Issues With UCCNC software

[charliem]

Ok I don't know if this the correct place to post this but here is goes.

I have been running some Gcode in my router to test the functionality of Uc100 and UCCNC software. I understand the issues mentioned can be caused from several things not just the motion controller and /or software.( more likely its operator error)

Item 1 The xbox plugin is useless in my opinion. Only the left stick works. I get no input from the right stick. I select the "show " button and look at the control leds to see what input is what then assign the function I want to it. Again the right stick does not work with this plugin.

Item2 I would like to use park but I need to tell the software where I want the machine to go I don't see any way o do this.

Item3 With no way to calibrate the spindle when a M3 is issued the rpm is wrong. I see this also in Mach3 using the Uc100.

Item4 The Gcode is executed correctly and the final result is really good.However When running the Gcode the movements are jerky. I played with the

Stop and angles > then setting
Look ahead line count
linear error max
linear addition length max
linear unify length max
corner error max

but nothing helped the jerky movement.

Any input on how to correct this would be greatly appreciated.
Charlie Moore

[ger21]

2) You edit the Park positions in the park macros.
Park 1 = M200.txt
Park 2 = M201.txt

3) What kind of spindle, how is it controlled, how do you have it setup in UCCNC?

4) Are you running in inches or mm's?
The default values are for metric setups. If your running in inches, then convert the default values from mm to inches (divide by 25.4).
Start with the default values, and then only change one at a time. Especially if you don't know what they control.

Post all of your settings here.

Sorry, I don't know anything about the XBox plugin.

[charliem]

Hello Gerry,
thanks for the reply and Thank you the the info about M200 and M201. I will have a go at then and see what I can do. In my opinion there should be a place in the general settings to set the park position instead of fiddling with macro files.

The spindle setup see this post.http://www.forum.cncdrive.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=346

Running GCode with a M3 the rpm is 1000 rpm or more off. And there is no way to calibrate the spindle rpm with the commanded rpm.


Im running Inches. I imported my mach2 xml file. Seems that somewhere in that file something should tell UCCNC I am using Imperial units.

As for the settings I assume that you mean general settings :
Stop and angles > 89
Look ahead line count 300
linear error max .001
linear addition length max .001
linear unify length max .001
corner error max .001

Also there should be as in Mach3 to tell the software if you are using MM or inches.

I Hope I can get this sorted because I really like UCCNC.

Thanks.

[charliem]

Hey Thanks Vmax. I will look into it and see what I can do. I did not realize the start and stop were two separate things.

[ger21]

Running GCode with a M3 the rpm is 1000 rpm or more off. And there is no way to calibrate the spindle rpm with the commanded rpm.

Sorry, didn't see your reply in the other thread.
(Yes, the screen is almost ready for release, but the documentation isn't. )

Try adjusting your Minimum and Maximum spindle Velocities in UCCNC, or your pulley speeds in Mach3. That's really the only adjustment that you have.
When you say it's off by 1000 rpm, you need to provide more detail.
If you command S10000, what does the UCCNC say the speed is, and what does the SuperPID say the speed is? Those two should match. If they don't, then it's a SuperPID issue.
Is the rpm better at the low end or high end, or consistently off throughout?
My results in Mach3 are pretty good, but I'm not using the tach output.


You're CV settings are too low.
Try using these values to start:
Linear Error max - .005
Linear Addition Length - .05
Linear Unify Length - .1
Corner Error Max - .005


mm's or inches don't really matter. If you need to use both, then you should set up two different profiles. (This is also the recommended method for Mach3)

[spumco]

OP -

Check your "Compensation Acceleration" setting. The default is '240' which I assume is for metric unit setups. This resulted in my Z-axis vomiting when it tried to reverse during spindle synchronization (tapping).

Changing it about 60 (with a max axis acceleration of 50) worked well for my mill in inch units. If you have backlash comp enabled, this is the setting that UCCNC uses to accelerate through the backlash. Too high and it will slam around; for me, it actually caused the Z-axis to go in the wrong direction.

-Spumco

[charliem]

So Many replies. Thanks.

First VMAx Thannkyou I got the xbox controller working.

When you say it's off by 1000 rpm, you need to provide more detail.
If you command S10000, what does the UCCNC say the speed is, and what does the SuperPID say the speed is? Those two should match. If they don't, then it's a SuperPID issue.
Is the rpm better at the low end or high end, or consistently off throughout?
My results in Mach3 are pretty good, but I'm not using the tach output.

Gerry, With Mach3 and using a PcI parallel port card I had The spindle working spot on. Now that I switched to the uc100 and UCCNC The spindle calibration is off. So I dont think its a super pid issue. I noticed this when running some Gcode. The M3 command was followed by S6000 and the measured rpm from the super pid was 13000. The UCCNC software showed the same value. I knew this was off so I went back and looked at the gcode. Sure enough the spindle speed shoould have been 6000 not 13000. I will play with the settings you mentioned and post back. Thanks.

spumco, thanks I will check into this.

[cncdrive]

Your CV settings are very low, so you should adjust them higher if you want fluent motion.
The 0.001 units especially if your unit is millimeters then this is really so small that the CV planner can only unify very small segments,
so if your segments of your g-code are larger (which is very likely) the motion will become segmented, the parameters you setup will cause the planner to stop at larger segments.

Try the settings what Gerry adviced.
And one more thing is to verify that the software is in G64 (CV mode) and not in G61.

Also please read the meanings of the CV parameters, they are described starting from page 31. in the UCCNC manual and then it will be clear for you how these work, so you can setup the CV planner correctly for your different kind of jobs.

And also check page 50. for the G64 possible parameters.
You can set the G64 parameters even in your g-code, so you could optionally write a G64 with the parameters the job requires into the start of your g-code program and then that will set the CV parameters as you require them to that particular code/job.

[cncdrive]

OP -

Check your "Compensation Acceleration" setting. The default is '240' which I assume is for metric unit setups. This resulted in my Z-axis vomiting when it tried to reverse during spindle synchronization (tapping).

Changing it about 60 (with a max axis acceleration of 50) worked well for my mill in inch units. If you have backlash comp enabled, this is the setting that UCCNC uses to accelerate through the backlash. Too high and it will slam around; for me, it actually caused the Z-axis to go in the wrong direction.

-Spumco

The Comp acceleration parameter plays only in the following functions:

- Backlash, when the backlash is actually being compensated, in other words when a backlash configured axis changes direction, so the backlash needs to be compensated.
- Rigid tapping.
- Thread cutting.
- Softlimits slowing down when the softlimit is reached and the axis needs to be slowed down and stopped.

The Comp acceleration is not used in other circumstances, it is only used when a function is happening (list above) which requires a position compensation which is independent of the PC side software, in other words when the position compensation is calculated by the motion controller itself.

[ger21]

The M3 command was followed by S6000 and the measured rpm from the super pid was 13000. The UCCNC software showed the same value. I knew this was off so I went back and looked at the gcode. Sure enough the spindle speed shoould have been 6000 not 13000.

If it's off by more than double, then adjusting the speeds won't matter.
I think you need to adjust the PWM duty% settings. Start by lowering the Minimum.