Hi Gene,

I've run into similar problems with my system as I try and make it 
intrinsically safe.  The issues I've run into involve the various levels of 
intelligence in the hardware.  I don't know if your 7i76 can solve your problem 
since I'm not familiar with  it.

As I've said before I'm using the PMDX-126 Break Out Board which was really 
more designed around MACH3 than LinuxCNC.  Obvious because the two ribbon cable 
connections and 4 mounting holes are designed to hold the Smooth Stepper. (USB 
or Ethernet).  Still haven't connected second port on the MESA 7i92. But that's 
a different story.

One of the 'features' of this BoB is the Charge Pump input.  MACH3 can generate 
this on any parallel port pin with a checkbox and can even keep it running 
during the ESTOP IN (Pin 10 normally) by checking a box in the main config 
screen.

Under Linux CNC this is generated with stepper driver #4
net machine-is-enabled => hm2_7i92.0.stepgen.04.enable

The BoB, when configured to use a charge pump shuts off all outputs when the 
charge pump vanishes.  This includes the machine enable signal (Pin 1).  Under 
Linux this is:
setp hm2_7i92.0.gpio.000.is_output true
net machine-is-enabled => hm2_7i92.0.gpio.000.out

Since the BoB has a couple of relays, one of them (SPDT) normally allocated to 
motor direction or coolant, uses the NO contacts to be in series with the ESTOP 
switch on the machine and feeds into the ESTOP input (Pin10) on th BoB.   If 
the Charge Pump vanishes, the BoB itself takes care of shutting off the outputs 
which is like mechanically hitting the ESTOP.  

Same with the limit switches.  A FAULT (or NC ESTOP opening) input into the BoB 
also causes all outputs to shut off.  A small micro removes that FAULT 4 
seconds later but the system ENABLE (controlled with the F2 power button) 
remains off after this.  AC/DC power is returned to the motors and the system.

The problem I ran into was the FAULT or ERROR output from the various motor 
drivers.  A missing power supply voltage caused a fault on the STMBL AC Servo 
drive.  Something wrong on the DC HP_UHU servo drives causes a FAULT.  In all 
cases that shuts OFF High Voltage  power and then ON again.  To reset the STMBL 
I have to bring the ENABLE FALSE and TRUE.  That's Pin 1 and done with the F2 
button on the user display.

The HP_UHU drives were more problematic.  They don't have an enable.  To clear 
a fault you either cycle 16V low voltage power or bring the processor reset pin 
low.  I did that with the NOT ENABLE signal and a couple of opto coupler open 
collector transistors.  Now when not enabled the DC Servo drives are held in 
reset.   And it's true, HV DC and a shorted transitor driver pair could keep 
the motor running open loop so still not the safest.

I first tried enabling the high voltage with the system enable.  This created a 
race condition for both drives.  The STMBL was enabled but High Voltage wasn't 
there yet so it created a fault which shut off the HV.  Circular problem.

The HP_UHU drive, when reset is released, blips the FAULT which shut off high 
voltage again resulting in ENABLE going false which again held the drive in 
RESET.

SO the issue is that just after a reset or HV DC power being restored both the 
STMBL and the HP_UHU blip their fault line.  That shuts off the BOB which 
removes the HV.  Then when the HOV is re-applied it starts all over again.  
Vicious circle.  Hence the 4 second delay before power is restored but the 
enable is held off keeping all the servo drives either reset or not enabled.

Once the ENABLE is set true, the FAULT from the drives is blocked for a few 
seconds to allow the random start up faults to fix themselves.  All done with a 
PIC12F609 8 pin processor.

For real safety I need to add a latching relay circuit that requires a manual 
energize button to latch it on.   So anything that shuts off the HV opens this 
relay.  And a button must be used to relatch it.   The original mill hardware 
has that on the Spindle and Coolant switches.  An ESTOP requires both switches 
set back to OFF before the released ESTOP restores power. 

So for your system, look at a charge pump as a method of resetting hardware.   
Then a relay wired in such a way that you have to manually close the latching 
circuit to lock that relay closed.  An ESTOP or missing charge pump or even 
Limit switch can remove power.   All your switch has to do is momentarily close 
this relay and a second pair of contacts will hold it closed.  Since the 
primary contacts on this CAN be part of the ESTOP NC circuit a machine FAULT 
like a limit switch or motor driver automatically causes a removal of voltages. 
 And, like untwisting the ESTOP switch, you need to press a physical ON button 
to relatch power.

Hope that makes sense.
John Dammeyer


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gene Heskett [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: January-18-20 10:39 AM
> To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC)
> Subject: [Emc-users] I'm back to a sseriel failure that can only be fixed 
> with a
> full powerdown of the whole system.
> 
> Greetings all;
> 
> If then. While shaving the side of the BXA's foot, swarf built up on the
> top of the y axis home switch, and when I went to brush it off, some of
> it went below the switch and shorted the 12 volts to ground. Lit the
> swarf strands up like a light bulb, which I don't quite understand since
> the teeny little switcher supplying that 12 vols.  Short circuit
> protected, it shuts down at 2.1 amps. The switch still has the 12 volts
> on it but I've removed it from its bolt down. I have not used the
> halmeter to see if its traceable, but without sserial, I doubt I can
> read it.
> 
> All the power leds on the power supplies are at normal brightness and so
> are the leds on both the 7i76 and the SainSmart bob on the 5i25's p2.
> 
> The GO704 and its interface is wired like Peter recommends, but
> apparently thats not good enough, without doing a full powerdown on the
> computer and the separately powered interface box.  So I think I am
> going to have to concoct a method involving the actual unused parport to
> act as a master switch for the whole thing so I can do a powerdown reset
> on this interface combo by command from the computer.
> 
> I can't believe I've blown the 7i76D, the available voltages just aren't
> there, but Peter also cannot duplicate this fail. But I have now
> encountered it on 2 separate builds.
> 
> Has anyone else actually invented this particular wheel?
> 
> Cheers, Gene Heskett
> --
> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>  soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
>  - Louis D. Brandeis
> Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Emc-users mailing list
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