[Adverse Effects]

Using the original cables?
Check their resistance when bending!
Maybe one broke and thus it only happens when it is bent in a specific way.

nope there all replaced with high quality shielded cables

[Adverse Effects]

played around with the ACPI no change

moved the steppers around X to Y , Y to Z , Z to X still no change (chair)

i have to be missing something somewhere

[handlewanker]

Hi, I think I've got it......it's the nut that holds the controller button on........only joking, couldn't resist that old joke at a time like this.....OK, OK, I'll go bury my head in a dung heap.
Ian.

[Adverse Effects]

Hi, I think I've got it......it's the nut that holds the controller button on........only joking, couldn't resist that old joke at a time like this.....OK, OK, I'll go bury my head in a dung heap.
Ian.

(wedge)

hehe i wish this it was that simple HAHAHA

[handlewanker]

Hi, I would hate to think that you have a duff G540............the very thought is treason, but we can't discount any possibility.

It's highly unlikely, but as the fault in the video seemed to be very predictable and localised, I looked at the first video and noticed that the X axis cable carrier also had the water cooling pipe attached to it........could this in some way cause a drag when at the end of it's travel?

Again highly unlikely, if it worked with the previous computer and the same set-up and the only difference is that a new computer is in the equation, you could go back to the oldie and give it a whirl.

If you get any glitch now with the old computer back on line, I would have to say it's mechanical.

I would also wonder how it can lose so many steps along the way, which would suggest that either the ballscrew is sticking in it's travel, (a bit of swarf trapped in the bearing block) making the stepper miss steps intermittently or there is a fault in the linear bearing block(s), also causing sticking.

Does this fault occur if you make small circles say about 200mm diam, and gives you ovals instead of rounds or even out of position circles and at various locations across the table?

The way I would test for missing steps accumulatively or intermittently during the travel of any of the axis is to start with the X axis at the right side (-) position for the zero start point, and set a dial indicator on the head against a block on the bed to zero....raise the Z to clear the block, and travers under program a fixed distance (300mm?) to another stop on the left side (+) and set another block on the table and against the indicator to read zero too, then traverse back to the right to the program zero start point and lower the Z....if the indicator reads anything but zero you have backlash or missed steps.

For CNC there can be no variation from right to left and back to right.

The same applies to the Y axis or table travel.

You should be able to bore a hole at one position, move over a set distance to another position, bore another hole and go back to the first hole position still on position........without having to take up the backlash as you would with a manual mill, where you always move in one direction against the screw to rule out the backlash.

One day someone will produce a test hole plate with holes bored accurately at regular intervals in the X and Y directions so that you can test your router and programs for accuracy of positioning, backlash and squareness using a small dial indicator with a stylus rotating in the hole.

You would get an immediate indication of any deviation from position at each hole centre, and if the holes were spaced at 25 mm intervals, this would be pretty accurate if all holes showed zero concentricity during the program run hole to hole.
Ian.
.

[Adverse Effects]

this is what is driveing me nuts

i have done about 10 diffrent cut files today so far the first one was "bumping" "thumping" and was loseing 1 step every layer it went down

then all of a sudden the the rest of the files cut with out a problem at 2500mm p/m feed rate no problem at all no "bumps" "thumps" missed steps

[Adverse Effects]

my unit is

P4 3.0Ghz 2Gb RAM win XP SP# no internet connection so no antivirus needed

china/ebay CNC 6040 + G540 4-Axis Digital Step Drive + all cables replaced with high quality shielded cables + 700Lt p/min pond pump all earth and shielding go back to a central point

[MarcusWolschon]

That doesn't say anything about the timing or voltage on the parallel port.

[Adverse Effects]

if i new that information i would post it i am better with a hacksaw and welder than i am with a multi meter

[sn0wchyld]

my unit is

P4 3.0Ghz 2Gb RAM win XP SP# no internet connection so no antivirus needed

china/ebay CNC 6040 + G540 4-Axis Digital Step Drive + all cables replaced with high quality shielded cables + 700Lt p/min pond pump all earth and shielding go back to a central point

hey mate

if you're still having issues, and haven't shot the thing yet :devious:... try getting a smooth stepper. it sounds like a mistiming from your computer to me (thoough im new to this too) I was having similar problems of missed steps, that got worse with higher feed rates.

Try also opening a new program or doing something else that will require the computers processing power while running the toolpath in mach3. if you notice more missed steps when doing so, chances are its the computer causing the issues. This is how I figured out that the computer was causing my problems, and installing a ethernet smooth stepper solved 'em completely.

[MarcusWolschon]

I would try HDD access and network load causing interrupts.
The CPU should not be the limiting factor.
(Timing is the reason why I replaced the LPT breakout board with a USB board that does the timing in hardware, getting commands instead of step+dir pulses from MACH3)

[Rodtp]

Thanks for the input. The machine arrived damaged, damage was inflicted by being dropped or hit heavily before packaging. The Z axix spindle was bent 45 degrees. New ball screw sent and fitted. I replaced the optical parallel port isolator power supply with it's own power supply rather than use a USB source. The machine tested OK using computer I use for a CNC mill. I haven't used the router since.

[MarcusWolschon]

I finished upgrading my CNC6040 to the PLCM-E3 and B1 boards.
Tales of a modern life: CNC6040 upgrade
Lifting all the limitations of the original electronics (Ethernet, no timing done in the PC, proper optocouplers, proper connectors, more axis, tons of inputs and outputs, 6 relays to control water cooling and mist cooling)

[leapnlarry]

It seems like most of the posts are talking about the older 6040 with the Blue box. Does anyone have any experience with this new version of the 6040 with the black box controller.

I am hoping that this machine from Yoocnc X6-1500 X4-800 3020 3040 6040 series - carving-cnc.com does not need all the upgrades like the g540.

here is a link to the machine.
CNC X6-1500GT-USB (4-Axes-Version) router engraver drilling and milling machine - carving-cnc.com

Attachment 242778

[aarggh]

It seems like most of the posts are talking about the older 6040 with the Blue box. Does anyone have any experience with this new version of the 6040 with the black box controller.

From what I've seen and read on the forums, the machine you've linked to at Carving-cnc is ready to go and doesn't have any of the issues of the cheaper ones. According to Carving, they claim they sell the genuine YOOCNC controller, not the blue box controller that's worthless. I bought the cheaper bluebox version, but it suited me as I changed to a G540, but the Carving ones do look very good.

cheer, Ian

[Adverse Effects]

from what i have read they still at times have cable breaking problems and you stall can not wind them up to the speeds the stepper motors can go at reliably

that being said they are 100% better than the blue box but i think i saw some one saying you still need to earth every in a certain way just carnt remember where i saw it

[Bob La Londe]

I believe the Chinese makers just cycle through "appearance" changes every year or so to confuse things for buyers.

For example. The infamous "blue board" is basically the same thing as the infamous "red board" controller. Neither work right, but if you want to spend a lot of time rebuilding it you can get it to work.

If you want to buy a rock solid ready to go 6040 (apx) it costs a lot more than the average Chinese import 6040, but you can change the controller, upgrade the motors, and power supply, and then you have something decent for a "little" less than buying a solid unit to begin with if you count your time at about 10¢ per hour. Even then most of the Chinese builders use a variety of shortcuts in mechanical assembley as well that you may need to tweak and/or modify to make them spot on. I have a Chinese router and I use it for some things, but I bought mine as a learning experience. I didn't have any false hopes that it was an awesome machine right out of the crate for a fraction of the cost of other similar size machines.

[leapnlarry]

Thanks for the responses. This will be my first cnc and i will also be using it as a learning experience, stepper motors, controllers, spindles, software. But i dont want to spend $2200 on a piece of junk either. I am prepared to change out the wiring, as this seems to be a major issue regardless of which chinese machine you buy.

A few more questons.

1. I am going to use an extra desktop windows machine to run the cnc, which currently has windows 7 64 bit. Is it ok to run windows 7 64 bit or do i need to load a 32 bit version.

2. I believe the chinese machine comes with a hacked version of mach 3, will this run on a window 7 64 bit machine also?

3. Which is the best cad program to use? I was going to use solidworks but some friends are using catia because that is what they are using at school.

4 Where is the best place to buy mills, drills, collets etc for this machine?

5. I was going to get the USB version of the 6040, has anyone had a problem with the USB version vs the parrallel port version

thanks in advance.

larry

[Bob La Londe]

Windows 7 64 Bit does not support parrallel port operation for Mach 3. If you add a USB or ethernet external motion controller then you can use it. I have a mill running 7/64 with an Ethernet Smoothstepper.

Whether or not the hacked illegal bootleg will run on 7/64 or not is debatable. Mine came with a very old version of Mach and it was flaky. I upgraded and bought a license and it was better, but it was even better yet when I changed controller, steppers, and added a USB smoothstepper. A Mach 3 license is only $175.00 (cheaper from some resellers). Just go legit right away and be done with that headache.

Catia and Solidworks both have followings. If I recall both are pretty expensive. There really is no "best." I use ViaCad 2d/3d v9 Pro myself because it works and its affordable. Remember that you need CAM too. I like CamBam for the price, but if you can afford Solidworks maybe you can afford a CAM plug-in to go with Solidworks.

There is no "best" place to buy endmills persay, but I buy a lot of the ones I use on Ebay from a number of venders. I've had good luck from Sun Coast Precision, Drillman, Rogersnf, and a few others.

I think you will have no choice, but to use the USB version with 7/64. PP doesn't work with the 64 bit version. As to how well it works. Who knows? I am sure they are not using a Smoothstepper, but there is a cheaper single LPT equivelant USB motion controller (UC100 I think) around that seems to work ok. Hopefully they are using the one that works instead of a poorly reverse engineering knockoff.

And the question you didn't ask. Yes, I think you should plan about $1000 for upgrades to your import 6040.

-

[aarggh]

I've found the 6040's represent a value that cannot be matched anywhere else, regardless of the garbage blue box controllers.

Mechanically they are generally pretty damn good, with good rails and ballscrews, (although I had to shim one side of mine). The only detractor is some come with a crappy low voltage DC brushed spindle. One of these machines with a decent 800w water cooled spindle, combined with a $300 Gecko G540, makes an awesomely cheap and very usable machine. When I did mine, I bought some extra connectors for a few bucks and made up some short extension cables for the steppers/gecko rewiring, so I didn't have to pull everything apart.

For us in OZ, the Shark Pro, (made of plastic!) here in OZ sells for 3-4 times the cost of a 6040, so yeah, they're pretty damn good value in my book, and they absolutely rock with a G540!

cheers, Ian