[greybeard]

XYZ axis all tested OK in stepconfig using the "Test this axis" windows.

So I loaded the saved file (axis.ngc) in AXIS, via the desktop shortcut, and when I turned off the ESTOP, and the power on, I expected to hear the motors activate and hold, but didn't.
If I pressed any of the limit switches, a message indicated that the limit had been reached, so I assumed they were all OK, and I closed the messages.

I then tried to use the "Manual" tag to jog each axis, but while the + and - buttons produced a change in the location on the display , they had no effect on the motors.
I did the same using the keyboard controls, but with the same results.
The X and Y axis displayed motion corresponding to the chosen step size, or continuous,
but the Z axis would only show a movement of .002 mm if I used the continuous setting, and nothing in the fixed step settings..

If stepped all axis away from zero position, and then touched the "Home all" button, nothing happened to the axis readings, but I got the message "end of move in home state 5".

When I loaded one of the files in the examples folder, 3dtest.ngc, I got the same results.
Grateful for help in moving forward, as I assume I'm overlooking something basic. :tired:

[vlmarshall]

The message "limit reached" makes me think your travel directions might be set up wrong in the .ini file. Just a thought...

[marzetti]

John-
I believe vlmarshall may be correct. This would be caused by stepconf reversing the sign as I described a few days ago. Just go into the .ini file for your configuration and check. I believe it was the step_velocity and perhaps the offset values that were wrong on mine. Good luck!

[greybeard]

The message "limit reached" makes me think your travel directions might be set up wrong in the .ini file. Just a thought...

Perhaps my post didn't make it too clear.
When I hit the limit switch, the programme gave a response that I would have expected, ie it thought the motor had just hit the L/S on the correct axis, so flagged it up.
John

[chester88]

Post your stepconf file. (find it under emc2/configs it ends in .stepconf)
your ini and hal file would be good too.

Chris M

[greybeard]

Hi Chris.
I've managed at last to get the files from the ubuntu/emc machine into this laptop and hopefully attached as a zip file.
Is that OK, as I can't think how else to post them
John

[greybeard]

marzetti and vlmarshall, thanks for your input. I'll have a proper look tomorrow, as it's taken me so long to get the files out and posted, it's time for me to get my head down again

John

[chester88]

Hi Chris.
I've managed at last to get the files from the ubuntu/emc machine into this laptop and hopefully attached as a zip file.
Is that OK, as I can't think how else to post them
John

Yep that was good.
Right off the bat I see that the Z axis is set to only .002 mm long.
Thats why it only moved that long and why it doesn't find the homw switches.
I'll look deeper later.

Chris M

[chester88]

It seems that stepconf doesn't like the fact you put the negative travel on the right ( eg table travel 10 to -65)
Change it to -10 to 65 and try again. Let us know if that fixes it.

What was your reason to enter the other way ( I assume there was one)?

Thanks for finding this bug!

Chris M

[greybeard]

Chris, it worked.
I changed to -10 and 65 as suggested, and the first thing was that now the Z axis responds exactly as the other two.
My setting was purely a hangover from the way I'd set up the machine for my previous software, best forgotten !
The "home all" sequence started, and manually pressing the limit switches produced the direction change and set the home position for each axis in turn as expected.

Regarding the lack of motor response during this "rehearsal", the penny dropped that my file was based on the example that AXIS opens with, albeit with my config settings. I had ignored line1 that says "AXIS splash G-code. Not meant to be milled".
I assume from this that I need to load a small test piece of G-code of my own before the motors will turn.
Or do I still have a problem ?

John

[marzetti]

John-
Glad you're making progress! You can indeed mill the "EMC2 Axis" gcode, I've done it several times. Just touch off and go. Works best with a v cutter. But you should see motor movement. Do your jog buttons work?

Greg

[greybeard]

Hi Greg,
The jog buttons all work in the test axis mode when creating the stepconfig, but as soon as I launch the Axis window, there is no activity from the motors at all.
When I hit the estop off, followed by the power on, I expect to hear the motors receive a holding voltage, and a slight "click" like they did during the test. But zilch.
The display shows the effects of the controls, both jog and homing, but deathly hush from the motors.

John

[greybeard]

Greg,
Is there no motor movement because it states in the status(?) bar at the bottom of the Axis window "No Tool" ?
Just a thought.
As I'm looking to try the axis.ngc file as a first step, how does this change, or rather how do I need to tell AXIS that I really want to cut this ?
John
EDIT Do I need to enter a tool change command, and if so where and how, please ?

[marzetti]

You shouldn't have to do anything to run the test file other than homing the axes and then touching off each one. Try "cutting some air" just by jogging the z down a bit and hitting the run button.

[marzetti]

Oh, in regards to the "no tool" message, I believe that is only relevant if you have a tool table set up which I don't.

[greybeard]

You shouldn't have to do anything to run the test file other than homing the axes and then touching off each one. Try "cutting some air" just by jogging the z down a bit and hitting the run button.

Apart from only touching off one axis, I've already done the above but with no reaction from the motors.
I'll have another go though, just to see if it'll prove me a liar !
John

[greybeard]

Because the motors don't turn, even though display shows it all happening, the Home all sequence needs me to press the limit switches by hand, which I did.
Then it would allow me to touch off each axis, which I did, and I hit the run button.
The program then ran in the display window, but had no effect on the motors at all, as before.

John

[marzetti]

You did say you got motor movement in the "test axis" routine in step-conf, didn't you? If so I'm very puzzled at what the problem might be.

[greybeard]

You did say you got motor movement in the "test axis" routine in step-conf, didn't you? If so I'm very puzzled at what the problem might be.

That makes two of us
....and yes, it all works OK in the test axis settings.

John

[greybeard]

Just for the sake of gaining knowledge, I went and tried reversing the sign of the signal to Pin 1, normally set for the estop.
Curiously, the only effect was in the test this axis window, and that was to reverse the effects of the N/C limit switches on the Y axis.
I haven't got a pin dedicated to estop as I haven't got a physical switch set up yet.
This may all be a red herring, but equally it might mean something to someone.
John