Mach 3 ports and pins problems,

[JAZZCNC]

Chris let take a step or two back to get this working. Then start putting things back into play.

Lets get you moving first.

The reason you only need to set enable in Motor outputs and nothing else is because the Controller software takes over the dutys of dealing with Axis setup from Mach3.
The Controller software by default use's Channel 0 =X 1=Y etc and each Channel has dedicated Pins on the Terminal strip.
So the Ports n Pins settings Don't matter because Mach3 has nothing to do with this anymore. Just set all to (0)

Now Input's and Outputs are jointly handled between Controller and Mach3 so mach does need to know the port# and Pin#'s so it knows where to look or respond too.

So to get you moving just remove the Enable wires from drives. Provided you haven't change the default drive setting this will enable the drives.
Also remove the Fault Signals. These won't be the problem unless the drives are flashing a fault but lets just with start basic setup to get movement.

So now if you have the Axis Enabled in Motor outputs and the Motor Signal wires going to correct Pins you will have movement.

Try this and let me know.

[Chaz]

Chris let take a step or two back to get this working. Then start putting things back into play.

Lets get you moving first.

The reason you only need to set enable in Motor outputs and nothing else is because the Controller software takes over the dutys of dealing with Axis setup from Mach3.
The Controller software by default use's Channel 0 =X 1=Y etc and each Channel has dedicated Pins on the Terminal strip.
So the Ports n Pins settings Don't matter because Mach3 has nothing to do with this anymore. Just set all to (0)

Now Input's and Outputs are jointly handled between Controller and Mach3 so mach does need to know the port# and Pin#'s so it knows where to look or respond too.

So to get you moving just remove the Enable wires from drives. Provided you haven't change the default drive setting this will enable the drives.
Also remove the Fault Signals. These won't be the problem unless the drives are flashing a fault but lets just with start basic setup to get movement.

So now if you have the Axis Enabled in Motor outputs and the Motor Signal wires going to correct Pins you will have movement.

Try this and let me know.

I had similar problems to get my new servos to work.

Ensure that there is both an 'enable' command sent as well as a 'fault clear'. Both are required to allow the drive state to be healthy before it will accept any commands. This also assumes no limit switches are hit etc.

[JAZZCNC]

I had similar problems to get my new servos to work.

Ensure that there is both an 'enable' command sent as well as a 'fault clear'. Both are required to allow the drive state to be healthy before it will accept any commands. This also assumes no limit switches are hit etc.

Doesn't apply in this case Chaz because he's using Stepper drives infact it gets in the way when it comes to diagnosing. By default the drives is enabled when not connected and the fault is just feedback to the control which just responds if it see's a fault and there shouldn't be fault in this case.

[chris w]

I am positive we will get to the other side of this problem and laugh about how simple it was, but we not there yet!
jazz I have put the drive back to the default settings with the dip switches and the rotary pot and disconnected the ENA and ALM terminals, I only connected these because I thought the motor wasn't moving as it needed a enable signal.(for info only)
and the axes are enabled on Mach and the pins are set to 0,
there is the green led on the drive, the red led is off and I have never had it on whilst buggering about,
so all I have connected is the 72vdc the 0v the A+,A-,pul+ and pul-
Going to the terminals on the csmio 1,2,14 and 15.
so I try to move with the Mach screen MPG, then the CS labs MPG and then the arrows on the keyboard and all three result in the DRO on Mach responding but no motor or mechanical movement.

if the phases are wired wrong would it still move but be ruff in movement or not move at all?
thanks guys,
chris w.

[chris w]

Its connected like this, obviously with power and motor connected,
cheers.

[JAZZCNC]

Ok well your connections are correct.

Now set the Rotary dial to "C" and set the micro stepping you want then do AutoConfig on the drive. Either using Software or Flicking SW4 2 times in 2 seconds.
You may hear the motors buzz and change tone, they squal at first and you'll hear a hiss. This is normal.

If you have enabled the axis in Motor Outputs and the drives connected to correct channel terminals there is no reason why you shouldn't move.

For testing I suggest you remove everything that isn't required just for movement. Except E-stop. That means MPG Module and any other Inputs or outputs. So limts, homes, spindle output etc.
I can't see why any of these would affect anything but for elimination purposes remove them and start with minimum.

When you have changed these things and if it still doesn't move then go to the Plug-in control and open Plug-in. In the DeBug window you'll see Hm Counters.
If these are changing while jogging then pulses are going out to the drives. This means the drives them selfs are not working.?

Now the chances you have 3 or 4 faulty drives is Nill and would suggest some other problem.? This could be the Enable inside the drive software is set to PNP meaning you'll need to supply current to enable the drive. This is the only thing I can see that would stop the drive working.
By default Enable uses NPN meaning you pull the ENA pin to Ground to disable the drive so it should be enabled if unconnected.

After this then I can't help without being infront of the machine.!!

If all else fails then Re-install Mach3 and Cslabs Plug-in.

[chris w]

Thanks for the input jazz, we are moving now on the x axis, I disconnected anything that's not needed then tested and no movement so opened debug window and the system state changed when jog pressed so I swapped drive for the a axis ( I only connected the x for trial purposes, damage limitation and all that) still no movement then took the motor off to check the holding torque and that was impressively good so all the signs that "system status" was good my next thing was to uninstall and reinstall Mach but as a last attempt I moved the step and dir wires to channel 2 terminals (z) and the x works fine and does exactly what you tell it to, so I moved wires to y Channel terminals and no response so I put them back to z channel and we run fine!!!
But now I don't want to connect the ALM and ENA signals back to the drive in case I buggered the 0 and 1 channel this way, as its a 4 axis machine I still have enough channels to run it properly I have altered the channel numbers to suit the correct axes and I am going to wire the step and dir signals tomorrow night and get everything else moving before starting on the home switches,
I don't know how the 2 channels are damaged have you any ideas what it takes to stop them working?
thanks,
chris w