[tvheadclothing]

Hello everyone,
I am new to the CNC world and I am looking for some help to get the CNC router I got from ebay to work.
I bought a CNC router model 6040 for about $1600.00 , it did not bring much instructions but it did bring 1 diagram showing how everything was connected and a second page explaining how to set up MACH3.
When I turn on the machine and the spindle starts to run the motors get stuck and they do not move, when the machine is off the motors can be moved manually.
I ve read many forums and have seen many different configurations for MACH3 but none has made it work. It seems that the program is not communicating with the motors and in result I cannot get MACH3 to control the machine.
I have tried almost everything and I do not know what am I doing wrong.

the setup on the program looks like this;

X 320- 3000- 200 - 5-3
Y320- 3000- 200 - 5-3
Z320 - 800 - 100 - 5-3

On the motor output (V means green Check )
X axis V 2 3 X V 1 1
Y Axis V 4 5 X V 1 1
Z Axis V 6 7 X V 1 1
A Axis V8 9 X V 1 1


The input signal
e- stop V 1 10 V X 0

I originally bought a computer (new computer ) and I had a parallel port installed on it and I thought that was the problem since when the parallel port is not original to the computer you need to configure it differently on the ports and pins options, so to rule that option out I got an old computer I had that had the parallel port on it already and it is configured to 0x378 so that is not the problem (or at least I think it is not).

Again I am very new to this and maybe I did not explain it well, so let me know if there is something I am doing wrong , as I have been trying to get the machine to work for the past 3 days : (


Thanks for your time and help !

Attachment 264204

[1jfhoule1]

did you get a ESS (smooth stepper)card in your controler = ethernet or usb connection?

[tvheadclothing]

did you get a ESS (smooth stepper)card in your controler = ethernet or usb connection?

Hello,
I dont think I have a smooth stepper, this is how it looks from the back and I only have a parallel port connected to the CPU.

[1jfhoule1]

this is old style this is a printer port?
when the machine is off you should be able to move the x an y axis by hand if these axis are rack and pinion
when you put the machine on it will take a lot of force to move it by and is that right?
did you try to contact artsoft usa ?
this is a very small problem

[SG50]

Try to get more info on your cnc model and controller.Many people people with this controller got theirs working.
Download Mach3 installation and config manual. The settings are in there. In general some mach3 setting is not correct.
Also even if you think you have an old PC with parallel port it is actually a newer type from the really old PC parallel port
that outputs 5 volts signals instead of the 3.3V signals the "newer" ones do so the controller interface cannot determine
what is high or low voltage "zero or 1s ".

[tvheadclothing]

this is old style this is a printer port?
when the machine is off you should be able to move the x an y axis by hand if these axis are rack and pinion
when you put the machine on it will take a lot of force to move it by and is that right?
did you try to contact artsoft usa ?
this is a very small problem

Hello Again,
Yes the port is old style parallel, and yes you are correct when the machine is off I can move the axis by hand but when I do turn the machine on they get hard.
I have not contact artsoft Usa , I will google their info, and see if I can get them to give me some support.
Thanks for all the info. I feel also like it is a small problem and most likely it has to do with the settings on the software. It is just a bit frustrating to try to make it work.

Thanks again !

[tvheadclothing]

Hi,
Where could I get more info. on the machine ? I know the blue box has no number or model number that I can see. But I do think the spindle has a model number on it.
Again I am very sorry for asking all of these questions but I am a newbie to this machine or the CNC world for that matter.
How could I adjust the signal from 5 volts to 3.3.
Also would you recommend to contact artsoft maybe they can help?
I am almost sure the problem is in the setting of the software.
I dont know what else to try, I ve read many forums threads on this and other websites but none have worked.



Thanks for taking the time to reply to my questions.

[SG50]

Read mach3 manual first...

http://www.machsupport.com/wp-conten...all_Config.pdf

[aarggh]

Those bluebox controllers that are supplied with the 6040's are pure garbage. Inside you'll find 3 YOOCNC branded drivers, with TB6560 driver IC's, that are actually a very inferior clone of the genuine YOOCNC drivers that Carving-CNC sell.

The controllers sold with all these machines will in most cases simply not work at all, or will sort of work to a certain degree. Unfortunately the design of these boards varies with the most usual issues being:

extremely bad layout and component design
complete lack of or improper earthing/ground
extremely susceptible to noise, especially from the VFD/spindle
lack of decent signal isolation, usually the opto's are actually bypassed or soemtimes not even in circuit
very peculiar power up/down sequence that must be followed to minimise chances of driver IC's blowing
shocking mid-band reasonance

And the list goes on.

This is not opinions, but very well documented facts, and backed up by the thousands of posts in a number of threads here. Assuming you have your PC settings right, maybe you'll be lucky and get the tuning right, and you could search the forum for the threads where people fixed their controllers, or got them going somewhat, by a number of PCB reworking options.

You'll notice there are extremely few posts here from any people that have got their infamoues blue box controller working to any degree of satisfaction, compared to the thousands who realised it was not worth spending more time or wasting good money after bad.

Myself, I'd recommend run a mile and buy a good driver like the massmind or G540.

cheers, Ian

[Malt]

Hello tvheadclothing,

I know that this is about 5 months after you posted your problem but I was wondering if you were ever able to fix it?
I got a 6040 with no instructions or nothing, do my drawings in aspire and from there in G-Code to Mach3 but the problem is that everything
cuts about 1/6 or smaller of the original sizes, if you became an expert in the last 5 months, maybe you may give me a hint of what could be
the problem. I try in inches, mm, different speeds, etc. to no avail.
Thanks

[victorofga]

malt, you need to setup the unit per pulse in mach3..

make a mark with the router close to zero and send router to the fartes point then make again a mark
then check how much the control shows distance and compared with actually moved..

that way you can determine if steps were setup correctly..

[Malt]

Thank you VIctorofga, I will try that!

[tvheadclothing]

Hello Malt,
Sorry to get back to you late. Yes it was very hard to set up the machine with the measurments.
I would try what Victorofga said . Also when you save the file on aspire is it being saved in MM or inches ?
Are you using the MACH3 version that came with the machine ? the one I had corrupted my files and computer, I had to format my computer and install the paid version with the license. Its about 170$ on their website.
I had the same problem when I was using the MACH3 outdated version that came with the machine, when installed the new one it went away.

[Reidy01]

Hi I bought a 6090 SM off Ebay, turns out the guy's in Melbourne anyway its taken about 4 years to get the thing moving, its been very frustrating to say the least. Anyway I recently spent
yet more money on getting a guy from China that's here in OZ working for a local small computer repair business to come around and help after a few visits and not a whole lot of progress
he gets in touch and says I've been talking a guy from the stepmores company as I had suggested, and he suggested we try changing the printer port cable and it actually worked, so try that it may be of some help, lets hope so. GOOD LUCK.