a problem with slaved A-axis moving properly relative to Y-axis

Having a problem with slaved A-axis moving properly relative to Y-axis and direction of movement.

Using MACH3 Ver R3.042.040. PC with WinXP [all updated] set up just for MACH; MACH drivers installed properly. Initial test without steppers hooked to machine showed no problems. Have graphics card. Very short parallel port cable.

Machine is a Shop Droid with Y-axis as master and A-axis as slave.
Y-axis is 7-feet, X-axis is 3-feet.

CNC Zone build thread: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc_wo..._sized%5D.html

Rockcliff controller board, Rockcliff stepper motors, and Rockcliff power supply. It was a package. Board is configured as indicated in Rockcliff instructions. Cabling is shielded and is color coded and matched to wires from steppers. A+, A-, B+, B- on controller board are all matched with cable/stepper motor wiring.

Home [0,0] is in far left corner.

X-axis functions properly after stepper was installed on machine and tested.

Here is the problem:

When Y/A-axis moves in positive direction [away from home], Y and A steppers both move together.

When Y/A-axis move in negative direction [toward home], Y-axis moves toward home [negative direction], but A-axis continues to move AWAY from home [positive direction].

I have double check the following, as well as rebooting PC along the way.

Config> Slaved Axis: Y-Axis shows A-axis slaved. PC was rebooted.

Config> General Logic Configuration: Angular Properties: A-axis is Angular is UNCHECKED.

Config> General Logic Configuration: General Configuration: Home Slave with Master Axis is UNCHECKED. [Home and limited switches have not been installed yet.]

Port and Pins are as follows:
X enabled Step 2 Dir 3 DirLowActive not enabled StepPort 1 DirPort 1
Y enabled Step 4 Dir 5 DirLowActive not enabled StepPort 1 DirPort 1
Z enabled Step 6 Dir 7 DirLowActive not enabled StepPort 1 DirPort 1
A enabled Step 8 Dir 9 DirLowActive ENABLED StepPort 1 DirPort 1
[Note: A-axis was also tested with DirLowActive not enabled]

Motor Tuning on Y and A is as follow:
Steps Per: 848.5669081 Veloc: 199.98 Acc: 4 Step Pulse: 5 Dir: 0

XML file is attached.

Any insight and direction would be appreciate.

In my bones I know that somebody is going to see a real simple fix ..

Quote:

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A enabled Step 8 Dir 9 DirLowActive ENABLED StepPort 1 DirPort 1
[Note: A-axis was also tested with DirLowActive not enabled]

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That should reverse the direction of the A, which would make it hard to test?

Try setting it the same as Y, and reversing the A in Config >Homing/Limits. (check the Reverse column)

My guess, though, is that the direction signal on your parallel port may be too weak for the A axis pin. Jog back and forth, and measure the voltage on pin 9, both at the parallel port, and at the drive.
It should be 0V in one direction, and 5V in the other direction.

It could also be a loose connection on that pin as well.

Ger21 stated: "My guess, though, is that the direction signal on your parallel port may be too weak for the A axis pin. Jog back and forth, and measure the voltage on pin 9, both at the parallel port, and at the drive.
It should be 0V in one direction, and 5V in the other direction.

It could also be a loose connection on that pin as well."


I found the following:

Pins 3, 5, 7 = 3.3 volts

Pin 9 = 0 volts both ways..

Good call ...

Now to get MACH to see the add-on PCI card LPT port that was installed.

BIOS does not see it, IRQs do, drivers are same for add-on PCI card as for LPT port on motherboard.

In hardware the LPT ports are identified as different types.

Checking into BIOS update so the add-on can be changed.

Thank you for your insights and help.

Z.

Does Windows see it?

Yes, windows does see LPT2 .

Then just enter the address from device manager.

I've done that, and to no avail.

And the port address is correct vis-a-via windows and port 2 is enabled and the port was changed from 1 to 2 in ports and pins when I tried after finding no voltage out of pin 9.

You want to set it up as Port1, not Port 2. Unless you're trying to use both.
What do you have for the Port address?

Need two ports as will be adding a rotary axis and then a B/C head.

Plan is to add two PCI parallel port cards and not use motherboard parallel port. Both are same Intek boards. Seems this is a precaution.

Parallel port address on motherboard is 0x378, the address of the card is something like 0xddf04 .. left notes and manual at studio ... this matches up with what is shown in Start>Control Panel>System Properties>Device Manager>Ports. I just checked it a few hours ago and wrote the address down and check against what is shown in MACH3 as second port. I write everything down as my memory has the retention functionality of a sieve with large holes.

Cannot upgrade BIOS on the Dell being used for the Droid, so have to get this straightened out, or try a different computer.

Seems as though this is a constant problem with MACH3 not seeing a second or third card. Odd it has continued unabated for so long.

You don't put the full address in the box in Mach3. Watch the setup video at ArtSoft USA - Home of Mach3 and LazyCam and it'll show you what needs to be entered.

Quote:

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Seems as though this is a constant problem with MACH3 not seeing a second or third card. Odd it has continued unabated for so long.

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It's not a Mach3 problem. It's windows or the card manufacturer not reporting the address correctly. I just helped someone with this the other day. They were entering the wrong address.

A Windows problem...GASP .. How can that be true??!! ;)

I will watch the video and try again ....

Thank you again.

Have watched video mention before, but watched again .. couple of times.
Read more instructions on various web sites too.

On the INTEK PCI parallel port card this is what happened: Pins 2-9 [inclusive] show 4.95 volts on the multimeter no matter what button is pushed on the jog screen [X+,X-,Y+,Y-,Z+,Z-]; i.e., nothing goes to zero and there is no negative sign.


Here is info on parallel ports from computer:

Name LPT1
PNP Device ID MF\PCI#VEN_14DB&DEV_2120&SUBSYS_212014DB&REV_00\5& 4252834&0&20F0#CHILD0000
I/O Port 0x0000DDF8-0x0000DDFF
I/O Port 0x0000DDF4-0x0000DDF7
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\parport.sys (5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108), 78.25 KB (80,128 bytes), 8/28/2002 9:27 PM)

Name LPT2
PNP Device ID ACPI\PNP0401\4&11876118&0
I/O Port 0x00000378-0x0000037F
I/O Port 0x00000778-0x0000077F
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\parport.sys (5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108), 78.25 KB (80,128 bytes), 8/28/2002 9:27 PM)

Here is what MACH3 put in Port #1 [which is checked as "Port Enabled]address box: 0xdf8. This was entered as DF8.



What now?