I need some clarification on something... You asked what the DRO reading is, after running a litho gcode, if I do a G0 Z0 MDI, the DRO obviously shows 0 but the bit is above the material.
After changing the pulse width to 20us, it's better but still not right. So G0 Z0 ends above material, but if I then move to tip to touching the material the DRO now reads -.026". So the bit ends up .026 above the material at where Mach4 thinks it's at zero.
Make sense?? not sure if that's what you meant?
Really confusing myself at this point, being that the pulse width made a difference but still not right.

7

General Discussion / Re: Losing steps in Z

« on: April 14, 2016, 08:15:34 AM »

1) It shows as 0.
2) Positive is going up. Looks like you didn't finish this question?
3) Latest of both, Mach4 = 2914. PMDX = 0.38.188

Is there an option to extend the pulse width in the 410? I can't remember but I think I saw that option. I think I remember the G540 was "funny" with pulse width settings. Is that something you would suggest to try?

8

General Discussion / Losing steps in Z

« on: April 13, 2016, 11:14:24 PM »

Hello,
I just found out I'm losing steps in the Z axis, never noticed until I just tried to cut a lithophane. All the rapid Z movements involved really showed it.
I tried everything I could think of to figure out why, including lowering vel and accel, changing cables, swapping motors, swapping pc's, and rewiring everything.
No changes.
I then started looking at the USB connection. I took the PMDX-410 out of my control cabinet and it did get better but It's still happening.
Is there any way to determine if it is the 410 causing this??

My setup is originally an intel NUC running Win 10 Pro (went to a win7 pro when I swapped PC), to the 410, parallel to a G540, to a NEMA23 380 oz-in motor with a 1/2"- 10 single start leadscrew, Velox ZA800QR Z carriage with a porter cable 7518 and superPID.
All cables are shielded and grounded at the control box end, all to a common ground.

The lost steps are always moving the Z in the + direction, so If I start at 0, by the end of the lithophane I'll be somewhere near +.1.

9

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: Error 7 when attempting to Home

« on: January 23, 2016, 02:42:20 PM »

Thanks Jarhead.  Though I see "Go To Work Zero" on wx4 screenset and I am using Mach version 2803.  Should I be using a different screenset?

No, My mistake. I was thinking of another button. Confused myself...
Sorry about that!

10

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: Error 7 when attempting to Home

« on: January 19, 2016, 04:43:55 PM »

I believe the Go to Work Zero button has been removed from Mach4, you must be using the old screen set if it is still showing. I believe the functionality is removed.

11

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: Error 7 when attempting to Home

« on: January 14, 2016, 01:51:43 PM »

Seems to be a common problem Same exact thing happens to me. They say they're working on it...

12

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Default debug... any use for troubleshooting?

« on: December 03, 2015, 08:12:11 PM »

I was in the middle of a job and the machine just stopped. I noticed the pmdx-410 had the red light lit.
I was able to restart, but it stopped again a little while later. This time I was able to save a Mach4 "package".
I enabled file debugging but it didn't stop another time.

So I'm wondering if that package, with the default debug enabled, is of any use to determine what happened?

13

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: Spindle Issues with SuperPID

« on: November 24, 2015, 05:42:11 PM »

(5) While the spindle is running, verify the real-time display shows pin 17 green and pin14 as yellow.  Measure the voltage between the RUN and GND terminals on the SuperPID (it should be close to zero volts)

17 is Green, 14 stays red. All voltages are good.

(6) Click on the "Spindle CW" button again to halt the spindle, verify the real-time display shows pin 17 as red (pin 14 should be red or green but not yellow). Also measure the voltage between RUN and GND (it should be close to +5V).

17 goes red. 14 stays red. voltage good.

(7) Open the GCode file that has been having trouble with the spindle.  Start running the file.  After the spindle is running, verify that the real-time display shows pin 17 as green and pin 14 as yellow.

17 green. 14 yellow.

(8) Click on the "Stop" button.  Verify that the real-time display shows pin 17 as red and pin 14 as red or green but not yellow.  When the spindle reaches its lowest RPM, measure the voltage from  RUN to GND on the SuperPID.

17 red. 14 red. voltage good. Funny thing, the spindle is stopping as it should now. I just disabled some plugins but didn't change anything else. Maybe it was one of them??

14

General Discussion / Not related to PMDX at all but...

« on: November 23, 2015, 11:28:06 PM »

This seems to be the best place to get support for Mach4. Artsoft should really be ashamed of this product and the support they (aren't) providing.
So just an off topic question...
Is anyone using an auto tool zero script in Mach4?
If so, how did you implement it?

15

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: Spindle Issues with SuperPID

« on: November 23, 2015, 05:14:55 PM »

ok, the Accel time took care of the turning on problem.

As for the turning off... Yes, the Spindle button does stop it completely.
I have it wired exactly as shown on page 25 of the SuperPID manual, with the exception of another ground wire run to the ground pin of the 410. I do not have any "external" controls, meaning manual knobs and switches, on the SuperPID. It will only ever be controlled by software.

You already have my entire config there... you're still working on my error 7 issue.