Project Beaver

[JAZZCNC]

Clive is correct that you want toroidal transformer around 70Vdc but don't go buying one as they are expensive and often don't have the required current so need two.
We or I can talk you thru specing and building one easy enough. They are simple things to build and don't require degree in electronics.

Re: HOMES/LIMITS. The IP-M will happily work with either NPN or PNP. However if sharing Home and Limit each axis must be on it's own INPUT. This doesn't matter if one SW Traveling or one fixed at each end.
Whether to use traveling SW or FIxed is matter or preference. My preference is traveling because it's simpler requires less SW Less Wires with Less chance of interference from noise etc.

To add to your list is 24Vdc Contactor. This is for switching the Toroidal transformer on. Contactors handle the Inrush current much better than Relay.
You will however still need relay for Reset/E-stop Latching safety system. This relay will do several things one of which is turning on the 24Vdc Contactor.

You will also require Momentery Push button for the latching Reset system. Also suggest Green LED to show Control is Reset and drives ON.
Also 240V Mains ON/OFF Switch and again RED Led. Optional is EMI filter but for sake of £8-10 worth fitting one. Also put separate one on the VFD if using Spindle with VFD.

[Neale]

However if sharing Home and Limit each axis must be on it's own INPUT.

Dean - is this one of those "Everyone knows that..." kinds of things? I don't remember seeing mention of this in the IP/M manual (might have missed it) but it strikes me that there are a number of things about the IP/M that aren't really explained properly. I think what it comes down to is that a bunch of useful things are delegated by Mach3 via the plugin to the external controller, but it's never really explained just what is handed over. Like fine details related to master-slave homing, for instance. I'm grateful to know that this is the case or I might have gone down the wrong route, although as it happens I am using separate inputs per axis anyway. I'm also wondering about things like touchplate tool height operation - I know that the IP/M has its own dedicated macro, but does that also mean that it doesn't support things like Gerry's 2010 screenset touchplate functions?

[njhussey]

Dean - is this one of those "Everyone knows that..." kinds of things? I don't remember seeing mention of this in the IP/M manual (might have missed it) but it strikes me that there are a number of things about the IP/M that aren't really explained properly. I think what it comes down to is that a bunch of useful things are delegated by Mach3 via the plugin to the external controller, but it's never really explained just what is handed over. Like fine details related to master-slave homing, for instance. I'm grateful to know that this is the case or I might have gone down the wrong route, although as it happens I am using separate inputs per axis anyway. I'm also wondering about things like touchplate tool height operation - I know that the IP/M has its own dedicated macro, but does that also mean that it doesn't support things like Gerry's 2010 screenset touchplate functions?

I've an IP-M and use Gerry's 2010 screenset, it does support it however you have to be careful which version of Mach3 you use I believe. I'm using too new a version for the screenset to work properly, it throwsworks a wobbly after trying to change the tool and doesn't switch the spindle back on so will plough the tool into the work ruining the work and usually snapping the tool if you're not quick enough to hit e-stop. When the machine's not busy I'll roll back mu version of Mach to one that works.....

[JAZZCNC]

Don't now how well known Neil but your correct it's not documented in the manual and yes there are several of other useful additions which by the nature of External controllers have to be taken over by the Controllers plug-in.
This is true for other controllers like the ESS etc and most just take over the dutys but still do it way Mach3 does which is often less than ideal and lazyness on there part.

Cslabs on the other hand have opted to improve on some of these or correct things that Artsoft won't. Improvements Like Soft limits not allowing Jogging until machine is homed etc. Advanced Homing with Index to Pulse for Servos and Geometry correction when using slaved motors on higher end controller. Things like Backing off sw set amount etc.

There are other unknown features as well like being able to talk thru Modbus directly to the controller and by pass Mach3 which allows for much faster response times.
Now when you say it has it's own dedicated Macro's this is basicly what it's doing. It's replacing some of the I/O commands that are normally used and replacing with Modbus commands that talk directly to the controller so provide faster response. It's basicly cutting out the Middle man "Mach3" that other Motion controllers use or because programmers don't want to do them selfs due to being lazy or rubbish at it. ( Warp9(ESS) are prime examples of this Piss poor Plug-in lazyness)

It can still use the Old ways of doing things but it can also cause some issues. Gerry's screen set being one of them and glad you mentioned that because just reminded me got send Gerry some files and why I'll explain in minute. (Sorry Gerry I'll do it this weekend)

Now to be fair this isn't all down to Cslabs and some(most) of it is Artsoft fault for changing things to fix one fault but at same time breaking 3 other things. This is why it's not good idea to update Mach3 to latest Version if your not having any troubles. Anyone who knows mach3 knows if it's not broken leave well alone because updating can open can of worms.
You'll also find that they are running very Old versions of Mach3.

This is also true for Cslabs. If you contact Cslabs with problem they will tell you to use version 3.043.022. However this version had bug which would cause Mach3 to lockup when using M6 so don't know why they say that.?

The most stable version of Mach3 without doing anything is 3.042.040 and is what I run for long time before using Cslabs controllers.
When I started using them opted to use the latest plug-in at the time which think was 3.043.056 or something and had no issues until I installed Gerry's screen set.
This version didn't like the Probe macros and would throw up Epid faults which basicly means Mach3 is doing something that Cslabs controller doesn't like and considers dangerous. The message it's self is about usefull has fart in space suit but that's what it means.

Anyway to cut long story short I contacted Cslabs and to be honest they weren't overly helpful on this occasion which is unusual for them. But I put this down to fact that to them it was 3rd party screen set so didn't really want to get involved.!! . . . .Bastards I wasn't amused.

So I set about the problem my self and changed Gerry's macros so they worked with the controller. Took me weeks of trial and error and testing with just about every version of mach3 and found that 3.043.045 (which is actually3.043.046) was the most stable and worked with the changes.
Now to be honest I didn't finish fully testing and I don't actually use the Toolchange macros my self, infact don't even use the Simple Z height touch plate anymore.! So haven't given it much time but just recently user of Gerry's screen set had an issue which Gerry contacted me about because knew I'd worked on this.
So I'm going to pull the macros back out and give them good testing and when sure 100% ok if anyone wants them then contact me directly and I'll give them to you.
I won't post them in public on principle that Cslabs can get stuffed and why should make there life easier when wouldn't help me.!!

[1Jumper10]

Don't now how well known Neil but your correct it's not documented in the manual and yes there are several of other useful additions which by the nature of External controllers have to be taken over by the Controllers plug-in.
This is true for other controllers like the ESS etc and most just take over the dutys but still do it way Mach3 does which is often less than ideal and lazyness on there part.

Cslabs on the other hand have opted to improve on some of these or correct things that Artsoft won't. Improvements Like Soft limits not allowing Jogging until machine is homed etc. Advanced Homing with Index to Pulse for Servos and Geometry correction when using slaved motors on higher end controller. Things like Backing off sw set amount etc.

There are other unknown features as well like being able to talk thru Modbus directly to the controller and by pass Mach3 which allows for much faster response times.
Now when you say it has it's own dedicated Macro's this is basicly what it's doing. It's replacing some of the I/O commands that are normally used and replacing with Modbus commands that talk directly to the controller so provide faster response. It's basicly cutting out the Middle man "Mach3" that other Motion controllers use or because programmers don't want to do them selfs due to being lazy or rubbish at it. ( Warp9(ESS) are prime examples of this Piss poor Plug-in lazyness)

It can still use the Old ways of doing things but it can also cause some issues. Gerry's screen set being one of them and glad you mentioned that because just reminded me got send Gerry some files and why I'll explain in minute. (Sorry Gerry I'll do it this weekend)

Now to be fair this isn't all down to Cslabs and some(most) of it is Artsoft fault for changing things to fix one fault but at same time breaking 3 other things. This is why it's not good idea to update Mach3 to latest Version if your not having any troubles. Anyone who knows mach3 knows if it's not broken leave well alone because updating can open can of worms.
You'll also find that they are running very Old versions of Mach3.

This is also true for Cslabs. If you contact Cslabs with problem they will tell you to use version 3.043.022. However this version had bug which would cause Mach3 to lockup when using M6 so don't know why they say that.?

The most stable version of Mach3 without doing anything is 3.042.040 and is what I run for long time before using Cslabs controllers.
When I started using them opted to use the latest plug-in at the time which think was 3.043.056 or something and had no issues until I installed Gerry's screen set.
This version didn't like the Probe macros and would throw up Epid faults which basicly means Mach3 is doing something that Cslabs controller doesn't like and considers dangerous. The message it's self is about usefull has fart in space suit but that's what it means.

Anyway to cut long story short I contacted Cslabs and to be honest they weren't overly helpful on this occasion which is unusual for them. But I put this down to fact that to them it was 3rd party screen set so didn't really want to get involved.!! . . . .Bastards I wasn't amused.

So I set about the problem my self and changed Gerry's macros so they worked with the controller. Took me weeks of trial and error and testing with just about every version of mach3 and found that 3.043.045 (which is actually3.043.046) was the most stable and worked with the changes.
Now to be honest I didn't finish fully testing and I don't actually use the Toolchange macros my self, infact don't even use the Simple Z height touch plate anymore.! So haven't given it much time but just recently user of Gerry's screen set had an issue which Gerry contacted me about because knew I'd worked on this.
So I'm going to pull the macros back out and give them good testing and when sure 100% ok if anyone wants them then contact me directly and I'll give them to you.
I won't post them in public on principle that Cslabs can get stuffed and why should make there life easier when wouldn't help me.!!

Sounds like like lots of difficulty trying to get a reliable version of MACH 3 or MACH 4 to work. I have never used either so all I really know is what many, many builders have posted about each of them and what I have read online. Both of the machines that I have built used UCCNC from cncDrive. Version 1 did seem a little buggy but that could have been my inexperience. The latest version seems nicely refined and is working quite well. Its fairly inexpensive, less than MACH 3 or 4 I believe. And I think it would be worth a look. Just my opinion...

OMLCNC - nice to see you making progress. I like your design and I have been watching this thread for awhile.

[OMLCNC]

Some pictures of the frame welded up over Christmas and the aluminium cut parts have arrived.
The movable bed is heavy 5mm thickness 50 x 50mm box section and modifications had to be made around the brackets and the angle bracing as they got in the way of bolts.
I don’t expect I will be using the movable bed which will become a fixed bed, but if I did and built a Mk2 machine I would change the design and have a wind-up bed with threaded
bar each end connected with a toothed belt low down and a crank handle to move the bed up and down with clamps to lock in position. (I expect some one has already done this
and connected a motor to it as well)
I've added some small angle to the bottom rail, this will be to support two pieces of MDF for a base to the machine for storage and vacuum pump, water & pump and probably general junk