Pncconf, howto setup for Mesa 5i25, 6i25, 7i92 using parallel port/BOB/G540

Noticed that pncconf guide in the docs still has old pictures of the EMC2 version, so i will try to gather that info and add as needed with new pictures.
Pncconf can be accessed from the main menu>cnc>pncconf, that will bring up this window: (colours may vary)

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Click on start to get to the next screen, here you can choose to create a new config or edit an existing one. Also the options to create a desktop shortcut and a desktop launcher should be chosen so it is easy to later start the configuration from the desktop and also have a link to those configuration files:

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Click on forward, write a name for your configuration, usually a machine name or however you would like it to be called in the Machine Name field, if you do not have a spindle that can be remotely controlled or a 3D printer, plasma, etc untick the "include spindle", select the geometry of the machine as XYZ for 3 axis ( also choose this for tandem axis or a machine that has two motors for the same axis, usually on both sides of the gantry, do not choose XYZA for this ), XYZA for a 4 axis machine or XZ for a lathe and choose units in MM or Inch.

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Click forward, choose from the "GUI screen list" if you would like to have Axis or Gmoccapy or another graphical user interface, change default linear velocity and max linear velocity to what your machine should be able to handle, leave the rest as is:

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Click forward, here you can choose if the spindle speed should be added to the GUI, fist picture is without it, the second has "Virtual Control Panel" (VCP) and "spindle speed display" and "include connections to hal" ticked.


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Click forward, this is where you choose the type of Mesa board and daughterboard if you have any, no daughterboard is used in this tutorial, choose "5i25 internal data" for Mesa 5i25 or 6i25, choose "7i92 internal data" for 7i92 and also set the address same as the board ( default is 192.168.1.121 so no changes there, but if you moved the jumper to set the board at 10.10.10.10 write that in the address field ), choose the firmware - in this case for BOB or G540 choose "G540x2" and click on "accept components changes":

This will add two more tabs named "I/O connector 2" and "I/O connector 3", set the number of encoders to 0, the number of PWM generators to 1 if you have a PWM controlled spindle or to 0 if you do not have one, set the number of stepgens to 3 for a 3 axis machine or 4 for a 4 axis or tandem machine, click on "accept components changes" again :

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continued on the next post

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Click on the "I/O connector 3" and select the inputs and output to fit your hardware, but keep in mind that the numbers in front of the pins are not directly related to a D25 pinout on BOB or G540, so here is an example of how it should be for G540 with a charge pump and an E-stop:

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Click on forward, click on "calculate scale" :

If you have a pulley reduction, tick in front of it and set the values to match your gearing, or enter the exact number of teeth on the motor pulley and on the other leadscrew, if using direct motor drive do not tick this.
If you have a worm gear, tick in front of it and enter the reduction ratio,
If you are using drives with microstepping, enter the microstepping value here after ticking in front of it,
Tick in front of either "leadscrew metric pitch" OR "leadscrew TPI" and enter how much the machine moves for one turn of the screw
For direct drive where the pulley is mounted on the motor shaft and driving the main belt, tick only microstepping if using it and either "leadscrew metric pitch" OR "leadscrew TPI" and enter the distance the machine travels for one full turn of the motor, example: 20 tooth GT2 pulley does 40mm for one turn, so enter 40 in the "leadscrew metric pitch".
Click apply:

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Click forward, this is where you set the distance for the X axis only, travel distance, homing, limits, etc. Set the positive travel distance to what your machine X axis can travel, if unsure leave the rest as is.

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This has to be done for all the axis on their respective settings windows and they will be presented as you move forward. :

Click forward, set the other axis as you are presented, then you get to the spindle settings screen, here untick "use +- voltage for direction" and set the voltage to 5 (3.3 shown on screenshot) and set the max speed the spindle can do :

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Click forward, and click Done, Yes.

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Now you can start that configuration from the desktop and check if everything is working.
regards,
Tom

cmorley wrote:

Need to change the title to pncconf...

Thank you Chris, this is what Phill was on about, but i checked it several times and did not see it !
Glasses do not help much when the brain is on leave !

ericg wrote:

Thanks for the reply Rodw,

You mean PCW.