Michael Jones wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm currently running a small parallel port converted D&M4s mini mill > (with a Campbell Designs BOB) on the demo version of Mach3. I'd like > to try out the alternatives before putting out the money for Mach3 so > I'm in the process of installing EMC. > > I've run the latency test, loaded I'm getting around 14200 unloaded > about 8000-9000ish. Everything looks good there. > > When I run the stepconf wizard I allow the system to decide the step > settings for the L297 configurations. When I get to the "test this > axis" step, nothing moves. I can watch the lights flash on my BOB, > but no information seems to get to the Steppers. I don't know who > makes the steppers on this machine or what their specs are so I'm kind > of in the dark here. I'm assuming that I have an issue with the step > length setting, but where do I go to diagnose exactly what I need to > plug in here? Do I just want to shot gun it? Take a wild guess and > start increasing the numbers until they work?
No No No. Wild guessing and shotgun servicing are pet peeves of mine. You really need to know the proper timing requirements for your drives. If you designed and built the drives, it is your responsibility to know the specs - from chip datasheets, etc. If you bought the drives, the person you paid $$$ to owes you the specs. The only excuse for not having those specs is if you picked the drives out of a dumpster (one of my favorite sources) and the maker is out of business and you can't find the data using your googling skills. That said, sometimes you have no choice. You say you can see the lights on the BOB blinking. I'm a bit surprised, since I think most stepconf configurations generate step pulses only a few microseconds long. Are you sure you are seeing the STEP lights blink? DIR lights should be either on or off, depending on which direction you are moving - and they should only change when you change direction. I think the stepconf "test this axis" step simply moves the axis back and forth - I don't know for sure because I don't use stepconf. If you are seeing the DIR light toggle every few seconds, that is probably just the axis moving back and forth. STEP is the critical one - what are you seeing on that LED? If the step pulses are too short, your drive won't see them. > I can also activate the limit switches, hit E-Stop, turn the spindle > on and off, etc from within Mach3 so I know I'm getting > communication.. just no Stepper movement. This needs clarified. Do you mean neither Mach nor EMC gives you axis movement? Or do you get movement with Mach but not EMC? Do all those other things work with Mach and EMC, or with Mach only? If Mach works, then you need to figure out what length its step pulses are, and tell EMC to make them the that length. If Mach doesn't work, then you probably should be looking at the drives themselves, or the wiring, etc. Regards, John Kasunich ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.net email is sponsored by: High Quality Requirements in a Collaborative Environment. Download a free trial of Rational Requirements Composer Now! http://p.sf.net/sfu/www-ibm-com _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
