Problem- MACH3 IS FRUSTRATING ME!

[TheNigerian]

Last weekend, I cut the attached job - designed in mm and post-processed into Mach3 from Rhinocam.

I set the clearance plane to 25mm and really had fun making the sample.

The customer liked it and asked for the complete set of signs.

Without making any adjustments to my pre-installed profile in Mach3 or to my code or any settings in rhinocam, Mach3 is now reading the 25mm value of the clearance plane as 25 inches and moves the router all the way to the limit of 5 inches on my KT2514's vertical axis.

Also, all the DROs now show readings in inches - even when the Settings tab indicate that the set units are in mm.

Does anyone know what I can do? I have already re-installed Mach3 to no avail.

Deep regards.

[ger21]

Does the gcode have a g20 in it? What are your native units set to?

[TheNigerian]

G21.

The native units are set to mm. I confirmed this in the Settings tab on Mach.

[zool]

Is it possible that your XML file got corrupted?

If you have a backup XML files, you might try replacing the one that MACH uses.

Did you review the entire g-code file to see if there is a g20 in there anyplace. [Lots of g-code gremlins afoot these days.]

Also, have any wires or cabling between the computer to controller board, or controller board and stepper become frayed worn? [This idea just popped into my head as I was writing, so I have no idea where it came from!!!]

[TheNigerian]

Thanks Zool

I re-posted the G code in inches and got the X-Y plane issues out of the way.

The issue with the Z-axis persists; Mach is crashing it into the limit of my vertical axis as it tries to move to 25" not 1" (= 25mm).

And this brings me to the genius point that popped into your head: I did in fact recently replace a broken G201 drive in my controller box with a G201X "drop in" replacement. And that drive controls the vertical axis!

I definitely got the wiring correct. And that axis worked according to plan for a while.

I will be asking Gecko some questions but welcome any solution suggestions.

[wildwestpat]

Check the 'Z' axis calibration - use - manual jog to move it 1/100 inch and see what happens. IMO the calibration of the 'Z' axis has been lost and you need to re calibrate - OR - the micro-stepping might be the problem. In either case a quick check of the movement and a recalibrate should clear the fault if the G201X has been installed so that it can read micro-stepping as I am not sure of the differences between G201 and G201X.

Regards - Pat

[TheNigerian]

Thanks bud.

I will try both approaches over the weekend and revert.

[zool]

Logically the following makes no sense:

"I re-posted the G code in inches [Did you mean mm?] and got the X-Y plane issues out of the way.

The issue with the Z-axis persists; Mach is crashing it into the limit of my vertical axis as it tries to move to 25" not 1" (= 25mm)."

If the g-code works in the X-Y plane, then it has to work on the Z-axis, unless:

1. There is something in the g-code that is changing the type of [mm vs. inches] of step [assuming the correct direction].

OR

2. The controller box is defective, assuming it is wired properly and it is the correct type of controller box.

However, this statement: "I definitely got the wiring correct. And that axis worked according to plan for a while." would lead one to the conclusion that it is a defect in the controller box, again assuming that the wiring is correct and it is the correct type of controller box. [I know nothing about Gecko drives.]

[TheNigerian]

Zool, everyone, I thank you.

I pooled all the suggestions as well as others from other posts, took a week away from my day job and got a solution.

First, I abandoned the custom profile that came with my machine and created another for myself from scratch. Ensuring that the origin is in the SW corner and that all three axes move away from me as they are incremented.

Second, after tuning the motors, I still went to the settings tab and let Mach3 recaliberate each axis; and this is where the issue with the Z-axis showed itself. The steps per mm for the X and Y-axes is 400 - they use the Gecko G201 drives that came with the control box. With this setting, I get a perfect match between my model's dimensions and the axes' movements.

After Mach3 had determined that I need a step per mm of 800 for the Z axis, I exitted and restarted Mach3. Immediately I got an error message to the effect that the Z axis was tuned too fast for my computers kernel speed of 25,000Hz. Ditto for 35000Hz. The effect of reducing the steps per mm to 400 is that the model length and Z axis movement are in a ratio of 1:2.To move 5mm in the Z axis, I set the distance as 10mm in the g code.

The Z axis is based on the Gecko G201X drive - reportedly a "drop-in" replacement for the G201 drive. I am using steppers.

I will be asking Gecko a few questions and letting you know what suggestions they offer.

With this Mach3 profile, I have completed the job and another since my last post.

[ger21]

After Mach3 had determined that I need a step per mm of 800 for the Z axis, I exitted and restarted Mach3. Immediately I got an error message to the effect that the Z axis was tuned too fast for my computers kernel speed of 25,000Hz. Ditto for 35000Hz. The effect of reducing the steps per mm to 400 is that the model length and Z axis movement are in a ratio of 1:2.To move 5mm in the Z axis, I set the distance as 10mm in the g code.

Don't change the steps/mm. You need to re adjust the velocity and acceleration. that's what that error means. Set it back to 800.

[wildwestpat]

Use the set up procedure which is very well written up in both the Getting Started and the Full Manual for the Mach3 software and is available for down load from the ArtSoft website. You should not be adjusting the G code.

The Mach3 set up process takes you through the setting of speed and acceleration as well as axis calibration.

As a rule of thumb start with low values of speed and acceleration if you do not have a base either from calculation or from a working model to start from. Increase speed / acceleration until the motor loses steps and then reduce to a working maximum.

Changing the drive electronics or the motor may have changed the conditions enough to induce stalling but this will show as reduced travel i.e. demand 300 mm but loose steps so that running the axis back to the start overshoots the home position or hits the end stop early. I am assuming a single axis slot is being cut.

Good luck - Regards - Pat

[TheNigerian]

Guys, you spoil me!

Thank you!

I will action these suggestions this weekend; I resumed at my day job on Monday and am clearing my desk.

Thank you very much indeed.