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  #91  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 00:56
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Finally, After 2 weeks of hair pulling troubleshooting chore.... while rewiring the control panel, I realized I had my motor pin assigned wrongly, DIR for STEP & vice verse...

All along this time, I knew the problem is gonna be so glaring & right on my face.... Also a simple one to solve... That is IF I can find what was wrong...

All are not lost, something good did came out of my personal blunder, I now know how to monitor parallel port signal, & sending test signal from Mach3 to the BOB... etc etc etc...
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  #92  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 01:18
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Quote:
Originally Posted by KenC View Post
. . . . I swap around the Motor pin designation, disregard of what pin number I plug in, including mixing up STEP & DIR of all motors, the result is the same. . . .
It gets confusing, doesn't it!!
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  #93  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 01:59
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
It get's to the point when you swap swapped wires and chaise your tail
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  #94  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 02:02
aniljangra
Just call me: Anil #44
 
Delhi
India
Send a message via Skype™ to aniljangra
Quote:
Originally Posted by danilom View Post
It get's to the point when you swap swapped wires and chaise your tail
Hmm, Like you swap wires and also swap signals in mach as well
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  #95  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 02:18
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Respect Murphy!

Thousand thanks to Anil & Danilo for walking me through all the testing.

Anil even sent me his new drivers.

Last edited by KenC; Wed 17 October 2012 at 02:34..
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  #96  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 03:53
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
LOL Ken, Anil was like calling me and was like hitting head on a invisible wall !

finally you figured it out!

Let us know how these work.

Regards
Irfan
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  #97  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 04:14
Surfcnc
Just call me: Ross #74
 
Queensland
Australia
Ken most problems are simple ... once solved
Before solving though they tend to be significantly more complex and wide ranging.
Well done and a gold star for persistence.

Regards
Ross
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  #98  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 04:27
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
...and the persistence of the MM forum prevails again.
Glad to see your up and running Ken!
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  #99  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 05:27
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Surely eye candy is an absolute must

Anil's new & improved BOB & Drivers
New Drivers & BOB.jpg

The cover mount is much improve. & the jumper selector is more reliable than the earlier finger switch.
Tiny Driver closeup 1.jpg

Another view
Tiny Driver closeup 2.jpg

Fresly renovated Control panel looks like this now, Only the motor drivers are connected to BOB.
New Control Panel arrangement 1.jpg

I got paranoid with heat, hence remove the drivers's casing & mount it directly on the external Heat Sink
New Control Panel arrangement 2.jpg

This is how it look from outside.
New control panel layout with External Heat sink.jpg

My IR thermometer says the heat sink is 34C, the panel is 36C, the driver boards are around 40C, the transformer remains 50C.
I'm comfortable with these figures

Funny thing is the fans are 65C...

Last edited by KenC; Wed 17 October 2012 at 05:38..
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  #100  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 05:45
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
Ah Ken,

why remove the drive case - I run my tiny's @ 60V DC and at 5 A all the time with no ventilation and mounted on the steel (painted) surface directly ( with heat sink compound) ( I know its not the best way to do it!)- never bothered about them ever!

work horses every day!
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  #101  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 06:16
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Hi Irfan, The spec sheet did mention that it can work with 65C,

The official reason in doing so are, 1) so near the Equator with 32~40C ambient temperature, 2) paranoid... 3)... free up more real estate... 4) what ever...

The unofficial (real) reasons are, it looks too cool to resist & because I can...
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  #102  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 08:03
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
Ken - from the pics looks like you removed the heatsinks - have you still used the insulated heat pads below the mosfets.?

the fets need to be isolated from eachother.
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  #103  
Old Wed 17 October 2012, 21:25
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Yes, I bought some isolation pads for the job & applied heat compound.
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  #104  
Old Sat 03 November 2012, 21:40
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
FINALLY!!!!!
SPARKS!!! THUNDER!!!

WOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!

Now I can sleep......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-s7J...ature=youtu.be
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  #105  
Old Sat 03 November 2012, 23:26
rischoof
Just call me: Rik #92
 
Goirle
Netherlands
congratulations Ken,
It's a huge machine, I can remember the pile of steel in the corner from your workshop. be careful with all those sparks.
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  #106  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 01:20
Surfcnc
Just call me: Ross #74
 
Queensland
Australia
Well done Ken - the video was great to watch.

Regards
Ross
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  #107  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 01:26
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
good work ken
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  #108  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 03:41
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
Send a message via Yahoo to Robert M Send a message via Skype™ to Robert M
Nicely done, félicitation
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  #109  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 04:20
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Ken,
Nicely done - I know the Sparks and fire feeling!
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  #110  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 12:26
Castone
Just call me: Leo #41
 
Soddy Daisy , Tn
United States of America
Great job as always.
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  #111  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 13:47
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
Ken , try cutting a little lower. it seems you have dross on the upper edge :P

Its ok when the sparks fly parallel to the plane of sheet
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  #112  
Old Sun 04 November 2012, 22:17
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Thanks everyone. Its been a nerve wrecking journey, enjoyed it nevertheless.

Couldn't had completed the machine without Danilo#64 tireless guidance on Plasma operation, THC controller, Mach3 THC functions from & Antony#77 on the THC introduction & Anil on the BOB & Drivers trouble shooting.

Danilo, I suspected that too. Still learning the THC & the parameters...
I just inspected the nozzle & it is worn out only after less than 30 minutes of cutting... must be the result of all the wrong settings...

One thing I learnt about the recommended cutting parameters table which came with the operation manual... They are a big pile of crap!!!

The manual stated for 3mm MS plate, when using 60Amp, the feed should be 5060mm/min, cut height 3.8mm & piercing height 4.1mm but after some fiddling, the actual feed speed should be 2200~2400mm/min & cut height is about 2mm... TOTALLY OUT OF EXPECTATION!!!!
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  #113  
Old Mon 05 November 2012, 02:05
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Quote:
Originally Posted by KenC View Post
One thing I learnt about the recommended cutting parameters table which came with the operation manual... They are a big pile of crap!!!
I take back this comment, the recommandation is fairly accurate. The error is due to bad cutting height setting... My bad...
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  #114  
Old Mon 05 November 2012, 09:07
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
Ken... in three weeks you'll be cutting like a pro (me) hehe
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  #115  
Old Mon 05 November 2012, 11:19
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
Congrats !!! Nice Machine !!!

What torch are you using?

I love post 112 .... "I'd like to thank my ...." just like the awards shows and racing here in the states.
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  #116  
Old Mon 05 November 2012, 21:39
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia


Thank you thank you... I'll like to thank.... {applause} {Clap clap clap}

Jokes aside, I genuinely appreciate all the help

Mike, That is a Thermal Dynamics A80 Plasma power source with SL100 machine torch.
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  #117  
Old Wed 07 November 2012, 02:37
southernduckie
Just call me: Andrew (Duckie)
 
new south wales
Australia
Congratulations Ken

It looks as though your control cabinet is on the large size too don't be shy post up the size LOL looks like a great build, the way you felt sorting out your wiring is probably the same as I felt for most of my build
Hope it brings much happiness to your life.
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  #118  
Old Wed 07 November 2012, 03:01
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
I have to laugh at how the wheel turns......

When we built the first MechMate (maybe 8 years ago?) everyone tried to build the smallest control cabinet (and had the smallest cellphone). They shook their heads at our "big" control box (without air holes). Today there seems to be a competition for the biggest box (and the biggest cellphone)
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  #119  
Old Wed 07 November 2012, 04:19
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
LOL!!! BIG IS BEAUTIFUL!!!

My boxes are 400(W) x 500(H) x 200 deep. 40 liters each... one for the electronics & the other for the PC. Not as big as I wish... each panel cost about a ready-made PC box, the next size up is nearly double the price...

Tiny in comparison to Duckie‘s double panel 500x600x300 each...

Like I said in my 1st built, a penal this size is TINY in comparison to the actual MM’s actual foot print. What is the good in saving that 10~20 liter ?? & squeezing a PC mother-board in it??? My hand & fingers are just too big for such endeavor...

Gerald, I've seen people actually shouting into 10.4" iPad (as phone) against their favorite side cheek walking on the street.... I can tell they have problem holding it single handed....
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  #120  
Old Wed 07 November 2012, 06:03
Surfcnc
Just call me: Ross #74
 
Queensland
Australia
Is that what that box is..
Though it was a towel drier for Ken's new swimming pool .

Regards
Ross
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