7i96s: can't seem to get a stepper enable signal

I’m trying to configure my 7i96s card with pncconf for the following configuration: 

- X, Y, Z stepper motors with pulse/dir signals
- stepper enable output
- emergency stop input 

It’s a way of getting started towards the return to my old 5i25 configuration. I’ve overcome the issue of no output signals from the 7i96s card by using a more appropriate ethernet driver. The automatically installed one was causing excessive delays that would cause me to get bitten by the watchdog and shut down communication.

I can configure the X, Y and Z steppers with pncconf and get pulse and direction outputs to function as expected. 

However I can’t get the stepper enable signal to function. The symptoms are: 

- no signal changes at the assigned pin for the enable output when testing in pncconf, and
- in axis, the Toggle Emergency Stop button (red X at the upper left) doesn’t disable. 

This seems like a user induced configuration issue, but, I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. 

Since I’m driving 3 step motor drivers in parallel with the enable signal, I’m using TB3 pins 13 and 14 to drive the enable signal since these outputs can handle a higher current. Pin 13 is connected to ground. Pin 14 is the enable signal connected to the stepper motor drivers. It is pulled up to +5V via the internal resistors in the stepper motor drivers. In pncconf, on page TB3, I’ve configured SSR output 00 to be both (but at separate times!) X Amplifier Enable and Machine Is Enabled (the latter being the configuration that I used with my 5i25). Neither one of these is reflected in the output signal measured at TB3-14. It is always high. 

I’m not sure whether the two symptoms I listed above are related, but in any case, I need to resolve both of them. Any help would be warmly appreciated. 

Thanks.

Did you try manually setting SSR0 true and false and checking the
SSR0 output LED? (near TB3 pins 13,14)

please post your config files.
Pncconf's test will not honour the estop in, just estop out.
Axis enable should work. You can always try inverting the enable just for the test.

sorry use 'force-pin-true' for the test - inverting won't work.

I just now tested with SSR0 = true. While this doesn't work in test, apparently it is configured correctly and works in axis. The LED turns ON and the output is low, as expected. Unfortunately, the same is NOT true when I configure this pin in either of the above configurations. Nothing happens.

Also, as expected, in spite of configuring the output as permanently true, axis will not allow me to enable the step motor drivers.

Attached are the configuration files.
 

With AXIS running, can you confirm hm2_7i96s.0.inm.00.input-00-not (estop-in) is switching logic states with whatever you have it connectecd to?

All this stuff embedded that I never had to deal with before! It's a learning experience!

To confirm, hm2_7i96s.0.inm.00.input-00 is changing state with the input. I hadn't connected it yet, so this was a new test. I found that I had checked the "inv" checkbox when that isn't what I really wanted to do. I want the signal to be true when the switch is closed. That functionality is currently correct.

Still, axis doesn't allow me to enable the stepper motor drivers. The enable button on the test/tune window of pncconf doesn't change the state of any output.

Next?

In AXIS/halmeter can you follow the logic
from hm2_7i96s.0.inm.00.input-00
to signal estop-ext
to iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in
and make sure all toggle with your external switch.

If it does, then AXIS should come out of estop and be able to be enabled.

sorry the signal is estop-ext

I am able to follow the signal as described. However, no joy. Regardless of the state of iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in, I can't enable the stepper drivers from axis. The Toggle Emergency Stop button will not disable.

However, having followed the signals, there seems to be a logical inconsistency that may be causing the problem. The signal hm2_7i96s.0.inm.00.input-00 is true when the switch is closed as expected. This makes the signal estop-ext true when the switch is closed as well, also logical. However, iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in should want estop-ext = false to enable. I would guess that the actual enable signal is AND'd with another signal that prevents the enable signal from becoming true, depending on other signals. Is it possible that the AND always results in a false output?

Thanks again.