[kvom]

Just back from the NAMES show in Detroit where there was a show discount of $50 off on the hobby version of Mach4. Since I'm going to be getting a small CNC lathe with a Mach4 control in the near future, I decided to go ahead and buy the license as well as the $25 plugin for the parallel port. I am semi-hopeful that I might be able to use the USB solution from PMDX.com, which would allow faster rapids, but am awaiting feedback from John as to whether it can work.

I installed the software on the NM200 control box today, and will start trying to configure the plugin and Mach4 later this week. I might get some faster rapids, but going to Mach4 is probably a good thing to do anyway sooner or later, even though Mach3 has been pretty error free for me.

This is likely not as interesting as the PathPilot conversions, but I thought I share my progress here.

[kvom]

I installed the software for both Mach4 and the parallel port driver (called Darwin) on the CD100. The first issue I confronted was a popup saying the Darwin shared library could not be loaded. Turns out the machine needs the 2013 runtime for Visual Studio C++. There's an .exe file in the Darwin directory that needs to be run to install this. After doing so Mach4 starts up. You then have to select Darwin as the motion device, and then enable the plugin. After a restart the config plugin dialog gets you to the Darwin configuration window. Here there are the ports and pins setup that Mach3 users are familiar with.

The first trick is to configure the port address of the parallel port card, which can be found in the Windows control panel. That said, it can also be found in the mach3 XML file in the <Port1Add> tag. In my case it's 56320 which must be entered in its hex equivalent as 0xDC00.

The step and direction pin assignments from mach3 should work in mach4. However, configuring the X-axis pins and enabling the motor didn't result in being able to jog the axis. I'll soldier on.

[G59]

It will be interesting to see what the advantages of Mach4 are compared to a stable Mach3 version. I'm hoping it's more than just speed.
Complex geometry/toolpaths, would be a big plus and rigid tapping. For a lathe, precise threading.

I'm not sure if they've figured all this out yet. Another plus, Gui customization. That's my number 1 request, as what they've got currently is no better than Mach3.

Also, do you know if this Darwin board have many more I/O ports? So maybe ATC can be run directly through Mach4 instead of PLC etc.....?

[ger21]

Another plus, Gui customization. That's my number 1 request, as what they've got currently is no better than Mach3.

I'd argue that the built in screen designer is worse, or at least more limiting. You're limited to a small number of built in fonts, and it's been rather buggy. (Although I haven't played with it in a while)

Darwin is the parallel port driver.

[G59]

Darwin is the parallel port driver.

Yes of course. I think I'll wait and see what kvom can do with it.

[kvom]

The same hobby license will serve for the lathe as well as the mill. The lathe will have threading. So part of this exercise is learning Mach4 in preparation.

Mach3 will still run the mill if needed; it's been quite reliable since I've owned the mill. There are some operational benefits to Mach4 here, one of which is that the Feed Stop function is immediate,whereas is Mach3 it's iffy depending on the current g-code.

One future improvement to Mach4 that I'd look forward to is lathe support for canned procedures.

In any case, the Darwin driver is good only for legacy systems using parallel ports on 32-bit windows systems. Those of you with ESS would use a different plugin (or just use Path Pilot).

[G59]

(or just use Path Pilot).

Exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

But if Mach4 fails, my next choice will be EdingCNC.
Looking forward to see your progress.

[daniellyall]

there will be more front ends for M4 coming out soon

[SCzEngrgGroup]

It will be interesting to see what the advantages of Mach4 are compared to a stable Mach3 version. I'm hoping it's more than just speed.
Complex geometry/toolpaths, would be a big plus and rigid tapping. For a lathe, precise threading.

I'm not sure if they've figured all this out yet. Another plus, Gui customization. That's my number 1 request, as what they've got currently is no better than Mach3.

Also, do you know if this Darwin board have many more I/O ports? So maybe ATC can be run directly through Mach4 instead of PLC etc.....?

"stable Mach3 version"? That is something of an oxymoron...

BTW - I sent you an e-mail several weeks ago with some questions. Never heard back. Did you not receive it?

Regards,
Ray L.

[G59]

Ray, I, PM'd you.

[daniellyall]

it can you could do one your self for ya novakon so it works on the boards you use, there is a lot that can be done with it but some parts of the programs you can use are limiting if you wont to have a crank at it, I would ask Dazthegas you can get hold of him through his youtube channel, other than that at present some bits are better than M3 some are the same.

[G59]

Attachment 318584

So I take it this wouldn't be a problem??
No mouse, only keypad???

[daniellyall]

that would be very nice, pendent and keyboard or touch screen only would be very nice

[kvom]

I discovered that merely running the Darwin installation does not license it within M4. Need to go to the Help/About dialog in M4 and click the 'Install License' button, then select the Darwin license file.

I've presumably configured the 3 axis ports and pins as in Mach3, but so far haven't gotten any motor movement. Forging ahead as time permits.

[kvom]

I seem to have hit a roadblock on the M4 project. The Darwin driver appears to be generating step/dir pulses on the X and Y axes, but no signals are appearing at the BOB. The eStop and X-axis home switch input signals do show up, so the PP address is correct. Been working with Art via Mach website forum, but he can't see anything wrong with my config.

[daniellyall]

post your profile .ini it's here C:\Mach4Hobby\Profiles post over on Mach forum or here

[kvom]

I have made some progress the past two days, and now have the axes moving under M4 control.

It seems that the charge pump, controlled by pin 17 is linked to an enable pin on the BoB. So unless the charge pump is running the output pins are sent to ground. The charge pump needs a frequency, and I was advised to set it to 12,500 in the Darwin config.

The other issue is that once you finish updating the Darwin config, the Bob is left disabled. It appears that I need to either toggle the M4 enable button twice to reset it so that the output pins are active. Once that happens I can move the axes via MDI or keyboard. For the keyboard I have to click an enable button on the Jogging tab.

I've copied the M3 motor tuning to M4 and will next validate the movement with a DTI. Then try to figure out how to configure the spindle.