Hi All,

I am trouble shooting a problem with the spindle speed control on my NM-135. It's a Revsion 2.1 but I think the Revsion 2.0 also use the PWM spindle control.

We, that is Novakon and I have been swapping boards and cables so I'm thinking it could be in the Mach3 config settings. Unfortunately I didn't back up my working XML file and would like to see someone else s for comparison.

The other night, I did a spindle calibration in Mach3 and since then the spindle goes in forward/reverse but only at full speed.

Any input or current working XML's would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks, -Greg

Hi All,

I am trouble shooting a problem with the spindle speed control on my NM-135. It's a Revsion 2.1 but I think the Revsion 2.0 also use the PWM spindle control.

We, that is Novakon and I have been swapping boards and cables so I'm thinking it could be in the Mach3 config settings. Unfortunately I didn't back up my working XML file and would like to see someone else s for comparison.

The other night, I did a spindle calibration in Mach3 and since then the spindle goes in forward/reverse but only at full speed.

Any input or current working XML's would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks, -Greg


I can get you my 2.1 xml later today. I was fiddling with mine - I had to set the PWM base frequency (Config->Ports/Pins->Spindle) to 1000Hz (which contradicts the mach3 documentation, which says set it around 5 or 10, and caused either off or fullspeed spindle operation for me) and min freq to 0%. After that, gcode "S" commands seem to work, numbers between S800 and S7000 will change the speed (S7000 will run the spindle faster than S6000, despite it being a "6k spindle" :confused:). I don't have a tach to calibrate though.
I have to CD300 (cheapo) controller.

Frogblender,

We have been testing at the hardware level for a variable voltage from 0-to +5 going into the motor speed controller and only coming up with +5 only which means full speed.

I figured, hey, we tried everything else, it must be software. There's a lot I don't understand about Mach3 especially when it comes to the PWM part.

I have backed up my xml and will try your suggestions.

Thanks, -Greg

Frogblender,

We have been testing at the hardware level for a variable voltage...


I might be misinterpreting you here, but it is a PWM square-wave signal, not an analog 0-5v variable voltage. You need an oscilloscope to see it. The mach3 manual has some pictures of the waveform (square wave of frequency presumably set in mach3 "base freq", with duty cycle proportional to the requested RPMs).

Since the last post here, I've ordered a tach (tachs are nearly free on ebay); when I get it I'll do some calibration.

What controller do you have?

I have the CD-100 the comptroller.

The base freq was already set to 1000 and the minimum 10 so I changed it to 0 and got the same full speed condition until I tried an s900 which dropped the speed to about 1/2 to 3/4 of full. Any other S calls seem to have no effect.

-Greg

I have the CD-100 the comptroller.

The base freq was already set to 1000 and the minimum 10 so I changed it to 0 and got the same full speed condition until I tried an s900 which dropped the speed to about 1/2 to 3/4 of full. Any other S calls seem to have no effect.

-Greg

Well, at least you now have a variable speed spindle. When diddling, I noticed that the S commands don't necessarily seem to affect the speed linearly - so if S900 drops the speed, try S899, S890, S850, etc.
I don't think mach3 knows I have a 6k spindle, and therefore won't know, for example, to put the dutycycle at 50% for an S3000 instruction. When I get my tach I'll check.

Frogblender,

I kind of understand the square wave thing you mentioned and that analog voltage would not make sense, but I had John on the phone yesterday and was told to check the voltage across a couple of pins on one of the connectors inside the machine. He informed me that, as I move the RPM settings, I should be getting a variable voltage across those two pins. Go Figure ;)

Hey, this is really crazy! I tried yor suggestion and it seems to operate narrowly in the 900 rpm range but when I go to lets say, 910, it lowers the speed rather than raising it.

At least there's progress. I have been fighting this for days now.

As I mentioned eariler, I did a spindle calibration last week and, on completion, it must have made some changes in the settings. Where, I don't know. When I look at the motor tuning settings for spindle, it makes no sense to me. The graph line is off the chart so to speak.

As I mentioned eariler, I did a spindle calibration last week and, on completion, it must have made some changes in the settings. Where, I don't know. When I look at the motor tuning settings for spindle, it makes no sense to me. The graph line is off the chart so to speak.

No... I *believe* the motor tuning menu is irrelevant to you: this is used only for the case of your spindle being a stepper or feedback'd servo - which it isn't. You want Config->Ports and Pins->Spindle Setup. A picture of mine is attached. I also set my dwell time (under "general parameters") to 6seconds of spinup, and 1 of spindown) since the spindle slows down quickly, but takes a while to spin up.

You might also want to check the pulleys menu - min speed should be 0, and max speed should be high (25000 should be ok).

Thanks Frogblender,

Will try that.

-Greg

Frogblender,

Tried that and no improvement. In fact it went back to a full speed condition.

I have a funny feeling it's a corrupted xml or a problem somewhere else in the config.

-Greg

the spindle control is supposed to be step and direction from what i understand. i believe the control board they use demands the mach core clock be 25000hz. any other setting will not work or so says the board maker.

if your clock isnt on 25k, try changing it and see what happens. but its definitely not supposed to be pwm as far as i know.

Ok, GOT IT FIXED!!

Khai sent me the latest xml for the 2.1's and it worked this time. Last time I tried that, nothing happened, but we have since changed out the driver board and cable so I thought what the heck, nothing to lose, and BAMM!

I don't know how many people watch this forum but, if anyone is considering buying machinery from Novakon, and are concerned about after the sale service, forget about it! John and Khai are, bar none, the most dedicated people I know, to the customer's satisfaction no matter how dicey things get. To me, that alone makes their product the best in this market.

-Greg

Ok, GOT IT FIXED!!

Khai sent me the latest xml for the 2.1's and it worked this time. Last time I tried that, nothing happened, but we have since changed out the driver board and cable so I thought what the heck, nothing to lose, and BAMM!

I don't know how many people watch this forum but, if anyone is considering buying machinery from Novakon, and are concerned about after the sale service, forget about it! John and Khai are, bar none, the most dedicated people I know, to the customer's satisfaction no matter how dicey things get. To me, that alone makes their product the best in this market.

-Greg
Do you know what changed in the setup to get it to work?

Frogblender,

I intend to compare the two xml's as soon as I get some free time to focus on it. This spindle speed problem set me back a few days. At a glance, I couldn't see anything unusually different, but I am just as curious as you.

Thanks again for your help today,

-Greg