Open Builds is finding 0 devices. I have tried all USB ports. Am I missing something? Also controller shows red light under Y2. Switched Y and Y2, still shows red light under Y2. (see attached doc)
Fault indicators, see docs:blackbox-x32:currentadjustment [OpenBuilds Documentation] USB drivers: docs:blackbox-x32:install-drivers [OpenBuilds Documentation] USB Selective Suspend: docs:blackbox-x32:install-windows-selective-suspend [OpenBuilds Documentation] Comprehensive USB Troubleshooting: docs:blackbox-x32:faq-usb-connection-failed [OpenBuilds Documentation] If you need further assistance, include screenshot of Device Manager > Ports section and detailed pictures of all your wiring thanks
Thanks Peter I will go through each step. Sorry, I am a Plug and Play kind of guy and not familiar with the intricacies of the electronics world!
Everything seems to be firing! I have one more question before I do any axis movement. I am setting up Custom Machine parameters. When it asks maximum axis travel X and Y., is that from zero in both directions? ( on a two foot X axis would 12 inches be the correct input)
See Grbl v1.1 Configuration Home, after pulloff - note current values. Jog to other side without crashing, record values. Subtract to get actual max travels (2ft axis would likely not have exactly 2ft move)
From the docs, pic shows both sets of wires swapped but actually only one pair needs to be. So instead of red blue, Green Yellow, if you make it Blue Red, it will be running in different direction. If your homing is then moving the wrong way you will need to change the home setting to get the directions correct for home. $23 and use the chart below. Also go to the Wiki for GRBL and read the settings notes grbl/doc/markdown/settings.md at master · gnea/grbl
Reversing the order is way easier to grasp for most people. Follow the docs Its been almost a decade since anyone used the Chart. In OpenBuilds CONTROL > Grbl Settings tab > just tell the machine where you installed the switches. At min or max. Download CONTROL and try it for a while, will improve your ability to answer questions accurately
Thanks Gary! A picture is worth a thousand words, especially to those of us who are not electrical engineers!
Yes, tis I again. So, my CNC is rack and pinion, not lead screw or belt drive (I went into the Grbl settings). The 12-tooth gear is mounted directly on the shaft of the stepper motors on each axis. How do I calibrate (in English please) the steppers to perform in English inch? Thanks!
If you are using OpenBuilds Control you can use the calibration wizard. If not you can tell us the pitch of the gears you are using and now many teeth and we can help you calculate the steps per mm. Gary
Hi Gary! Wasn't expecting a reply today so thanks. I was going to use the Calibration Wizard but it said that was just for fine tuning after you get close, so I didn't even bother. I will try that straight away tomorrow. The gears are from my original steppers 12 tooth spur .583 OD .404 Mean Diameter (caliper measure) so 15 pitch? I will let you know how I make out tomorrow. Thanks again!
Direct drive to the gear? Could guess at about 12mm dia puts you at about 38mm per turn 1600/38 puts you at about 42steps per mm, this is all a guess until you figure out the travel per turn on the gear and rack. Cheers
That's likely 24DP 0.5" PCD, so (pi) x 0.5" = 1.571" per revolution. Grbl requires steps/mm in the setup (unless Control does something clever) so you *need* to convert to mm for this bit: Each revolution (200 full steps) moves 1.571" = 39.898mm Therefore there are 5.012 full steps per mm (200 / 39.898) You need to multiply the 5.012 by whatever your microstepping setting is to get the steps/mm figure for Grbl. For example: If you have 8X microstepping, the setting would be 40.1 steps/mm (5.012 x 8) - so Gary's guess is pretty good! If you have 16X microstepping, the setting would be 80.2 steps/mm (5.012 x 16) etc.
It is possible to calibrate a completely unknown system, you just have to do the cilibartion wizard several times and use a little l best guessing. Guess 200 steps per rev * 8x microstepping = 1600 steps per rev of the motor. Set the steps/mm to '1'. Move 1600mm and it should rotate 1 turn. If it did not revise your guesses till you get 1 turn. How far did 1 turn move it? steps/mm = 1600/distance should get you close enoguh to refine with the calibration wizard. Remember to return to your starting point before changing settings AND reset the BB after the change, else weird stuff can/will happen. Turn homing off before calibrating, it will just make it hard.
Thank you all for your attention to this. So based upon your input, I used your calculations as a starting point. I used a dial indicator on all axis to get zero - zero using the .1 incremental motion back and forth. Here is the results I got: X - 45.5 Y - 41.4 Z - 41.4 Any reason you can think of why X would be any different? Should I just ignore X reading and set them all the same? Thanks!
No. You should calibrate each axis. Maybe the Lead screw, or whatever it uses came from a different batch so it could be off slightly. Or maybe there is something mechanical you have to address.
Thanks Craig! If you think my calibration method is sound, I will proceed with a G-code run. I want to thank all who have helped guide me through this process. I know some of the moderators may have become frustrated with me thinking why doesn't this guy just do what I tell him to do? I was a Prototype Model Maker/ Machinist for 42 years. Rejected the Metric System in 1970 in grade school when they were trying to force us to convert. In my early career of manual machining, if an Engineer brought me a print with metric, I made him take it back and convert it to English with full support of management (yes, I was that good) I can make a CNC mill or lathe dance. Retired now, I just make crafts, mostly for my own enjoyment. I wasn't expecting to have to go through all of this just to get my machine up and running again. I apologies if I seemed dense at time. I just want to make parts! Thanks again for all the support!
I would recommend calibrating over a longer move than a dial indicator can do, something like 304.8mm
Misterg you were spot on with your calculations of 39.898. Good for X and Z, Y was 40.050. I usually work in a 2 foot x 2 foot envelope, so I followed the suggestions to use 12 inch machinist scale. Loaded a small part file and did a simulation. Question for all, can I change the simulation screen to inch (all parts I design are in inch) and how do I move X-Y 00 from bottom right corner? I usually 00 from the center of my work piece. Thanks!
It automatically adapts to inch/mm based on presence of G20/G21 in gcode Origin is shown where it is in the job. The preview reflects the GCODE. Load up a file CAM'ed with a centered origin and you'll see the difference
