Vanguard 3000 machine plus an EP module and a cartridge controller,HELP!

Ooookay, finally I am at my wits end...Alright, let me start off by saying that I am not a newbie with engraving, I have been running an IS 400 for seven years where I work, doing all sorts of work with it, 8 x 10 bronze plaques, photographs,etc, but that's what I am not here for, that machine is running fine.What I am here for is the machine that the IS 400 replaced, I was told where I work to 'get rid of it or take it home with you, just make it disappear' . So, here I sit with a NH Vanguard 3000, a cartridge controller and an EP module.Now, I am a relatively good troubleshooter so I am told(that's another of my titles where I work,test engineer) but for the life of me I am lost on this one..I think I may know now why they got rid of it, no one else could figure out what was going on with this thing, and so I am now one of those people too. So I ask humbly for help;I apologize first off for the length of this post,this has been a long,long troubleshooting scenario.With that said this is the sequence of events in chronological order: Inherited machine, cartridge controller,had to buy old small RCA monochrome,(they had an old word processor hooked up serially with this..dont ask me how it worked,have not a clue)set machine up, initially it worked, went thru it's boot sequence,downloaded ok, set up engraving plate, tried to adjust z axis, started smelling smoke(yes.oh no went thru my mind)shut machine down.Looked thru machine/controller, found one z axis driver was toast.Checked motor, winding resistance was off on one phase,motor smelled smoky so ordered new/old 2 phase motor,thinking that may be the issue. Put new motor in, put in new z axis driver chip, turned cartridge controller on,motor jogs back and forth. OK z axis sensor could be bad. Checked z axis sensor, checked out ok. Replaced z axis limit switch. Nope,still does it.Noticed new z axis chip getting hot also. Did it so much troubleshooting kfinally blew out chip. Around this time I found an EP controller online and purchased that, thinking that'll make my issue go away. It did not. Hooked it up ,blew out z axis driver. Installed new driver chip, no z axis LED no communication, all I get when the EP boots up is NH v3000 and the software revison # (2.07)(I get a 201 at 086:0393 error after some time and no operation. I am running GS5 with a dongle . I know that all works. Okay with all this said(and there's a lot more) does anyone have any clues as to whats going on with this machine or is it posessed? Shall I toss it all like I initially was told or is this saveable? I have checked wiring, went thru all the mollie plugs, checked out equipment ground, checked for shorts, nothing. Thought it might have been feedback, did the 0.47 mfd capacitor across limit switch, that seemed to help but did'nt solve the problem. Please please help..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davisonH

Looked thru machine/controller, found one z axis driver was toast.Checked motor, winding resistance was off on one phase,motor smelled smoky so ordered new/old 2 phase motor,thinking that may be the issue. Put new motor in, put in new z axis driver chip, turned cartridge controller on,motor jogs back and forth. OK z axis sensor could be bad. Checked z axis sensor, checked out ok. Replaced z axis limit switch. Nope,still does it.Noticed new z axis chip getting hot also. Did it so much troubleshooting kfinally blew out chip. .

---

Ok - just for the record - I don't own an engraver but I've been looking at them recently and trying to figure out how to control ones with no controller so I've been thinking about them a bit.

Ok with that out of the way I lost you along the way in your post, as it was a huge single paragraph. Specifically in the above you say "Nope, still does it" but its unclear by that point what 'it' still does.

At any rate I do know there is virtually no general helpful information in troubleshooting old engravers. The question is of course what are you trying to do with it? If you just want to run it with GS5 then you likely do need to figure things out (I'd start swapping axis if I could and see if the problem follows a specific component.

From what I have read, you could also try and talk to Q1 engraving supply as it sounds like Fred is a guru on these things and might have some suggestions and parts to assist.

If you just want it to do something - then you could rewire it to another CNC control (ie replace the EP module completely) and run it off of that (but it would not be as good for easy set up engraving). There are some threads on that.

The big difference in CNC router/mill control and engraving software is the workflow. Engravers are treated essentially like printers and vinyl cutters and therefor you can 'print' to them from GS5 or Engravelab etc. The EP module makes it more like a CNC router/mill but not fully I believe.

Good luck.

Again gfacer2 I apologize for the run-on, that's the test technician in me. The 'nope, still does it' is referring to the clicking back and forth the Z axis motor is doing when being energized by the cartridge controller. Basically my plan is to engrave artwork, glass, etc which I know is extremely hard to do on laser equipment, not impossible but hard. Also I would like to have to opportunity to do work for others as I do at work with the IS-400 I run. I do my own engraving work after hours when the machine is not being used for company work.The 3000 has an 8 x 10 surface area, a little smaller than the IS but not by much, more than what I'll need for now. The IS 400 handheld controller and the EP module look and act pretty much the same by the looks of things. You are right,I think where I'm at right now I am going to have to talk with Fred about what to do next, because without a set of prints and a scope I am lost. I have an account with him so it may be time to shoot him an email and get the ball rolling. And you're right there is virtually no information on troubleshooting, I have looked for old prints forever online, cannot find a thing other than general layout stuff, no nitty gritty..sux! I mean I could always go with a 3 axis board for a couple of hundred bux and use my computer to do what the EP does but I'd rather have the 'hands on' effect an HHP or the EP module gives me you know..dont know..what do you think?

I'd say if you are trying to do engraving (as opposed to modding it for PCB's or 3d carving etc) then you might as well try and get what you have working. The 3 axis board is a good plan b but I think you would find the workflow much more clunky.

anybody still use new hermes vanguard 3400? i have a 201 error on ep module

IN;PU;
!PZ1,0,0,73;
!VZ1771;
PA21,354;
PD3,354;
PD3,323;
PD39,323;
PD39,354;
PD21,354;
PU;
PA21,354;
PD3,354;
PD3,323;
PD39,323;