Turning a router on and off through Mach3

**Bob Willson** · 20th April 2010, 06:22 PM

I have attached a router to my CNC machine which goes to a relay that makes/breaks the power to the router and would like to be able to activate it through commands via Mach software. ie M03 and M05 to turn it on and off.

I have attached it to my C10 breakout board. It was originally going to pin 1 of the output, but on the advice of Rod, I have changed this to pin 17.

I have tried many and various setups to get the router relay to work properly, but so far all I can do is turn it on (sometimes) and then it won't turn off again.

On the configuration tab for Mach I have currently:
Spindle enabled: Yes
Step pin number: 0
Direction pin number: 17
Direction low active: No
Step low active: Yes
Step port: 0
Direction port: 1

In the Spindle setup page I have ticked (or unticked) the following:

Disable spindle relays: Unticked
Clockwise (CW) output: 1
Mod Bus spindle - use Step/Dir as well: Unticked
Use spindle motor output: unticked
There are a few other settings but these are all set as the original.

Can anyone who has a similar set up to mine please advise me of the correct set up for Mach.

Thanks

Bob Willson

**rodm** · 20th April 2010, 08:29 PM

Hi Bob,
You are in the wrong tab.
Go to "Output Signals" and tick "Output 1" and assign port 1 and pin 17
Leave it active low
On the "Spindle Setup" tab make sure Clockwise (M3) is Output#1
Disable your setting for spindle under "Motor Outputs" tab.

You should be right from there.

**Bob Willson** · 20th April 2010, 09:49 PM

Thanks Rod. I'll give that a try tomorrow.

Bob

**Bob Willson** · 25th April 2010, 11:26 AM

Hi Rod

Sorry, I forgot to get back to you on this.

It really is amazing how using the correct pins and set up will make something work much better than not not working at all.

Yes, now that I have set up the machine using the pins you told me to use, it works LOTs better.

I also used this opportunity to cut my first actual job. Not much of a job, just a slot in a piece of timber that is destined to become the sides of a box. I had previously tried to make this piece by hand but it was difficult due to the smallness of the piece and also due to my only having a 6mm cutter to cut a slot 8 mm wide.

However, I used the keyway mill wizard in Mach3, set it all up to the correct sizes, fastened the timber to the table and, (after doing an air cut first), I managed to get a PERFECT cut twice in a row. Many happy smiles ensued. ... See how easy I am to please.

Thanks again

Thread: Turning a router on and off through Mach3

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Turning a router on and off through Mach3

Similar Threads

Adjusting Rino/MadCAM/Mach3?

C11G , Geckos ,Mach3 problem

Mach3 license

Mach3 setup

Turning with a router

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions