[daniellyall]

yep this another tool in the belt for diy and home shops

[tmarks11]

I don't think they have a tool touch plate like I used to use w/ MachStdMill? That seems like a big oversight, unless i'm missing something.

Look at time 12:53 on the video below; shows using the Tormach tool setter (which is an expensive alternative to a touch plate, but you should still be able to figure a way to rig a touch plate to do the equivalent).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoIB_Fatt44

[brianbonedoc]

Yes I figured it out - will post details later but probe and touch plate seem to be working.

[brianbonedoc]

Now I can measure tool lengths like I used to in MachStdMill. It's not as elegant. But I leave my G59 offsets programmed to my tool touch plate. When I measure a tool I just activate G59 and then G30 to the position. I push the button in PathPilot and it auto measures the tool length and stores it in the tool table. It would be nice if they developed a routine to do it automatically like MSM. At least everything seems to be working. PP is very responsive and probing is so quick the LED barely flashes on the probe before the machine reverses. This is probably a function of the Mesa card being a realtime controller and not buffered.

I played with G84 tapping too - and it works perfectly.

Here's the files and instructions if anyone wants to try it:

PathPilot on Non-Tormach Wikia

[Blakea1790]

Is Path Pilot Locked? Can you modify Rapids? If this was mentioned in the post and I missed it I apologize. I've seen videos of Tormachs lathe and it's rapids are very slow.
Bake

[brianbonedoc]

Not locked - super easy to change velocity and accel settings.

Mine is set for 120in/min rapids
The motion does sound smoother - I know its subjective but we all get used to the sounds out of the steppers - it just sounds better w/ PP.

[brianbonedoc]

So I've been using PathPilot for a few weeks. So far so good. No real hiccups that weren't expected or due to the CNC operator (me)

I love how probing works so quickly, gone are the over travels caused by Mach3 buffered movement. Also if the probe trips, it stops motion regardless.

The tool table actually works very well. I just completed a tooling plate - 3/4" MIC-6 aluminum. 1/4x20 holes and 3/8 x 16 holes - all drilled and rigid tapped using PathPilot.

It's flat to about 0.003" across the X travel, and 0.001" in Y.

Attachment 291606

http://vid1355.photobucket.com/album...ps6mumicwy.mp4

[MBViklund]

I will have to do this conversion as well. I do not like mach 3 for so many reasons.

Which MESA board should I get for my torus pro servo?

"There are currently six 5I25 compatible breakout cards available from Mesa, the 7I74 through 7I78 and 7I85. The 7I76 is a step/dir oriented breakout with 5 axis of buffered step/dir outputs, one spindle encoder input, one isolated 0-10V analog spindle speed plus isolated direction and enable outputs, one RS-422 expansion port, 32 isolated 5-32V inputs and 16 isolated 5-32V 300 mA outputs. The 7I77 is a analog servo interface with 6 encoder inputs, 6 analog +-10V outputs, one RS-422 expansion port, 32 isolated 5-32V inputs, and 16 isolated 5-32V 300 mA outputs. The 5I25 supports two breakout cards so for example a 10 Axis step/dir configuration or 12 axis analog servo configuration is possible with a single 5I25 and two Mesa breakout cards."

[daniellyall]

MBViklund ask mesa or pcw mesa might see this a post and give you a reply

[PCW_MESA]

A 5I25/6I25 should work with Novakons breakouts though if your machine is
significantly different than brianbonedoc's, it may require custom firmware to match the pinout
(custom firmware is not a big deal)

This is brianbonedoc's P3 pinout:

IO Connections for P3
Pin# I/O Pri. func Sec. func Chan Pin func Pin Dir

1 0 IOPort StepGen 0 Step (Out)
14 1 IOPort StepGen 5 Dir (Out)
2 2 IOPort StepGen 0 Dir (Out)
15 3 IOPort None
3 4 IOPort StepGen 1 Step (Out)
16 5 IOPort StepGen 5 Step (Out)
4 6 IOPort StepGen 1 Dir (Out)
17 7 IOPort StepGen 6 Step (Out)
5 8 IOPort StepGen 2 Step (Out)
6 9 IOPort StepGen 2 Dir (Out)
7 10 IOPort StepGen 3 Step (Out)
8 11 IOPort StepGen 3 Dir (Out)
9 12 IOPort None
10 13 IOPort None
11 14 IOPort None
12 15 IOPort None
13 16 IOPort None

[MBViklund]

But there is so many boards to choose from on your website. Which one should i get for my torus pro servo with 4th axis?

A 5I25/6I25 should work with Novakons breakouts though if your machine is
significantly different than brianbonedoc's, it may require custom firmware to match the pinout
(custom firmware is not a big deal)

This is brianbonedoc's P3 pinout:

IO Connections for P3
Pin# I/O Pri. func Sec. func Chan Pin func Pin Dir

1 0 IOPort StepGen 0 Step (Out)
14 1 IOPort StepGen 5 Dir (Out)
2 2 IOPort StepGen 0 Dir (Out)
15 3 IOPort None
3 4 IOPort StepGen 1 Step (Out)
16 5 IOPort StepGen 5 Step (Out)
4 6 IOPort StepGen 1 Dir (Out)
17 7 IOPort StepGen 6 Step (Out)
5 8 IOPort StepGen 2 Step (Out)
6 9 IOPort StepGen 2 Dir (Out)
7 10 IOPort StepGen 3 Step (Out)
8 11 IOPort StepGen 3 Dir (Out)
9 12 IOPort None
10 13 IOPort None
11 14 IOPort None
12 15 IOPort None
13 16 IOPort None

[brianbonedoc]

Just get the 5i25 or 6i25 - nothing else u need.

[MBViklund]

Just get the 5i25 or 6i25 - nothing else u need.

My bad, did not read the description well enough. I have now ordered the 5I25 card from Mesa and the recovery disc from Tormach. Will just have to wait to recieve it and hopefully I will have time to mess around with it. I have an old stationary computer i hope to be able to use in order to get everything working while I still can use mach3 for work mean while.

[MBViklund]

Well yesterday i recieved the Pathpilot CD. Hopefully I will get the MESA board soon as well.

How similar are the Pulsar electronics compared to the Torus pro? Same BOB? Homing switches are the same and wired the same way?

[brianbonedoc]

Not sure but make sure u take a screen shot of every mach3 screen in the settings/Pinouts etc - this will help immensely

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Well yesterday i recieved the Pathpilot CD. Hopefully I will get the MESA board soon as well.

How similar are the Pulsar electronics compared to the Torus pro? Same BOB? Homing switches are the same and wired the same way?

Virtually identical. The BOB is slightly different on some machines, but only slightly. Pin assignments, polarities, etc. are all the same. Configurations for servo machines and stepper machines will be different, but a Pro Servo configuration file should work on a Pulsar Servo, and a Pro Stepper configuration file should work on a Pulsar Stepper.

Regards,
Ray L.

[Novakon]

This is all true. The BOBs are functionally the same for your purpose. The largest difference between the two BOBs, are the rigid tapping switching (this will not affect you) and the spindle speed/direction control. The Pulsar uses the step/direction controls for the spindle servo motor driver, while the Toru PRO uses the PWM to control the spindle speed of the VFD. Pin assignments are the same.

The xml files for the various mill configurations are available for download on our web site http://Novakon.net in the event you may need them.

Regards,
John

[MBViklund]

I'm still waiting for the MESA card. Checked their website today and the status of the order is pending. Mailed them to see what is going on.

[brianbonedoc]

They take a while to ship - I just ordered another one for a CNC lathe project on 9/21 - got word today it shipped.

[MBViklund]

They take a while to ship - I just ordered another one for a CNC lathe project on 9/21 - got word today it shipped.

Mine got shipped today as well. They are behind on orders. Busy guys :-)