PROBLEM MACH3+KFlop

[vra]

Hello!
I bought a kflop and im trying to configure mach3 to work with it. I was using yesterday KMtionCNC and it did work well. Now i'm trying to configure Mach3 to run the G codes and it doesn't work. I think the problem is in the number of port cuz im using a usb to connect the PC to the Kflop. I'm not pretty sure what i should put in the port address. I tried writing the USB port but didn't work.
Thank you

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[CNCMAN172]

Vra,

If you want to run KFLOP with MACH3 you must first install the PLUGIN that is how Mach3 knows how to talk to the KFLOP. You can download it on the Kmotion site, then you need to configure MACH3 and enable that plugin. All of this is documented on the Kmotion site.

Russ

[plcamp]

What about Mach3 wanting to use parallel port and not USB? Will a smoothstepper or UCCNC be required?

[CNCMAN172]

No, if you want to run the parallel port you can use MACH3 and no smoothstepper or UCCNC is required. KFLOP and ESS are motion controllers they replace the parallel interface to MACH3 with a USB or Ethernet interface depending on the board you buy. Why do people buy these controllers? These motion controllers are what generate the step pulses to move the motors and since they use dedicated microcontrollers and DSPs they are very accurate and can achieve high speeds. The parallel port driver that runs under windows works pretty good and for most stepper machines can achieve speeds fast enough. The only draw back in the parallel port driver is it has to share processing power with Windows which is always doing something. Sometimes when it preempts another process this can cause interrupts if what is happening in Mach3. To be effective you really should run Mach3 with the parallel interface on an older desktop and stay clear of laptops. The motion controllers mentioned avoid this issue with laptops since they are doing the bulk of the processing power and use a high speed interface.

If you are building a basic machine you will find that the parallel interface with Mach3, LinuxCNC, and other packages will work just fine. If you have a machine with high resolution servo motors you will want to use a motion controller because they can have 2048 P/R and much higher. This provides very smooth moves and very fine control but takes away from the speed of the machine, because it takes many more pulses to turn one revolution. The motion controllers can achieve much higher pulse rates than the parallel port driver.

Russ

[plcamp]

No, if you want to run the parallel port you can use MACH3 and no smoothstepper or UCCNC is required. KFLOP and ESS are motion controllers they replace the parallel interface to MACH3 with a USB or Ethernet interface depending on the board you buy. Why do people buy these controllers? These motion controllers are what generate the step pulses to move the motors and since they use dedicated microcontrollers and DSPs they are very accurate and can achieve high speeds. The parallel port driver that runs under windows works pretty good and for most stepper machines can achieve speeds fast enough. The only draw back in the parallel port driver is it has to share processing power with Windows which is always doing something. Sometimes when it preempts another process this can cause interrupts if what is happening in Mach3. To be effective you really should run Mach3 with the parallel interface on an older desktop and stay clear of laptops. The motion controllers mentioned avoid this issue with laptops since they are doing the bulk of the processing power and use a high speed interface.

If you are building a basic machine you will find that the parallel interface with Mach3, LinuxCNC, and other packages will work just fine. If you have a machine with high resolution servo motors you will want to use a motion controller because they can have 2048 P/R and much higher. This provides very smooth moves and very fine control but takes away from the speed of the machine, because it takes many more pulses to turn one revolution. The motion controllers can achieve much higher pulse rates than the parallel port driver.

Russ

Thanks Russ for the info.....

[vra]

Vra,

If you want to run KFLOP with MACH3 you must first install the PLUGIN that is how Mach3 knows how to talk to the KFLOP. You can download it on the Kmotion site, then you need to configure MACH3 and enable that plugin. All of this is documented on the Kmotion site.

Russ

Ty

My problem was explained here:

"When using the KMotion Plugin, Pin Numbers now correspond to KMotion IO Bit Numbers rather than Parallel port Pins. Some of the terminology on the screen may be misleading as it was designed expecting to use a PC Parallel Port. For IO bit numbers less than 128 specify Port#1 and use the IO Bit number as the Pin. For IO bit numbers 128 or larger, subtract 128 from the bit number and specify Port #2 instead of Port #1. Extended Virtual IO bits 1024-1151 may also be accessed by specifying Port #3 and subtracting 1024 from the bit number (note: the first 32 Virtual IO will consume less USB bandwidth because they are uploaded in the KFLOP Bulk Status record so use the first 32 if possible)."

What i didn't understand what i should write in the Pins. After a while i tried to check the Digital I/O tab and i checked the Bit 36 Com, and wrote 0x24 as Pin for PORT1.

[CNCMAN172]

Ty,
I have that same exact problem when I first got the KFLOP and Tom got me back on track. Some of the examples in the documentation will lead you down the wrong path, it was just coincident. You also have to keep channels in mind, once you get this straight the KFLOP works great.

Russ