[originator]

Hopefully this thread will deter others from buying from MAXNC.

This machine has been down more than it has run. I have sent the controller to the factory once to look at it, still it has cost me more time, frustration and wasted money than any product I have ever owned. Unfortunately, I am stuck with it until I can get my product off the ground.

The basic problem is that the motors stop running all the time for some reason. I have speen hundreds of hours trying to solve it, the company says that I must be doing something wrong. I will not ever in a million years use their dos like software, which they claim is the only way to run it suposedly. I use MACH3, and I have verified that there are signals hitting the controller, even though various axis' just stop all the time. Now the machine will not even run for a minute without stopping. I have swapped out micros, mosfets with known working ones. There are other parts I have not replaced yet, but after 6 hours tonight just trying to cut one simple part, I have finally had enough and now am in serach of a controller that may retrofit right onto this machine. Sending the controller back to MAX will take over a week, plus lots in fast shipping, not too mention, I have tried that route before. They simply do not care to solve this machines problems. They will not return calls, or emails. When you call them you are like a great imposition on them.

Is there a Gecko or other controller that will interface easily? This machine has encoders and is closed loop, but at this point I just need it to run, period, encoders or not. The machine is quadreature, has lin engineering nema23 motors. I need something as fast as possible to get up and running. Thanks in advance if you have a controller to suggest that I can connect up.

Thanks

[HillBilly]

You could use three Gecko's to drive the motors. You will need a power supply also. Your machine will be open loop and step and direction at this point.

If you are having these problems while running their software then something is definitly wrong with the controller. You have to be careful when setting Mach up on one of these machines. If you turn on the wrong pins you will corrupt the parameters in the controller. The parameters can be restored by opening their software up again. That is how their software knows whether the controller is connected or not.

I have run my MaxNC CL on both their software and Mach countless hours. I got mine when they first came out with closed-loop. I dealt mostly with Otto ( Mitch's dad, Mr. MaxNC himself.) whos health was bad at the time.

Darek

[InspirationTool]

I have no expereince in this department, but I've heard about alot of "mystery" problems that were solved by getting a dedicated parallel port card that put out the true 5v instead of the 3.3v on newer machines.

-Jeff

[originator]

On the MAX software, X runs at about half speed when jogging. When running MACH, when you ref home, usually it is at 35% speed when reffing home, X stops working at once after ref home, you must do it 5-20 times to get it to ref home and then actually continue working, This has ALWAYS been the case since 10 months. Up till lately the machine would work after some amount of false starts, but now, it will not run X at all more than a few seconds. I looked at the cable pma scope and the pins for X are always getting signals even thought the machine doesn't run. I have tried robbing the PIC off the unused A axis, I also swapped out the TIP 120's as well just to be sure. There is definitely a controller problem now since X is noisier than the others, but it is not a mechanical sound. When I run the x motor from the Y outputs it runs fine.

I have talked to Mitch and Otto, I even sent this back to them, they claim that it is fine, "just don't use MACH3". Well, I can't use MAXWIN the way I like to work. I create as I make, I go back and update the part, and want to add new or modified cuts, MAXWIN is a headache to read my filenames. I also have a tons of files for different projects in their own folders, and shuttling around to various folders when you want to grab stuff is a headache. I just want a controller that will actually run 50% of the time and I'd be estatic.

I have spent time with Art and others on MACH forums and tried every combinatioin of settings possible.

[pminmo]

what part of the US are you located?

[originator]

Hey Phil I am in Los Angeles

[nicad]

I have been through the ringer with a Maxnc15CL as well..
First question- I understand you do not WANT to run it, but does it work any better/different with the DOS MaxNC program?

[motomitch1]

If you swich over to three Gecko's you wiill have a controller that will actually run 100% of the time.

[samco]

interesting read. He isn't using the drive that came with it.
http://timeguy.com/cradek/cnc

[nicad]

If you swich over to three Gecko's you wiill have a controller that will actually run 100% of the time.

Which is exactly what I have done. 4x G320s, G100, Camtronics control box + PS, 4x servos, Mach3.

bam! Whole new mill.

[pminmo]

interesting read. He isn't using the drive that came with it.
http://timeguy.com/cradek/cnc

He's using one of mine, I didn't connect the dots.....i.e. MaxNC and Chris (timeguy)...Chris made an excellent suggestion to the original L297-8 board which I updated right away. thus the HV version........

[samco]

I think I figured out the other day who you where.

Chis is one of the smartest persons I have ever met.

sam

He's using one of mine, I didn't connect the dots.....i.e. MaxNC and Chris (timeguy)...Chris made an excellent suggestion to the original L297-8 board which I updated right away. thus the HV version........

[pminmo]

I think I figured out the other day who you where.

Chis is one of the smartest persons I have ever met.

sam

Who ME?

[samco]

Yes you. In the back of my head I was thinking - Hmm I wonder if this is 'the' pminmo guy .

sam

[pminmo]

Ok, not sure if that's good or bad

[samco]

its good. Just took me a bit to put 2 and 2 togather.



sam

/end off topic

[CNCZONERAMICO]

Which is exactly what I have done. 4x G320s, G100, Camtronics control box + PS, 4x servos, Mach3.

bam! Whole new mill.

Bingo!,

I've been reading a lot lately in this and the Mach 3 forums and looking for an alternative to my recent nightmare with MAXPATH42CL Router, perhaps some of you may have stumbled upon my posts about it.

I have beent trying to run Mach 2 and Mach 3 on this machine lately as well as MAXNX software for windows xp till I am blue in face from trying all kinds of things tests and adjustments to no avail. So far all things are pointing to issues with the controller. I have taken the controller board for servicing once or twice to MAXNC under the old ownership for similar issues, controller dying, constantly reseting and cuts turning up erratically, which at some point made me think it was a mechacnical issue, sometimes machine would take a mind of its own, and I started to suspect electronics. I never liked the MAXNC controllers, just one look at the way the connection are done on this controller, is a dead giveaway to stay away from these machines, but at the time I bought it it was the only machine of a size that fit my needs and my budget, and it has given me service, but not without some painful heachaches! in the process.

OK I am very tired and exhausted, have gone without sleep for the past few days trying to bring this machine again up to running, unfortunately my small business has depended on this machine and this trouble with it refcently has caught me by surprise, now I need to make a decision while I wait for a new better machine to arrive. But in the interim I must make this one work. I've already made some mechanical retrofits to the MAXPATH 42 , the machine is mechanically sound now, I am too tired to even think of all the hours I've spent in tweaking it mechanically, and retrofitting it with my own mechanical components, but it is finally there, one less worry, now just needs a better controller and once again a go at trying to make it work with MACH 2 or 3.

I was feeling pretty depressed and alone as no one was answering my questions and I have gone through hell, in these past days, trying to figure some issues I've been having with this MAXPATH 42, lately, controller works irratically with MAXNC software and doesn't work at all with Mach 2 or 3, even after trying some suggestions by MACHSUPPORT and a couple end users. I am almost possitive at this point it is that F! controller.

But after diging and diging, I stumbled on this thread and BINGO!~ that is exactly what I needed to hear. I wish someone would have just suggested this to me earlier in one of my other threads, posts.

In the back of mind I was always thinking go Gecko! and make my own controller, but lack of time and pressure of my business demands put me on a different operating mode. My persistance in trying different things had hopes that I could get this machine working again with the existing controller, and new software, but this effort has put a dent on my business, lately, as I have been fixing instead of making parts for my customers, but I have learned a lot in the process and this will never happen to me again.

I am coming out of my closet and going Gecko! OK now I would like to hear what best components to go along with them.

Right now I just need 3 drives, power supply or torroidal transformer? , cap, rectifier, a couple relays for motor spindle and coolant, connectors, wires etc. I'd appreciate if anyone has a list of parts and a good one stop supplier for them? Or a link to an already made box? with the Gecko controllers, I have the existing Powermaxx II motors that came with the machine, typical also of Sherline and MAXNC small CNC mills. Should I upgrade to better motors as well? I am all ears for suggestions. Thanks.

[Fixittt]

I think that this thread was not referenced to you mainly because its a few years old. If you go the gecko route you will have a stable machine. Have you seen my maxnc conversion thread? I used a xylotex controller and new motors. I had some isssues that were solved by by dampeners.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30988

Geckos would have solved this issue right out of the box, but due to funds limitations I could not go that route.

My girlfriends brothers company got a maxnc router and had several issues with the wireing harness on the machine. maxnc is not a good company to deal with. Unless your spending money.

your stepper motors should be fine. I wouldnt change them just yet.

[CNCZONERAMICO]

I think that this thread was not referenced to you mainly because its a few years old. If you go the gecko route you will have a stable machine. Have you seen my maxnc conversion thread? I used a xylotex controller and new motors. I had some isssues that were solved by by dampeners.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30988

Geckos would have solved this issue right out of the box, but due to funds limitations I could not go that route.

My girlfriends brothers company got a maxnc router and had several issues with the wireing harness on the machine. maxnc is not a good company to deal with. Unless your spending money.

your stepper motors should be fine. I wouldnt change them just yet.

Thanks, I didn't mean this thread in particular, but if you look at the threads on the MAXPATH 42, no one has made an impact with a response. No problem, I have been fiinding things on my own, which is probably best way to go about since it forces one to learn. I've learned a lot and I appreciate your response. I have seen your thread and I like also what you did and another reason to change controllers on my machine. The machine is sound now mechanically and with the existing motros whcih I like because I also have thesmae on a Sherline and they are nice motors and for the work I do I think I will be fine.

I was looking around the iternet and this sites' ads of companies that sell equipment and I came across this setup by Probotix. I could use the motros on a smaller mill, but was wondering if anyone had any experience with this setup and company?

http://www.probotix.com/image/3axis_sidestep_large.jpg

http://www.probotix.com/index.php?vi...&product_id=18

[Fixittt]

I have no experience with those kits, but I will offer this advise. Do some research and find something that has resonance reduction otherwise you will be pulling your hair out trying to get it to run descent. I understand that money is the deciding factor, but if you can swing higher end drivers you will be ahead of the game.