I just tested the new plugin with my spindle and it works OK. It starts/stops with f5 and sets the VFD DRO to match the spindle speed on the Mach 3 screen (8000 RPM).

I did notice a few things:

1) Can't get the on-screen RPM to reflect the VFD DRO - I know there must be an ID# to assign for this, but I can't seem to get it to work.
2) Spindle speed seems to max out at 8000 - can't go above this.
3) Setting 4000 RPM seems to make the system enter E-stop - could be too slow for the VFD/Spindle
4) Mach3 is not waiting for the spindle to spin up - is this a function of getting RPM feedback? ie Mach 3 will wait on the G-Code line till the RPM feedback reaches the desired setting.

I'm pretty sure none of this is a problem with the plugin - but a p.e.b.k.a.c. error ;-)

Great work!

Steve

well, let diagnose those problems:

First of all, some points to check:

a) What is your version of Mach3? (to check for the RPM dro update)

b) when you go into the config Panel and press the Ok button, is the information message showing the good speed (for example 3000rpm@50hz)? If not, change the rated speed into your VFD (PD144 i think)

c) Are your using the pulley option. If yes, pay attention that when you modify your pulleys configuration, you have to restart Mach3, because the plugin read the pulley configuration only at startup.

Now some answer to your questions:

1) the plugin should write directly to the #39 dro which is a system dro. But these feature is not available on all Mach3 version. That's why I would like to know your Mach3version.

2) My first idea is that pulley system is checked and your pulley config is limited to 8000rpm. Another idea is that your VFD is configured to limit to 8000rpm.

3) Is your VFD configured to run at 4000rpm?. If not then the spindle does not run, so the plugin detects that the rpm is 0 instead of 4000...conider this as a problem..so it raises an E-stop.

4) the plugin send the command to the VFD, but next, the VFD follows the configured ramp..The plugin just check the spindle turn.. Well we could imagine an option where we wait the spindle to be at required speed before continue.

 I think the good strategy is to solve this first two points, then we will tackle point 3 and 4.


Concerning  p.e.b.k.a.c..
If the end user is between keyboard and screen, we must not forget that the developper himself is between keyboard and screen :-)..

Seb

Thanks for the reply - when I get home tonight I will test and post an update.

Version of Mach3 - 3.043.022
Speed is 1440 @ 50Hz - which I think is correct, when I ask for 8000 I get 7999 on the VFD
Pulley? No - I have the "standard" spindle (featureless silver cylinder)

 

I think I have the answer.

Well, those silver cylinder spindle are desiigned to run à 3000rpm@50hz..(check the manual if you have one)

matty zee plugin was using this ratio (3000@50hz), ommitting the VFD configuration (PD144)

the factory parameter in the the VFD is 1440, but it does not correspond to your spindle (ensure that)

so, i think you should set the pd144 parameter to 3000 instead 1440.

Start Mach3, go to the plugin panel and check the information message you have 3000@50hz..

And everything should be working.

But, before that be sure that your spindle (i'm pretty sure but it's a good behaviour to check  this) have a rated speed of 3000rpm@50hz

Waiting for news..

Thanks for the speedy response.

Just sent an email to the person I bought from - there is no plate on the spindle itself and my manual is just for the VFD.

(Changing the Pulley #4 max speed, and enabling pulley control in the plugin did seem to get me beyond the 8000 RPM barrier in Mach3 - but not entirely sure if this is the correct thing to do).

One problem I just noticed is that the VFD stays in FORWARD direction mode while under remote control, which is unfortunate as my bits all need to turn in  REVERSE mode to cut. Is there an option for this via the plugin, or do I have my spindle wiring reversed?

Well it's a bug because it should be able to run reverse.

I must admit that on my side, as this feature was useless, i didn't test this. But I will do it ASAP.

I think that at the time your spindle is going faster than displayed value..

Well a bit of theory.

the plugin can only send frequency order to the VFD. For example , the plugin is going to tell the VFD to run at 76hz.
And how does the plugin get the frequency?....well it uses the famous PD144 parameter (depending on your motor)

if you tell the VFD that your motor run at 1440rpm@50hz, then the plugin is going to use this information to compute the order to send to the VFD...

well now in Mach3,you enter  8000 rpm.

The plugin computes the required frequncy: 8000/1440 * 50 = 278hz....so tells the VFD to run at 277,7hz...

the speed you see in Mach3 is the speed extracted from the VFD...but in reality, the VFD does the same as the plugin...it takes the frequency order and convert it to RPM thanks to the pd144 parameter. and something like 7997 is updated in mach3. (277,7*1440/50=7997...)

But do these values the reflect of reality? (most important thing!)

Well, now imagine that your spindle is in reality 3000rpm@50hz...we keep your current VFD configuration.

so when we want the spindle to run at 8000 rpm, well in reality it's running at 277,7*3000/50=16662! nearly twice!

That's why the pd144 parameter is very important in my plugin...

if you set Pd144 to 3000, we will notice that, for the same speed (8000) the spindle sounds to run lower...and i think this is the good parameter.

And finally, for the limitation, even if you do not check the pulley option, pulleys are always defined in mach3.

This kind of spindle can run from 3000rpm (50hz) to 24000rpm(400hz)...so you need to configure your mach3 pulley properly.

Hoping I have been clear.

Yes I understand what you are saying (I think ;-))

My gut feeling is that communication is not happening both ways - the spindle values are being read initially, but during a run nothing is coming back from the spindle.

BTW- I tried sending M03 and M04 commands but the spindle just runs forwards.

I didn't know there was a Gcode to make the spindle run CW or CCW...(shame on me!)
So with this information, it's going to be easy to test. I think i'll be able to fix it during the week-end..

Thanks for looking into that.

I'm going to build a tachometer over the weekend and do some measurements of the spindle speed.