2010 screenset

[ger21]

ClearAllow is a fixed value, either 2mm for metric or .125 for inches, and it's only subtracted from another value, so there can't be a divide by 0 error. IT's used to prevent the machine from crashing into the home switch.

There are no errors in the macros.

How do you have your Safe Z setup? It should be in Machine coordinates, and should be a negative value.

[rbraeking]

I have it set on machine coordinates at -0.25. I check marked the "go to safe z on stop". This evening I will see if that works. Is there a way to see what numbers the macro is getting when it says GetDRO???. or GetOEM???. It may not be getting got for whatever reason. I may have to go thru it line by line to see what is happening.

[ger21]

Did you try my test with a very short wire on the probe input?

You could use a msgbox() command to list what the GetDRO() is getting. I seriously doubt that it's not getting the correct info, though. It's a fundamental command used in almost all Mach3 macros, by tens of thousands of people. I've never heard of any macro functions randomly not working.

[rbraeking]

I did try the short wire and it performed exactly as with the "coin" target. It is not working consistently not randomly. I've gone through the code and I don't see anything that should not be working. Frankly I am baffled. I am setting up another machine with a C62 card and Ethernet Smooth Stepper. (cnc4pc.com) If that works I am tempted to cut my losses with the XHC usb card and get the ESS/C62 setup. Hopefully, though, I will get your screenset working properly as every machine I sell will have it installed as the primary screenset.

[rbraeking]

The other machine definitely has issues with noise. There is a constant 2-3v on the frame of the machine. I have been looking for the source and have not found it, or rather, found out what to do about it. If I unplug the stepper motors from the drives the problem goes away. There is not much I can do about that short of electrically isolating all of the steppers from the frame. I have 12v available at the gantry (cooling radiators) so I am going to try and chop the signal with a resistor which should eliminate the problem. We will see on Monday.

[rbraeking]

I found the source of the 3v. The cross laser has the positive lead (3v) tied to the case. I remounted it in an insulated fixture and problem solved on the ESS/C62 machine.

[ger21]

So are you still having issues with the Chinese card?

[rbraeking]

Yes. I wrote a simple zero macro from the Chinese suggestion but am now trying to get your macros to work. How do I go about using the msgbox() command?

[ger21]

What do you want to put in it?


Msgbox ("String")
Msgbox (variable)

[rbraeking]

Now we are getting beyond my pay grade. My computer programmer brother will be here next weekend. I'll have him look at it. Could the fact that I am running it on Win7 be having an effect?

[ger21]

No.
I would say that if noise is not the issue, then the plugin for your device is not handling the probing correctly.

To the best of my knowledge, I'm not aware of anyone that couldn't get the macros to work for reasons other than plugin issues. And I believe that most if not all were able to resolve the issue with an updated plugin.

The only other thing I can suggest is to try a much older version of Mach3, like 3.042.040.

[rbraeking]

We're in the IT blame game now. The software engineer says it is a hardware problem. The hardware engineer says it is a software problem.

What can I tell China to do to the plugin to fix it? Is there a workaround?

Your macro M889m1s does not "Call SetDro(802, ??) until the very end of the macro. When it resets ZNew to Var(2002) I suspect that it is not finding Var(2002) or Var(2002) is not behaving like it should. 'read first touch point an 'read the touch point.

The Chinese macro that I modified to do double probe such as yours resets Dro (2, GageH) It sets GageH to the value of OEMDRO(1001) That may be the difference in that it is changing Dro(2) rather than Dro(802). The Mach3 macro programming reference calls oemdro 2 "pulse Freq."

I reinstalled a clean copy of your M889.m1s and tried it again. It probes once, retracts to near Z machine zero then drops down 0.
.125 and sets Zwork dro to .125. Where it raises to is inconsistent.

I am attaching the modified Chinese probe macro.

Bob

[ger21]

We're in the IT blame game now. The software engineer says it is a hardware problem. The hardware engineer says it is a software problem.

When there are thousands of people using my macros and other very similar ones (which you can find on this forum and others) without issues, for over 5 years, then yes, I'm going to blame the hardware (and it's software).
The macro's have proven to be 100% reliable for years now. Look through all the router build threads here, and you'll see the 2010 Screenset being used on a LOT of them.

You might want to look at this thread on the forum for the Mach Std Mill Screenset, where he stopped supporting almost all motion controllers because they often don't work with probing. Calypso CNC User Forums ? View topic - IMPORTANT: MSM supported Mach3 motion devices

I'll add a note to my website stating that the macros may not work with external motion controllers.

Your macro M889m1s does not "Call SetDro(802, ??) until the very end of the macro. When it resets ZNew to Var(2002) I suspect that it is not finding Var(2002) or Var(2002) is not behaving like it should. 'read first touch point an 'read the touch point.

The Chinese macro that I modified to do double probe such as yours resets Dro (2, GageH) It sets GageH to the value of OEMDRO(1001) That may be the difference in that it is changing Dro(2) rather than Dro(802). The Mach3 macro programming reference calls oemdro 2 "pulse Freq."

There's a difference between DRO's and OEM DRO's.
DRO's were used in older versions of Mach3, but were replaced by OEM DRO's in newer versions. However, DRO's will still work in newer versions of Mach3.

DRO(2) is exactly the same as OEMDRO(802). Both of these are the Z axis DRO. (which the comment in the macro you posted says)

The Gage Height DRO in the default screen set is UserDRO (1001)

What can I tell China to do to the plugin to fix it? Is there a workaround?

I don't have any idea how to write plugins, so I can't tell you. And afaik, there are no workarounds.

Var 2002 is the Z axis position when the probe is tripped, stored internally in Mach3. With a motion controller, it is probably set by the plugin. Perhaps the plugin for your device is not setting Var 2002?

Your chinese macro does not use Var(2002), so it is not as accurate. All it does is set the Z axis to the value entered in the Gage Block Height DRO. When the probe makes contact, there will be a small amount of overshoot which makes the chinese method incorrect. It's just setting The DRO to the plate thickness, without any consideration as to where the Z axis actually is when it sets it.

[ger21]

Also, the fact that it works on your Smoothstepper machine would also point to the chinese hardware.

[rbraeking]

I was being facetious. Obviously the Plugin is the problem. Your screenset serves me well on my smooth stepper machine. I will just have to program the "Auto Tool Zero" button on the 1024 screen and wait for China to rewrite their plugin. Having read the Calypso thread I guess I am limited in my choices for motion controllers if I want all the functionality that parallel had. Are there any other ethernet or usb cards that you are aware of other than the Warp9TD products that work?

[ger21]

I've never used any motion controllers, so I don't have any personal experience. But from the feedback and questions I get for the screenset, it would appear that most motion controllers do work. A few have needed to get updated plugins, but I think that most were able to.
Personally, I'd stay away from anything Chinese. Although I believe that the ones sold by Automation Technologies work.
THe UC100 and UC300 should work fine.
CS Labs products will work, but I think the macros need to be changed to use their M31 instead of G31.

[rbraeking]

I did buy this card from Automation Technologies. It has 16 inputs and 8 outputs, can control up to 6 axes, has PWM speed and spindle direction control. It is a neat little package all encased in an aluminum box. As I suspected would happen the Chinese engineers blamed the macro for why it was not working. I sent them a link to this thread. Hopefully they will resolve the issue and rewrite their Plugin. John referred me to them to resolve the issue. I think it is time for him to get involved.

Bob

[xhcchao]

I am having a different problem with 2010 screenset. It is not probing correctly. When I do a simple auto zero it touches the zero plate then retracts to machine z-zero and a warning pops up which reads: Warning: Z Clearance Plane is Above Z axis home switch....... and it does not zero properly. Z-zero is set 2" below the limit switch. Clearance plane is set at 1".

I am using an XHC Mach3 controller which has its own zero routine within its Plugin. Running Mach3 V R3.043.066

Bob

to open the macro file m881 to 884 etc. in the directory c:mach3\macro\2010\, and replace getvar(2002) with GetOEMDRO(802).then eveything will be ok!

[xhcchao]

to open the macro file m881 to 884 etc. in the directory c:mach3\macro\2010\, and replace getvar(2002) with GetOEMDRO(802).then eveything will be ok!because of the parameter is not operated by many plugins

[ger21]

to open the macro file m881 to 884 etc. in the directory c:mach3\macro\2010\, and replace getvar(2002) with GetOEMDRO(802).then eveything will be ok!because of the parameter is not operated by many plugins

From what I understand, this is not as accurate, and is a workaround for a poorly written plugin. Almost every auto zero macro I've ever seen uses GetVar(2002). It shouldn't be that hard for the plugin to write that value.

GetVar(2002) is the actual point that the tool touches the workpiece. GetOEMDRO (802) is what the Z axis DRO reads after the tool stops moving. I'll do some testing tonight to see how much difference there is between these two values. I've always been under the impression that they will not be the same, but I've never checked.