Re: Still losing steps in M5 or Mach1

The system you describe sounds to be an older system, Mach1 is for XP
so I don't know how it runs on your system.
Try running OCXDrivertest in the mach1 folder you should be able to
tell you if your system has the power to run Mach1.
As for hardware the older systems didn't come with an ECP or EPP
printer port so you probally won't get good performance from it but
you can purchase a low cost addon board in pci slot.
--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "kaynrc" <tom.kay@n...>
wrote:

> Hello all:
>
> I still seem to have rough motor running when simulating in 2D, a
> circle being cut using the x and y motors.
>
> They are new steppers, and 5 amp boards from Camtronics. I have
> gotten to the point where a "simulated" square works well. Motors

run

> smoothly with little or no step loss. But that's different, in

that

> one motor fully stops working, then another starts, with there

never

> being 2 motors on at the same time. It seems to run well like that.
>
> But when I load in a circle, the motors will go through the

motions,

> but run roughly. Sometimes even lock up and just squeal, not turn,
> even though the program runs through on Mach1. I seem to have

better

> and somewhat smoother operation on Master5 then Mach1, which leads

me

> to think I still have to learn how to tweak Mach1 better.
>
> But why am I still not able to run a smooth circle in a bench

test? I

> have tried every combo of motor speed, pulses per inch (although

I'd

> like to keep that set at 2000, which represents my future setup)

and

> acceleration that I can think of, with varied results, but never
> smooth.
>
> I have made my own shielded parallel cable with twisted shielded
> pairs, and connected all of the shields to the computer casing at

one

> end only.
>
> How important is it to shield the short low-power wires from the
> junction board to each driver?
> How important is it to plug the logic 5VDC supply into a different
> wall outlet then the 35VDC motor supply, thus avoiding a ground

loop?

> I tried that, with no obvious improvement.
>
> I keep saying this, but progress IS being made. Single motions now
> seem quite smooth, even if a fews steps are lost here and there. I

am

> hoping that once I hook the motors up to a mill table, the added

drag

> will help filter out the last remaining step loss.
>
> Thanks for all help.
>
> Tom Kay.