I need Help stopping mach3 wrecking my machine please.

[ryadia]

Hi all,
My Chinese 6040 4 Axis CNC USB engraver has been huge trouble since I bought it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing I didn't have before I bought it.
I had the black box controller re-built with a G540 to replace the counterfeit controller board which left me with no software to drive it. I planned on using Linux CNC but there is no information relating to my machine that I can find for it so I'm currently trying to use Mach3 ...Something I know zero about. The guy who did the re-build on the controller box sent me a Mach3 file he said I could use. OK so it worked when I measured the length on travel of the axis' and it moves all the axis in the right direction. I've got it set to use Millimeters instead of inches so it should all work eh? WRONG! it slams every axis into its stops as soon as I try to do a dummy run to cut a rectangle 300mm x 200mm.

The part I'm confused about is how to import Vcarve Gcodes into Mach3. When I try to import Gcodes Mach3 goes looking for a .tap file. All Vcarve offers is inch or mm in two different .txt files. One has ATC in the file name, the other doesn't. While I wait for an answer, I'll wire in some limit stops to save my machine from self destruction. I originally planned to use LinuxCNC but I can't find any instructions or a config file that relates to my machine. When I try to import a Mach3 config file all I get is errors I cant understand.

Any help will be gratefully received,
Ryadia

[Adrian]

Can't help you with configuring Mach3 but there are plenty here who can.

Are you using the Mach3 post processor (your mention of gcode muddies the waters)? The file extension doesn't matter. Mach3 can load files with tap extension or txt extension (as well as others) just change the file type in the open window within Mach3 as per other Windows programs.

If you're using metric and you don't have an automatic tool changer (ATC) then use the "Mach2/3 Arcs (mm) (*.txt)" post processor.

[hooked]

Could be a few setup issues. I'm in Victoria so if you need phone support feel free to give me a call.

0351463347
Daryl

[martin54]

Unlikely you will find a file you can just download & everything will be set up correctly if you have made some changes to the hardware you use but as far as control software goes you could use mach3 linx cnc or uccnc without any problems. Only thing is there will be a bit of set up for any of them so you will need to learn something about how to do that, mach3 has some video tutorials on set up as does uccnc, guessing linx cnc does as well but I don't know anything about it so can't say for sure.
You will gain some insight into mach3 if you watch the tutorials, setting up is quite straight forward & it will even help you calibrate it so it cuts accurately (as will uccnc) so you don't need to be an expert.
If you use the post processor Adrian has mentioned there shouldn't be a problem, if the machine is slamming into the axis stops then it may well be that your not setting your x, y & z zero settings properly when positioning your stock material on the machine table.
What size is the table on your machine ? Quite happy to send you a couple of test files you can run that I know work OK, will help determine if you have the machine set up correctly.

[Makingtoothpicks]

I quick question. Do you have homing switches for X , Y , and Z. Do you home the machine each time you start it.


Don

[TReischl]

Lots of good suggestions posted above.

Keep in mind as you work through this that Mach3 runs tens of thousands of machines, literally. It is easy to start thinking "this stuff is junk because I cannot get it to work so I will try something else". That usually leads to Round 2 with whatever you switch to.

You need to work slowly and methodically through this issue. The first one is obvious as mentioned above, Do you have limit switches so you can home the machine? You need to be able to set MACHINE zero, not just plain old zero.

For instance, if Mach starts up and the machine coords read something like -45 and -30 (I talk in inches, sorry) and then you just hit the Zero button for each axis, things are going to go bonkers. Those zero positions you set are referenced from where the machine thinks ITS zero is located. So, any move you make will be ridiculous at best.

Once you have that figured out the rest gets easier!

On my machine, I only have switches to set machine zeroes. I do not have limit switches at both ends of any axis. That is just me, I have been running these types of machines since 1974. Limit switches are a good idea, I am just too lazy to bother with them.

BTW, once you have things set up you can set "soft limits" in Mach so you do not even crash into the limit switches. I tend to use those as I mentioned above. I turn them off when I have to do things like surface the spoil board.

[dhellew2]

Each time you start your machine the mach3 must know where the machine limits are; then mach 3 must know where your part is located. Hopefully your machine has limit switches.

If you don't have a manual you should download one then follow the instructions on setting the config and machine limits.

If the machine is going the wrong was or accelerating too fast there are settings to change.

Mach 3 works flawlessly when the settings are correct.

Good luck, Dale

[Dclifton2]

Does your machine move in all positions XY and Z ? If your problem is just having a TAP file instead of a TXT file you can just change the ext or when your looking for the file change the type to TAP or *.* and then you can load the file. You don't need to have end switches or limits but they are nice. I zero all my files to the center. zero the X and Y axis and move the cross hairs to the edge of your tool paths on the screen to make sure the file is not bigger than your work area. Been running Mach 3 for over 20 years and it will do anything you could ever want a controller to do and the Gecko 540 is a great little driver.
Don