Messages

1

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / M62P1/M63P1 on PMDX416

« on: November 28, 2019, 06:47:08 PM »

Does the PMDX416 support the M62Px/M62Px commands in Mach4? from what I gather these used to be M10Px and M11Px
I am trying to turn a laser on/off and understand this is a faster/better way to do it to not get the "bloom" at the start of a line.

found this old thread that used macros to enable an output with M10
https://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-Forums/index.php?topic=217.msg826#msg826
wouldnt running a macro be slower than just using M3/M5?

Im useing:
SmartBOB Plugin version: 0.53.263
SmartBOB firmware version: 0.60.208
SmartBOB bootloader version: 1.13.73

Thanx

2

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: PMDX: DEVICE ERROR 'SYSTEM ERROR(18): Packet timeout, communications lost'

« on: November 26, 2019, 08:10:02 PM »

well...nevermind...was good for awhile, but its back to its ole self again.
As soon as I enable MACH4, the PMDX looses communication.
For some reason this particular PC just wont work with this SmartBOB anymore.
Another identical Dell Series 3000 machine seems to work OK...I give up. Time to move on.

3

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: PMDX: DEVICE ERROR 'SYSTEM ERROR(18): Packet timeout, communications lost'

« on: November 26, 2019, 02:57:59 PM »

wanted to add my experience here for future searchers.
MINE WAS DUE TO A BAD POWER SUPPLY IN THE PC!!!!!!

Went thru three days of troubleshooting for this same thing. Except that my system was working fine last week, then all of a sudden started having this issue. Worse yet, I would get the error immediately when I hit the enable button (spindle still off of course). Well, maybe not "worse" since it wasn't ruining a huge job.
I turned off the power supply for the motors...same thing.
Disconnected all the connectors from the PMDX-416 to the stepper controllers...same.
Isolated all the grounds...same
Redid all the grounds in the control box to a star (which should have been done from the get go)...same
totally removed the PMDX-416 and plugged it into a different USB port with NOTHING else on...same (kind of indicated not random electrical noise??)

Tried my laptop, and all was good (yep...maybe it is a weird electrical noise thing...but why all of a sudden??)
hmmm...I have an exact duplicate Dell series 3000 machine in the "office"...lets try that...load up Mach4, PMDX driver...an voila...perfect!!
I swapped the power supplies from the office machine into the CNC controller and low and behold back in business!!!
And the office PC ain't complaining 'bout the "noisy" supply yet either...but I suspect its on its last legs.

Well, at least it forced me to blow out all the dust from inside the machines...sheesh what a mess.

4

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / Re: PMDX-424 vs PMDX-416

« on: December 20, 2016, 06:36:18 PM »

Thanx Steve.
Reading my post again and I sounded like quite a jerk on the "coming soon" thing...didn't mean it that way, sorry!!
I certainly appreciate someone who tests more before releasing, than sending it out and let the world debug for them.

Thanx again
Merry Christmas

5

SmartBOB controllers and dedicated accessories / PMDX-424 vs PMDX-416

« on: December 17, 2016, 02:54:31 PM »

Currently investigating going the Mach4 route with a new build (still working on a LinuxCNC with Mesa cards as well).
Is the 424 that much more popular than the 416 just because of the isolated USB and 4 additional inputs?

Also, when I see things like "in the future" or "coming soon" (in reference to threading with these two boards) in product descriptions I get a bit worried. there have been way too many products and software that have left many in the dust with open ended promises.
Since this is for a lathe application, that is an important detail.

Anyway, still in the early stages, and wanted to know what I give up, if anything, with the 416 vs the 424.