[Moodaguda]

I really hope im in the right place to post this,
But i recently bought a driver kit from goodluckbuy.
Now that i have everything, i thought it would be a good idea to test the driver,
I Got all the pins and ports right well based on the instructions, but i really cant get a way to try it, the Reset button would just not blink, it keeps saying an error of "Estop Button PRessed" even thou i have no hotkey or external switch whatsoever, i tried to change the estop settings alot yet it wont let me do it.

How can i figure out that my Parallel port is connecting to my Mach3?
Can anybody please help?

[gmfoster]

The instructions are all in the mach manual.
You have a pin for estop and in the config you set the state of the estop pin.

pretty straight forward..

There are even videos of the process on the mach site.

You don't even need anything connected to the port to set it up where you can do the reset button. Have you looked at any of the documentation..

What part in specific are you having problems with?

In Config go to inputs, then ports and pins and set active (green check) then set the pin your estop comes in on and set active low or high. We can't know that with doing all your home work for you. Use a meter to determine state from your driver or try both high and low one at a time...

[Fastest1]

GM, this is a forum to help isn't it? Sure we can all read the manual but will we all understand it? Otherwise your info is spot on.
Mood, the only other thing I would add is verification of motor tuning and a hot key assignment for axis movement. How were you trying to get the axis to move? MDI?

[Moodaguda]

The instructions are all in the mach manual.
You have a pin for estop and in the config you set the state of the estop pin.

pretty straight forward..

There are even videos of the process on the mach site.

You don't even need anything connected to the port to set it up where you can do the reset button. Have you looked at any of the documentation..

What part in specific are you having problems with?

In Config go to inputs, then ports and pins and set active (green check) then set the pin your estop comes in on and set active low or high. We can't know that with doing all your home work for you. Use a meter to determine state from your driver or try both high and low one at a time...

A Little more info about my problem
I was able to change the values of the coordinations, With "Reset" not blinking. im guessing this will allow the port to give numbers when i press the arrow keys. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uglCm_qsojk]CNC Electronics 5 -Testing the Parellel Port.wmv - YouTube[/ame]
I tried to do the same thing here, but with 7,4,3 pins as thats the one assigned on my driver.
But for some reason, what ever i do it will stay on 3.3v voltage.
Im guessing this is a big problem
My ports are selected on mach, double checked the adress and stuff, i went to the artsoft website and watched the fist 2 tutorial videos.

Also.
When i plug in the stepper motors without the parallel port its quiet.
But when i power it with the parallel port to the driver and PC, it makes very annoying high frequency sounds, and the motors are twitching from time to time.

I was able to run a g code sample from the mach folder,
I can see the tool path. but when i plug in the driver and motors it wont do anything it will just do the noises.

PS, Every new move i try i always close the program and restart it, also, all of this problems were encountered while the driver was powered.

:idea::idea::idea::idea:

[Moodaguda]

Here is the manual that the driver came with.
I really dont know whats the problem anymore.
I saw somewhere that there is a port mode that has to be correct.
So i googled it
and found out you need to change your mode to EPP, i have done this on the BIOS setup.
Still hasnt given me any numbers on my meter from the parallel port:stickpoke

What could be the problem? could it be the PC? or the driver?
I just picked up this pc and installed new windows in, as far as i know the driver for the port is installed as it doesnt show unknown on driver manager.

http://view.samurajdata.se/rsc/b253ad4b/

[Moodaguda]

GM, this is a forum to help isn't it? Sure we can all read the manual but will we all understand it? Otherwise your info is spot on.
Mood, the only other thing I would add is verification of motor tuning and a hot key assignment for axis movement. How were you trying to get the axis to move? MDI?

I havent fiddled with the motor tuning yet
I think i have the default settings for that one

2000 Steps each motor. 120mm per min travel speed 4mm sec acceleration.
Step pulse and Direct pulse are both 0.

Also i just tried to move the coordinates with keyboard arrows, and it seem to change the value on the gui:stickpoke

[Fastest1]

For the keyboard to actually do anything the keys would have to be assigned. Look up optimization. It will tell you how to set up the PC. Yes you are supposed to do a few things. Nothing difficult maybe new and intimidating.

[Fastest1]

Are you just measuring the pins with a scope or meter?

[Moodaguda]

Are you just measuring the pins with a scope or meter?

Normal Multimeter, on DC voltage mode.

[Moodaguda]

For the keyboard to actually do anything the keys would have to be assigned. Look up optimization. It will tell you how to set up the PC. Yes you are supposed to do a few things. Nothing difficult maybe new and intimidating.

Looking at the video, he didnt do anything else, but did his video on mach3 defaults

He was able to jog the coordinates.
and i am too, but the problem is im not getting any values from the parallel port.

Just finished doing the optimization.

[p38nut]

A Little more info about my problem
I was able to change the values of the coordinations, With "Reset" not blinking. im guessing this will allow the port to give numbers when i press the arrow keys. CNC Electronics 5 -Testing the Parellel Port.wmv - YouTube
I tried to do the same thing here, but with 7,4,3 pins as thats the one assigned on my driver.
But for some reason, what ever i do it will stay on 3.3v voltage.
Im guessing this is a big problem
My ports are selected on mach, double checked the adress and stuff, i went to the artsoft website and watched the fist 2 tutorial videos.

Also.
When i plug in the stepper motors without the parallel port its quiet.
But when i power it with the parallel port to the driver and PC, it makes very annoying high frequency sounds, and the motors are twitching from time to time.

I was able to run a g code sample from the mach folder,
I can see the tool path. but when i plug in the driver and motors it wont do anything it will just do the noises.

PS, Every new move i try i always close the program and restart it, also, all of this problems were encountered while the driver was powered.

:idea::idea::idea::idea:

It sounds like you are using a laptop. Most laptops put out 3.3v on the parallel port. That just won't work in most cases unless you specifically have a break out board that works with 3.3v. You need logic levels of around 5.0v.
Lots of luck.:wave:

[Moodaguda]

It sounds like you are using a laptop. Most laptops put out 3.3v on the parallel port. That just won't work in most cases unless you specifically have a break out board that works with 3.3v. You need logic levels of around 5.0v.
Lots of luck.:wave:

im using a Desktop

I thought that 3.3 volts is neutral, 4+ is high and 0 is low, well thats what the video there shows.

[Moodaguda]

any help, please?

Is there any other way to check the parallel port if its connected to mach3?
Please

[Fastest1]

It has been a while since I first installed Mach. I have installed it on quite a few computers now and have a few mills and lathes that are running it. That being said. There were a few things I don't remember. However just because the dros are moving doesn't mean it is outputting anything on a pin unless it was assigned.

[Moodaguda]

I GOT IT TO WORK@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But one i noticed one thing,
When its on working mode, or Green reset.
The motors sounds like baby bats
And when i try to jog it, it doest seem so smooth, i dont know the term but i think its missing steps,

Anyone?
Im using this motors here.
NEMA 23 Stepper Motor 18.9Kgcm 1.8Degre 4Leads 76mm 57BYGH76-401A $49.98 Free Shipping @GoodLuckBuy.com

[Fastest1]

Congratulations.

Now lets not get alarmed about missing steps just yet. The roughness could be the microstepping value you set on the driver too. Do you remember what or if you set it to?Try to calibrate the steps per unit accurately, then calculate backlash etc. IIRC you had your step and direction pulses at 0, increase them to a positive number 3-5 IMO. Steppers are noisy, some drivers have an idle feature which reduces the current at rest. Did you enable it or is it a feature of your driver? It should be marked idle current reduction.

[Moodaguda]

I have a dip switch
and its setup up to
75% current
Decay Mode
Fast
Microstepping
1/8

I assume this motors has 200 steps per revolution
So i put 1600 steps per 2mm because im using m20 screws, but thats only the theory, my router hasnt been built yet.

[Moodaguda]

i managed to eliminate the small noises by changing the current settings to 25%
But there is still some small noises, is that normal?

Also my z axis goes clockwise for both + and - values, is there a way to change this?

[Fastest1]

Steppers are noisy. Do you just have them laying on a table? If that is the case, they will be loud. In fact IIRC 1 of the methods for tuning a to set the stepper in a metal pie plate to amplify the sound you are hearing. When the sound was the smoothest, theoretically it was tuned the best. I believe that was a Gecko recommended technique. The 1600 steps is what would be required with no drive. 200 x 8 (1/8th microstepping) =1600, then you multiply the amount of turns of the screw per unit of measure (in your case mm).

[Fastest1]

Double check your wiring on Z. This a typical wiring error.