[vid1900]

kev,

Watch these videos before you start with Mach3:

http://www.machsupport.com/videos.htm

They make it really easy to understand the whole prog.

[ger21]

In Mach3 isn’t the XML file the machine configurations/parameters for things like port and pin settings inputs and outputs ect??
And the .SET files are just screens or????
….
Am I right or wrong???
Thanks...

Correct.

[CrashMasterKev]

Ok I’m close, I did get the XML file today. It’s kinda working.
The problem I have now is when I try to home it, it goes to the exact opposite ends of the machine, away from the home switches. So I gotta look into that.
Any suggestions fire away, I’m gonna watch the videos again, I’ve watched most of them a couple times but I know I’m missing something simple.
Also it’s a little weird, but right after I setup the second printer card I was getting the led’s to light up when pressing the home switches but now it’s not.
So anyway it’s looks like I’m getting somewhere we’ll see…

You know what though, as I sit here thinking about it I would really rather have the machine home to the corner Its headed for anyway and had figured after I get things more inline I was going to see what it takes to reference the machine from that corner.
Can I just relocate the home switches??? Hummm for some reason I think it’s a little more detailed than that.
Well that’s where I’m at now, I’m finally making some headway….

OHHH I just wanna say my hats off to all of you that have built these from scratch.
Just buying one, getting it to my house and getting it setup has just been a pain, I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to build one…

[ger21]

Config>Homing/Limits. Home Negative.

[CrashMasterKev]

Hummm I just went and switched them and its still heading in the same direction.
Do I need to restart mach after the change?
I’m almost out of Y, I gotta turn this thing around LOL…..
I messed with the hotkeys and even though I did 1 key for X+ and 1 for X- and Y for that matter both keys move the axis in the same direction.
i still havent moved the Z.

[CrashMasterKev]

RRRRRRRRR ok I’ll get the mach3 book out and see if it can help…
I know I’m just missing the obvious and I’m gonna kick myself.
Shouldn’t an XML from the manufacturer, that built, wired and tested the system be a little easier than this? Their table, their software, am I using it wrong?
Still no LED’s for the Home switches in diagnostics when I press the switch. I had them earlier….?????????????

[sploo]

Kev,

I'm in the process of setting up a machine myself, and the short answer is that you just have to experiment.

I spoke to the manufacturer, and they indicated that the orientation and direction of the axes is basically up to the customer - which is fair enough.

My machine only has home/limit switches at one end of each axis, and the setup I've settled on at the moment means that the home switch on the Y axis isn't at the '0' end. Everything appears to work, so I'm not worried.

I haven't yet read the home/limit details in the Mach docs, so I expect to make further changes.

If you want to reverse the direction of an axis you can go to Config->Ports and Pins->Motor Outputs TAB and change the setting for the Dir LowActive column. I just experimented with this, and the home/limit dialog, until I got what I wanted.

If nothing at all is happening for the switches, then check them with a multimeter, and if they are working then check the port and pins Inputs TAB again - remembering that you may need to change the Active Low settings.

[CrashMasterKev]

I just switched all those settings and got the same thing.
Only one direction..

[diarmaid]

OHHH I just wanna say my hats off to all of you that have built these from scratch.

(chair) Built what??? We still don't know what this tabletop machine is......at least tell us if its a mill/router/laser etc ? :tired:

[sploo]

I just switched all those settings and got the same thing.
Only one direction..

That's... odd...

Playing around with the Dir LowActive and Axis Reversed settings certainly caused my axes to flip round. I've not yet gotten to the bottom of what each setting actually does (some strange behaviour from my point of view) so I had to do it by trial and error, but it does make a difference.

Not sure what to suggest I'm afraid.

[Switcher]

(chair) Built what??? We still don't know what this tabletop machine is......at least tell us if its a mill/router/laser etc ? :tired:

No Doubt, Whats the BIG secret with your cnc?





.

[CrashMasterKev]

Sorry guy’s it’s a 24X36 router I haven’t mentioned the name of the manufacturer here due to we are still dealing with some issues that have yet to be resolved and like some of the earlier threads said, I don’t want to get sued, if you’re really curious PM me and we can talk about it.

Anyway, I got it going, it still needs some tweaking but it’s close I think, I had to change out the extra pci card in the computer, the $50.00 one didn’t work but the $15 one did, (kinda figures doesn’t it?), that got my home switches working but the way the X home switch was set up it would have crashed before actually tripping the switch but that was a fairly easy fix, I was actually able to draw some programs on a piece of scrap with a marker last night so that was cool to finally see it doing something.

Now I have some new issues to work through as my programs are coming out mirrored, in cad they are normal but what the machine produces is mirrored, if I mirror the cad drawing the machine produces the correct image. I also have to get more familiar with coordinates and such ( I don’t think they are correct yet) so I still have some work to do but its going, finally..
Oh well I just thought I’d post some good news for once, my ex has the kids tonight so I’ll have some uninterrupted time to deal with some of the other things I need to work on.
Thanks for everybody’s help.
Crash

[erazz]

Mirrored parts mean that you have an axis reversed.

$0.02

[CrashMasterKev]

I think you may be correct, as I sit here and think about it, I’m thinking it must be the Y axis.
That’s a good place to start.
Thanks.

[sploo]

That's exactly the issue I had (flipped Y axis causing mirrored parts to be cut). Changing the Dir LowActive setting for Y sorted it.

[CrashMasterKev]

Well that fixed the problem with the mirroring, it also moved the home position to the left side of the table and that was something I wanted to change so I got a 2 for 1 deal out of that.
Now I would like to reverse the x and y axis but that’s not high on my list at the moment, is that pretty much changing the pin settings for those 2 axis’s? I need to change the soft mins and maximums as well?????
I think I might be loosing steps in the Z axis but I think I need to do some more testing…

[sploo]

Flipping round the pin values should do it (ensuring to do the same for the dir and step low active settings too).

I've not done much with soft limits, but I expect the values would have to be swapped too.

[bo whipkey]

i actually ordered a new machine, put down half.. about 5000.00
and after delivery was delayed by almost 2 monthsi was still
able to get the credit card company to back charge the amount that i had put down.
after the machine was delivered i paid the balance and the deposit was released back to the cnc company;
i was also supplied with the wrong spindle which they promptly corrected
but i had to rewire the whole delta power supply and spindle...
there is hope but keep your main objective in mind..
i love my machine regardless but had to play a small game to get my end result,
also remember you may need to keep a repore with the machine builder for future help !
good luck !
bo