--- In DynoMotion@yahoogroups.com, Tom Kerekes <tk@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Shawn,
>  
> Basically all real-time activities (Step Generation, Homing, Limits, etc..) are handled by KFLOP and are configured within KFLOP.  It is best to get everything working in KMotion.exe/KFLOP before even trying to run Mach3 or KMotionCNC.
>  
> Regarding:
>  
> #1 - Yes HomeMach3 is just an empty shell to verify Mach3 is properly sending messages.   If Home input switches are configured within Mach3 then it doesn't send Home messages to the Plugin for some reason.  Remove/disable those and see if you get the messages.
>  
> #2 - The KFLOP inputs are LVTTL 3.3V inputs which are diode clamped to the 3.3V rail.  The protection diodes prevent the input from going above ~ 3.9V.  Some of the inputs are designated +5V  tolerant and have a series resistor to prevent damage if switched to +5V.  But this should be avoided if possible.  Most +5V TTL outputs are only required to go above 2.8V and rarely drive above 3.9V.  So hard switching the inputs directly to +5V should be avoided if possible.  It would be better to use the 1Kohm as a pull up and use the switch to drive the signal low.  The polarity of the signal can be set in software to be either active high or low so that doesn't matter.
>  
> Noise is often a problem on home and limit inputs.  KFLOP inputs are very fast (sub-microsecond) and KFLOP monitors them thousands of times per second so tiny noise pulses picked up from long cables can be a problem.  The best solution is usually to add a 0.1uF ceramic capacitor between the signal and ground near KFLOP.  Shielded cables with the shield connected to KFLOP DC ground may also help.
>  
> #3 - See #2 you are probably picking up noise as in #2.  It is unlikely to see noise on the PC screens as the update rate is very slow.
>    
> #4 - yes configure limits on the KMotion.exe Config/Flash screen.  We don't currently support soft-limits.  They can be implemented with a KFLOP user program if necessary.  See the SoftLimits3Axis.c example.
>  
> HTH
> TK
>  
>  
>  
>
> From: soyuzpilot <shawn@...>
> To: DynoMotion@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 6:12 PM
> Subject: [DynoMotion] Homing and Mach3 limits
>
>
>  
> I'm trying to configure homing switches and soft limits in Mach3 with my KFLop board and while I've found bits and pieces of information I can't find a definitive post that describes how the KFlop interacts with Mach3 in this regard. Here is what I've tried and the results I'm getting:
>
> 1) I've configured the "Home Program" in the Mach3 Plugin config to be HomeMach3.c which appears to just be an empty shell. It contains a printf statement at the beginning that is supposed to display the parameters that were passed however when I press "Ref All Home" in Mach3 I don't ever see that printed to the console. So I'm not sure if I'm missing something there or not.
>
> 2) I've configured I/O bit 3 (JP7, pin 10) to the board's 5V supply via an NC switch to drive it high. When the switch is opened a 1K pull down resistor connected to the board's digital ground drives it low. I've configured port 1, pin3 as the Home switch in Mach3 with Low as Active and can watch the bit being toggled in the Mach3 diagnostics screen.
>
> 3) I've configured the axis with positive limit monitoring, stop when low, bit 3, and do not allow motor to drive into switch. When I jog the axis in the negative motion (away from the switch) everything is fine. When I jog in the positive motion (towards the switch) it frequently stops and Mach3 goes into reset mode with the alert message that the Y axis as been disabled. When I reset it will behave the same way again (unrestricted negative movement, random stops with positive movement.) The diagnostics panel does not show the bit blinking low at all during this. Sometimes I can move it an inch or more, sometimes only a few thousandths before it resets again. I have tried exchanging the 1K pulldown resistor for a 3.3k resistor to no effect. I don't know if the problem is the TTL is unstable or something else. If it is likely the TTL, would driving it high with a pull-up and then using the switches to sink to ground be a better solution? My knowledge of
> TTL circuit design is extremely limited so I really don't know what is standard practice, I'm sort of making it up as I go along.
>
> 4) I have tried configuring my Mach3 softlimits but it does not seem to be enabled, despite the green icon on the main screen showing softlimits enabled. Choosing table view does not show a red table extents rectangle. Do these soft limits only work once I have successfully configured the KFlop's homing program? Does the KFLOP have it's own soft limits that I should configure?
>
> My end goal is to have the NC switches in series connected to a single bit on the KFLOP to act as homing for all 3 axis and then use soft limits to keep the table within the extents. However I simply am not clear which tasks I should be looking to configure directly on the KFLOP and which tasks Mach3 will handle. Nor which aspects of Mach3 the KFLOP plugin has rendered moot or silently altered. This seems like such a basic and common task, I am at a loss as to why I've had such difficulty finding specific information on how to make it work. Can someone please clue me in or point me in a direction where I might obtain one?
>

--- In DynoMotion@yahoogroups.com, Tom Kerekes <tk@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Shawn,
>  
> Basically all real-time activities (Step Generation, Homing, Limits, etc..) are handled by KFLOP and are configured within KFLOP.  It is best to get everything working in KMotion.exe/KFLOP before even trying to run Mach3 or KMotionCNC.
>  
> Regarding:
>  
> #1 - Yes HomeMach3 is just an empty shell to verify Mach3 is properly sending messages.   If Home input switches are configured within Mach3 then it doesn't send Home messages to the Plugin for some reason.  Remove/disable those and see if you get the messages.
>  
> #2 - The KFLOP inputs are LVTTL 3.3V inputs which are diode clamped to the 3.3V rail.  The protection diodes prevent the input from going above ~ 3.9V.  Some of the inputs are designated +5V  tolerant and have a series resistor to prevent damage if switched to +5V.  But this should be avoided if possible.  Most +5V TTL outputs are only required to go above 2.8V and rarely drive above 3.9V.  So hard switching the inputs directly to +5V should be avoided if possible.  It would be better to use the 1Kohm as a pull up and use the switch to drive the signal low.  The polarity of the signal can be set in software to be either active high or low so that doesn't matter.
>  
> Noise is often a problem on home and limit inputs.  KFLOP inputs are very fast (sub-microsecond) and KFLOP monitors them thousands of times per second so tiny noise pulses picked up from long cables can be a problem.  The best solution is usually to add a 0.1uF ceramic capacitor between the signal and ground near KFLOP.  Shielded cables with the shield connected to KFLOP DC ground may also help.
>  
> #3 - See #2 you are probably picking up noise as in #2.  It is unlikely to see noise on the PC screens as the update rate is very slow.
>    
> #4 - yes configure limits on the KMotion.exe Config/Flash screen.  We don't currently support soft-limits.  They can be implemented with a KFLOP user program if necessary.  See the SoftLimits3Axis.c example.
>  
> HTH
> TK
>  
>  
>  
>
> From: soyuzpilot <shawn@...>
> To: DynoMotion@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 6:12 PM
> Subject: [DynoMotion] Homing and Mach3 limits
>
>
>  
> I'm trying to configure homing switches and soft limits in Mach3 with my KFLop board and while I've found bits and pieces of information I can't find a definitive post that describes how the KFlop interacts with Mach3 in this regard. Here is what I've tried and the results I'm getting:
>
> 1) I've configured the "Home Program" in the Mach3 Plugin config to be HomeMach3.c which appears to just be an empty shell. It contains a printf statement at the beginning that is supposed to display the parameters that were passed however when I press "Ref All Home" in Mach3 I don't ever see that printed to the console. So I'm not sure if I'm missing something there or not.
>
> 2) I've configured I/O bit 3 (JP7, pin 10) to the board's 5V supply via an NC switch to drive it high. When the switch is opened a 1K pull down resistor connected to the board's digital ground drives it low. I've configured port 1, pin3 as the Home switch in Mach3 with Low as Active and can watch the bit being toggled in the Mach3 diagnostics screen.
>
> 3) I've configured the axis with positive limit monitoring, stop when low, bit 3, and do not allow motor to drive into switch. When I jog the axis in the negative motion (away from the switch) everything is fine. When I jog in the positive motion (towards the switch) it frequently stops and Mach3 goes into reset mode with the alert message that the Y axis as been disabled. When I reset it will behave the same way again (unrestricted negative movement, random stops with positive movement.) The diagnostics panel does not show the bit blinking low at all during this. Sometimes I can move it an inch or more, sometimes only a few thousandths before it resets again. I have tried exchanging the 1K pulldown resistor for a 3.3k resistor to no effect. I don't know if the problem is the TTL is unstable or something else. If it is likely the TTL, would driving it high with a pull-up and then using the switches to sink to ground be a better solution? My knowledge of
> TTL circuit design is extremely limited so I really don't know what is standard practice, I'm sort of making it up as I go along.
>
> 4) I have tried configuring my Mach3 softlimits but it does not seem to be enabled, despite the green icon on the main screen showing softlimits enabled. Choosing table view does not show a red table extents rectangle. Do these soft limits only work once I have successfully configured the KFlop's homing program? Does the KFLOP have it's own soft limits that I should configure?
>
> My end goal is to have the NC switches in series connected to a single bit on the KFLOP to act as homing for all 3 axis and then use soft limits to keep the table within the extents. However I simply am not clear which tasks I should be looking to configure directly on the KFLOP and which tasks Mach3 will handle. Nor which aspects of Mach3 the KFLOP plugin has rendered moot or silently altered. This seems like such a basic and common task, I am at a loss as to why I've had such difficulty finding specific information on how to make it work. Can someone please clue me in or point me in a direction where I might obtain one?
>