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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    PathPilot on NM200

    Started this on request to separate from the Torus thread. I ordered both the 6i25 Mesa card and the PP DVD today.

    Basically I will be piggybacking on the existing CD100 control unit that contains the BoB and Gecko drivers. The Bob and Mesa card will be connected via the existing DB25 cable. I am having a new basic desktop PC built from components at Fry's electronics. This will be in a small case that will sit on top of the CD100.

    The BoB in the CD100 is model C11G from Cnc4pc.com. This card replaced a defective one in 2014.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Here's the pins from the Mach3 configuration

    outputs:
    X-axis: step 2, dir 3
    Y-axis: step 4, dir 5
    Z-axis: step 6, dir 7
    A-axis: step 8, dir 9
    Spindle: 14
    Dirs on X and A are low for proper direction

    Inputs:
    E-stop 10
    X home 11
    Y home 12
    Z home 13
    Home switches are active low

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    388

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Quote Originally Posted by kvom View Post
    Here's the pins from the Mach3 configuration

    outputs:
    X-axis: step 2, dir 3
    Y-axis: step 4, dir 5
    Z-axis: step 6, dir 7
    A-axis: step 8, dir 9
    Spindle: 14
    Dirs on X and A are low for proper direction

    Inputs:
    E-stop 10
    X home 11
    Y home 12
    Z home 13
    Home switches are active low
    So your spindle direction is probably on 14, how do you control the speed of your spindle? I'm not familiar with the NM200.

    Scott...
    Instructional Videos for CNC Guitar Building
    http://www.rmgvideos.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    There's a VFD in the mill, so I assume it's by analog voltage. The spindle config dialog in Mach3 is confusing to say the least. I never once ran the spindle in reverse until earlier this year when I discovered that M4 doesn't work.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    For reference, this is the spindle config dialog in mach3:


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    To try to get a handle on the spindle control, I unscrewed the rear panel to expose the VFD:



    The control wiring at the bottom:



    Found the online manual for the VFD here: http://s172429501.onlinehome.us/c300.pdf

    It's clear that the 0-10V speed control is in effect (black wire) and that fwd/rev is controlled by the white wire. So the puzzle will be how to command the speed control voltage in PP.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    644

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Knowing that this is for a CNC4PC C11 takes away the guesswork:

    http://freeby.mesanet.com/c11.zip

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    I received both the disk and the Mesa card in today's mail. When I get the built computer the adventure can begin.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    I received the machine today and started the setup. All of the following was done in my office without any connection to the Novakon hardware.

    1) Booted from PP DVD and ran the "R Image" restore to my hard drive. Completed successfully. On restart it wanted to reboot from DVD, but once I removed the DVD it bookted from disk and brought up Path Pilot. I selected the 1100-3 as the machine to initialize, and after flashing the default bit file I got the Path Pilot screen.

    2) Started a terminal with ctl-alt-x

    3) typed gnome-panel to get a startup line at the top of the screen. I needed to click on the 'Places' and then the 'Home Folder' dialogs to get what is the equivalent of the Windows Explorer utility.

    4) I inserted a thumb drive onto which I had copied the 5i25_C11x2.bit file from Mesa as well as the Tormach_1100-3.ini and novakon_torus.hal files from sa_green's thread.

    5) Renamed the Tormach-1100-3.in. in the tmc/configs/tormach_mill directory and copied the novakon_torus.hal and tormach_1100-3.ini from the thumb drive into this dir.

    6) Copied the 5i25_C11x2.bit file to the tmc/mesa directory

    When I reboot, it says Mesa needs to be reflashed. I checked OK, but nothing seems to happen. No error messages. I did edit the .ini file to point to the bit file name (i.e., 5i25_C11x2.bit.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    As a test, I copied the Torus.bit file and changed the ini file to match. Now I did the card to flash, so it appears there may be an issue with the bit file Mesa posted. ??

    In any case, afterwards I get a new splash screen with pics of Tormach machines, and a popup dialog that says:

    Machine control software experienced an error

    Install a software update


    If I click OK, I get a dialog asking to install an update on the hard drive named v1.9.11.tgp Not sure if I should do this or not.

    I went to the Tormach website and found that v1.9.12 is the latest update, so I downloaded it and applied when asked. After a reflash and a couple of restarts I am back at the PP control dialog.

    ***

    Now I discover that since the update places all the config data for the release under a new directory, I need to move the ini, hal, and bit files to the new directory. The previous reboot had just reflashed with the stock Tormach bit file.

    So after repeating the process for the 1.9.12 version, I rebooted. It flashed the Torus.bit file, and like before after another reboot I get the machine control software error. And when I edit to try to load the other bit file it hangs as before without doing a flash.

    I am wondering if using a 6i25 card is an issue. But given that tormach_mill3.bit flashes properly I'm dubious.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    644

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    I would not expect pathpilot to start with the C11 bitfile since it does not have the same hardware modules
    (PWM is missing for example)

    Your halfile will need editing before PathPilot can even start (and likely more editing before everything works)

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Right now it's not a question of starting, but of flashing the card. If I specify the normal Tormach bit file I get the popup window as it loads. With either the Torus or C11 bit files, it doesn't do this. As a test, I restored the stock Tormach ini file but changed the bit file name to the 5i25_c11x2.bit, and this time it did flash. Then I switched the ini back to the one with the novakon hal file, and so was able to skip to the error popup.

    At this point I think I need to attach the computer and mesa card to the BoB to see if it gets further along. If not, I'll need to study the hal file to see if I can make sense of it.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    I hooked the new computer to the CD100 via the cable and started both. I get the same error popup as when not connected, but that's no surprise. The BoB evidently activates the VFD when powered as the LED lights even though Mach3 is not running. Likewise the steppers are powered as they cannot be turned by hand.

    I am wondering if I need to go back to the Tormach HAL and INI as opposed to that sagreen is using. I am confused as to why there are lines about servo spindle if the Torus doesn't have one. It looks as if he started with the Brian's Pulsar HAL and went from there. It's fairly confusing. The INI file mainly sets paths and parameters used by the HAL file, so it's not that hard to understand. But the HAL for the 1100 does have a section for the spindle that might be closer to what I'll need. Any feedback will be appreciated.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    701

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    What error do you get?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Machine control software experienced an error

    Install a software update


    I'm thinking to go back to the OEM ini and hal with only the bit file changed.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    701

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Kvom- ok you need to run pp in terminal so you can see what line errored out. It is usually a hal issue and willl tell u what line caused the error. This will happen 20-50x until u dial everything in. Don't bother chasing different bitfiles - just pick one and adjust hal file

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    594

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    How do I do that?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    701

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Hold left shift and alt key as soon as u see tormach splash screen to get to desktop - I will pm u my cell # too - feel free to call it maybe faster than the forum back n forth

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    234
    Kvom, this is great so far. I am planning to do a conversion to path pilot this winter for my NM200 as well.

    Please keep posting progress and any screenshots/photos along the way. Messing with software code is not a real strong suit of mine so I will continue to follow this thread closely.

    Thanks

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    388

    Re: PathPilot on NM200

    Quote Originally Posted by brianbonedoc View Post
    Hold left shift and alt key as soon as u see tormach splash screen to get to desktop - I will pm u my cell # too - feel free to call it maybe faster than the forum back n forth
    kvom,

    Did you get with brian? Did you get things going?

    As I mentioned earlier, you will not be able to use the bitfile I provided (Torus.bit) because it has completely different pinout configuration from your BoB. With some tinkering it might be possible change your wiring for your axis's to match the Torus.

    Scott...
    Instructional Videos for CNC Guitar Building
    http://www.rmgvideos.com

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