[m1n1m]

More research done on the speed setting. 0-10volt from the controllerboard to the VFD is now ok but the speed is a bit off. At 4.97volt (50% or 12000rpm in mach3) I read 13000rpm with a tachometer and the VFD indicates that by frequency as well. I just have to setup the VFD correctly to receive the 0-10volt as a 0-400hz signal now but I can't find the manual for the VFD so it's hard to figure out the settings.. Can anyone help me with a manual for nowforever d100 VFD? It is not the same as the e100 manual and the parameter settings is not the same so I can't use that manual..

[m1n1m]

More testing done and I've found the problem... I managed to scale the signal from mach3 to the terminals of the VFD dead on all the way from 10% to 100% and I was happy with that. I confirmed this with a multimeter and didn't quite understand why it was still not following my commands properly. I then starting to look through the menus for the parameter where I could read out the input signal to the VFD to confirm that it read the 0-10v signal properly. Once I found that I quickly noticed that it was far off and that the error was not linear. I the. disconnected the signal from the controller board to eliminate that and hooked up a laboratory power supply and testet with that. The signal is still not linear and it's off by almost 0.8 volts at times. An example is that when I want 200hz I need to send 4.2volts and the VFD then says it reads 5volts. This is done with a high quality power supply and measured with a multimeter so I'm 100% sure I'm sending 4.2volt so the error is inside VFD.

Can anyone confirm that parameter D3-002 (ai1 readout) and the voltage between "com" and "ai1" on the VFD is wrong so that this is not a problem on my VFD only?

My "hack" still makes it a lot better with max error of like 1000rpm and at times its spot on (like 12k rpm and 24k rpm) but due to these wrong readings it's not possible to fix it without improving the input circuit on the VFD itself :/ I started with 4800rpm error and now it's down to max 1000 within my range of use so I'm not sure I'm gonna bother with doing more research on this ^^

[dharmic]

Dan: if you can nip in the leading or trailing edge so blades don't overlap, you don't even need the 4th axis for that. Make a jig that accurately positions your workpiece, do one side, flip it, do the other side. Simple enough rough/profile/surface operation. Otherwise you'll need a 5 axis machine to get the tooling in between the blades.

m1n1m: great to hear you're getting some headway. Sorry, don't have the VFD manual though - maybe ask Lance? Be awesome to get a settings update to throw at it when you're done!

[Stigoe]

I asked Lance about the manual earlier and his answer was that they don't have it, which I find a bit strange. He also said the VFD was set up correctly and I wouldn't have a need for the manual...

[m1n1m]

It is setup correctly actually but the 0-10volt input sucks.. Solution is prolly to control it with modbus but I'm not sure how important the accuracy of speed is

It's pretty accurate from 9-10volts tho but the resolution will be really poor controlling 0-400hz from 9-10volts so I didn't test that.

[dharmic]

I asked Lance about the manual earlier and his answer was that they don't have it, which I find a bit strange. He also said the VFD was set up correctly and I wouldn't have a need for the manual...

Far out. OmioCNC seem (at the moment) determined to burn away the goodwill they have as fast as they possibly can.

Lance: your staff have earned your company a good reputation by being helpful in the past. They've got your company a bigger slice of the pie. Guess what happens, though, when a 30something page thread dedicated to your company and their products on the one forum everyone visits before buying a machine goes from "awesome" to the repeated "Lance said it's fine, even though it's not, and will not help". Go on, guess.

Lance, do better.

[grimmjaw00]

Do you guys use sacrificial board (such as MDF) for your machine?

[jyotti]

I asked Lance about the manual earlier and his answer was that they don't have it, which I find a bit strange. He also said the VFD was set up correctly and I wouldn't have a need for the manual...

The 12vdc used for the VFD interface is very limited .. supplied by the USB interface board .. like 200 ma. It's that thing that looks like a micro-butter cube on the board. Now, yous guys can choose as you wish, but I chose to Avoid messing with that adequate supply for the VFD/PWM voltage output, for the standard 12vdc Output lines supply. You'll notice, that output 5 is already dedicated for PWM control output for the VFD, as comes from the "factory".

Notice that Output 5 is already dedicated as Factory wired, to control the spindle RPM control (the left yellow line from output terminal strip) If you need to get a standard 12vdc supply for outputs, I suggest you add a 12vdc supply that is adequate for output loads other than the Spindle. As for your CS interface deficits, Lance is an 80's porno star moniker, so what do you really expect? Accountability? Really? From China?

[jyotti]

I asked Lance about the manual earlier and his answer was that they don't have it, which I find a bit strange. He also said the VFD was set up correctly and I wouldn't have a need for the manual...

Well. indeed Mach3 did grab onto the spindle VFD as factory wired with the USB board, but then, I have manuals for tools here as old as me, or older. A 1945 9x30 South Bend comes to mind . '51 Monarch Speedi-Matic. Having documentation for any tool or it's components is elemental. But @Stigoe, I totally echo your sentiments, as the VFD came with Zero documentation, and further, what I found on-line was just as confusing, and inappropriate. Maybe Msr. Lance, can get it up, and come to the fore .. as it were, and offer documentation for that particular VFD in our controllers. Meanwhile .. this is worthless .. for us single phase, 120vac folks .. PDF shows as a graphic ?? Cheers! ATTACH=CONFIG]306402[/ATTACH]

[BottleRocket]

I'm new to CNC but seriously considering the Omio X6-2200 (figure I'd jump in on the deep end ). I have a couple questions:

1) it's sounds like the only significant upgrades between the Omio & a newer generic 6040 (i.e.: http://m.ebay.com/itm/252260210053) is the following: HG20 linear rails, 2.2kw spindle (vs 1.5kw), limit switches. Given that the generic 6040 is about $1,000 less (with shipping factored in) couldn't you just upgrade those pieces & still save a significant amount?

2) Are the HG20 rails even available separately & can you just drop them into a generic 6040?

3) I know the 3-axis X6 does not come with the driver for the 4th axis but it sounds like the 4th axis option is underpowered so might be best to skip it but want to keep options open for future. How hard is it & what's involved to add 4th axis to 3-axis machine (considering it saves about $500).

4) what made you go w/ the 6040 or something like the Shapeoko 3 (pros/cons). Probably a stupid question but having a hard time tracking down direct comparisons & given the 1/3 price of the S3 thought it might help.

TIA

[dharmic]

1. You won't be able to just unscrew the curtain rods and screw in the HG rails. You'll also need to make the (accurate) mounts for the rails, align everything correctly and install it. That on its own, forget the spindle and switches, is probably a grand's worth of stuffing around that I was happy to let someone else do for me.

2. Yes they're available, no you can't just drop them in.

3. Get your 4th axis of greater power motor, your stepper driver module, a connector and harness and maybe an enable/disable switch. Cut holes in the back of your control box for the switch and connector. Install the driver (if you can find room in the control box and the higher power driver will run off the stepper supply), wire it into the breakout board. Should be ready to go.

4. Reasons I bought: This looked a tougher machine with the potential to be a hell of a lot more accurate. Plus, if it didn't work out as a reasonable aluminium cutter, it came with enough decent hardware that it'd be a good donor to cannibalise for parts on a more rigid frame. It had a controller setup that worked, too, unlike a lot of the generic 6040s. Finally - and most importantly - trawling this and other forums showed it (otherwise known as the Carving CNC) to be one of the more reliable units out there. From my reading I got the impression that the Shapeoko and similar were overpriced toys, and I wanted something with a bit more working room.

[BottleRocket]

Thanks for the detailed responses dharmic, much appreciated. These are kinda what I figured from reading through this thread but it's nice to get it summarized. One last question regarding #4, since ordering such a big ticket item blind like this is always a little scary: on a scale from 1 to 10 how happy are you with this purchase & would you do it again?

[dharmic]

REALLY depends on what you want it for.

Me? Some shed tinkering mostly in timber and delrin but occasional aluminium and maybe mild steel. Occasional use, not production. My attitude going in was "get something now, learn the ropes on it and if it turns out I want to get a proper machine, look at using this for bits and building the rest or flogging it and buying a decent one".

I've not been disappointed, apart from a very few minor things easily fixed it's gone really well. Others, obviously, haven't been so lucky. As we've mentioned throughout - buying an equivalent machine locally would cost 3x as much and it's up to each buyer to decide whether the savings justify the risk. Paypal and its warranties help with that risk, your bank credit card may have similar protection.

So long as those protections were in place? Yes, I'd buy one of these again for sure.

[BottleRocket]

Perfect, that's my use case as well. Definitely not production use, mostly just want to learn & have the ability to machine my own parts where needed around the house, etc. I think this is the one I'll pull the trigger on. This or the Shapeoko 3 (at a third the cost). Thanks again, I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions after purchase.

[aarggh]

Perfect, that's my use case as well. Definitely not production use, mostly just want to learn & have the ability to machine my own parts where needed around the house, etc. I think this is the one I'll pull the trigger on. This or the Shapeoko 3 (at a third the cost). Thanks again, I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions after purchase.

You won't be able to machine things anywhere near as easily or well on the Shapeoko compared to any 6040, very, very, different levels of robustness, performance, and machining. I wouldn't say the Shapeoko is a toy as everything has it's place, but I would never consider it a comparable machine to a 6040 or similar. More like a beefed up 3D printer with a spindle in my book.

If you were engraving or added a laser, then yeah, it'd possibly rock. Heavy machining of hardwoods, or aluminium, not so much. ;-D

cheers, Ian

[DanFPV]

Good points dharmic, thanks for the comments. I had a local proto shop make me 8 of these on a SLA machine. I actually put them on a machine and flew it last evening. These ran me $10.75 each to have made, so $43 a set of 4. Not what we want for production or for our customers of course. So onto the next step of changing the hub area as you mentioned and then see about getting another set made. Ultimately a mold would be great so I can cast them myself. I don't expect we'll be able to go the injection route.

Still one of these days I'll click and order my 2200 unless the bad things overtake the positive here in terms of experience and comments. Customer service is so much more important today in the world of instant responses and reviews.

One thought was if using a 4a machine then that would be my "jig" to hold the piece. Do top side then rotate 180 and do other side, after removing restrictions like you mentioned.

[dharmic]

You might be able to do a tombstone style job with the 4th axis but bear in mind how pissweak the Omio 4th axis is, I suspect any Z plunges or feed at the extremities - where you have maximum radius from the centreline of the 4th - will end up spinning the job against the stepper motor and ruin it. You never know, though.

Have you just belted out some flats on an angle for those blades, or have you looked into the aerodynamics of them? Eg aerofoil profile vs flat, drag/lift ratios along the blade length etc? I used to work with a company in Perth that did quads with fans in a ducted body (which was made with laser sintered nylon) and vague memories tell me their blades were anything but straight and flat...

[DanFPV]

You might be able to do a tombstone style job with the 4th axis but bear in mind how pissweak the Omio 4th axis is, I suspect any Z plunges or feed at the extremities - where you have maximum radius from the centreline of the 4th - will end up spinning the job against the stepper motor and ruin it. You never know, though.

Have you just belted out some flats on an angle for those blades, or have you looked into the aerodynamics of them? Eg aerofoil profile vs flat, drag/lift ratios along the blade length etc? I used to work with a company in Perth that did quads with fans in a ducted body (which was made with laser sintered nylon) and vague memories tell me their blades were anything but straight and flat...

They look flat but they are not. There is an airfoil shape and I will probably change it again. The originals are straight from tip to center ( chord or width the same ) and fortunately I am matching an existing product and making it more robust is all.
Maybe I am wrong but I see doing it laying flat as you see them now, then flipping 180 to finish other side, not standing them up. I might never get to actually machining them myself and just have someone machine a mold for me to cast copies.
I read that the 4a is weak, I think that depends on what you are trying to machine I don't know. Sure odd that OMIO won't address any questions about it so yea it's probably just icing not worth eating. These won't be steel or even aluminum. I make my own version of machinable wax and that would be my first attempt.

[dharmic]

No, I get how you'd do them - flat but held in the 4A so you could flip them but keep them in place. I bought the 4A for a bit of a giggle but mostly because it meant I had the 4th axis driver installed in the unit. In hindsight I'd still get that driver as an extra, but I'd be buying a different axis with a stiffer frame, different drive (one less susceptible to being reverse driven eg a preloaded worm) and the ability to be mounted as an A or a C axis.

Still, as is I don't think you could machine it on a 4A machine because of the blade overlaps on the hub. Maybe with a reduced shank ballmill that could get in between, but trying to get that sorted out in your CAM will be fun. A mold will be entertaining for the same reasons - how do you get it to release that bit between the overlap?

Hence my first reaction: given that your tangential speed is lowest near the hub, I don't think you'd lose much by pulling the chord in at the blade root so it didn't overlap and it would make any kind of machining a magnitude of order easier.

Cool project though!

[jindro]

Hi there , guys .
I just purchased X4 800L machine . Already assembled , machine works well so far ( only few small jobs done ) , but I think there may be a problem . Will try to explain as good as i can . When I look at X axis , ballscrew goes into bearings on both sides of gantry . When I look on right side of gantry , it looks like there are 2 bearings ( one on inside of gantry and one on outside ) . But on the left side of gantry , there is no bearing on inside , only on outside .
Is it supposed to be done this way ? I dont think so , but I am new to these things .
Thank you all for your comments .
P.S. I would upload a picture , that would show clearly what I mean , but I see only box for comment with no attachment upload possibility