Problem- Odd Y axis problem with G540

[mhackney]

Well, I finally got my X2 mini mill CNC'd with the CNCFusion kit. Running Mach3 last week. I configured Mach and had the mill working flawlessly. I only made test runs with a pencil chucked in the mill but have drawn dozens of figures, text, etc all with no problems.

So, for my first actual cut, I wanted to cut the steel front panel on my electronics enclosure to fit the G540. I drew the shape in CamBam and generated the Gcode, transferred to Mach and test ran (with pencil). All was fine. Then when I was preparing to make the actual cut, I decided to do one more test and this time my Y axis did not move. The X axis moved fine. I started debugging. The Y works flawlessly when using the keyboard or jog panel jogs. When I enter Gcode in Mach's MDI panel (I think that's what the 2nd tab from the left is called) I can perform a G0 Y'n' moves 100% of the time. However, the G1 Y'n' moves are the ones that failed running my CamBam output and they also frequently fail running from the command line. The Mach display shows the movement but the motor does not run. I switched my X and Y motor leads and tested and again, it is the Y port on the G540 that intermittently does not respond to G1 Y commands.

I am left scratching my head. If it is an electronics problem with the Gecko, why does a G0 Y'n' always work and a G1 Y'n' sometimes not work? I do not know how these translate to control signals to the G540.

Any suggestions, ideas, or help GREATLY appreciated.

cheers,
Michael

[madtownrob]

switch Mach 3 to use Half Pulse sherline mode, save, exit mach, restart and hopefully that will takes care of it!

[mhackney]

Thanks for the suggestion. I stumbled across a couple of posts here with similar problems that suggested increasing the pulse width. I did that and have not run in to the problem again. The comments also suggested that this issue seemed to be tied to jog speed - which explains why I could do a G0 and not a G1 (the G1 was 1 ipm and G0 is something like 10).

I also notice that Gecko has a tech note on heatsinking or using a fan to keep the G540 cooler. Interestingly, I just turned up the heat in my shop today so some epoxy on a fishing rod I am building will cure faster. My G540 is just sitting on my wooden desk while I am getting things set up. I've almost got the electronics box completed. I will be putting a fan in to that.

cheers,
Michael

[Flashlightlens]

Originally Posted by madtownrob switch Mach 3 to use Half Pulse sherline mode, save, exit mach, restart and hopefully that will takes care of it!

This seems to have cleared up my y-axis woes also. Thanks for the easy fix!!

For anyone else looking for symptoms/solutions - My y-axis was stalling intermittently and sometimes consistently at certain parts of a program. At times, it stalled and never got going again without a reset of the DB-9 connector.

I'm not convinced it isn't somehow related to heat as well... The problem wouldn't manifest itself until things the G540 was toasty.

Now, to get moving on all those money making projects that have been idle in my head.....