[jeannine]

oh boy where do i begin. ive been beating my head off the wall for a week now trying to get my newest enemy my little cute 2020 diy chinese engraving machine to do anyhthing one day i can get the x axes to work then the next its gone, al day today the spindle spun now its gone and i have n movement, im literally in tears here and boy have i learned my lesson, i will not do it myself ever again

[awerby]

One of these: CNC router kit metal milling machine metal engraving machine 300w engrave machine-in Wood Router from Industry & Business on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group ?

What happens when you ask the seller for technical support? Only the sales staff speaks English?

How did you pay for it? Can you get your money back?

What kind of computer are you trying to run it on? Does it hook up via a parallel port, or USB?

Have you checked the wiring connections to see if anything's loose?

[jeannine]

usb and im on windows 7 a gatewaycomputer honestlyibeliebe it al works im just to computer dumb to hook it all up properly

[CitizenOfDreams]

This is why you paid only $400 for your machine. Now you have to pay the rest of the price with your time and effort. I am sure your machine is not a "paperweight", just be patient and you will make it work.

[awerby]

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like a faulty hook-up issue. If nothing ever worked, then sure, you might have plugged something in wrong. But if it works sometime but erratically, that points to other issues. Is that a Gateway desktop, or a laptop? Laptop computers have problems generating a decent pulse train, since they've got power-saving features that interfere with that. So if you can find another (desktop) computer to try, you might have more success.

If it still doesn't work, then it might be the settings in Mach3. Have you tried downloading it from Machsupport.com and installing it fresh? (Save your current configuration as a profile with a new name, for reference.) Have you gone through the motor tuning procedures? Sometimes changing the step pulse-width settings can help, if the motors take a little more time to respond. If nothing you do in Mach3 config helps, it's probably bad electronics in your machine, which is unfortunately all too common in these ultra-cheap routers. Replacing them with something good will probably double your investment, but it would give you something that at least moved reliably. Then you can go ahead and buy Mach3, which on your machine is doubtless a demo copy that will quit at 500 lines of code.

[jeannine]

i was under the impression mach 3 only worked via parralle port, i do not have that porton the chip card on the cnc

[jeannine]

as of todayi can get the z axes togo up and down the x axes makes noise like it wants to move but it does not actualy turn the rod same as the y axes the spindle when i attemp to turn it on makes a squeelling noise, i appreciate all the help unfortuantly iam so computer stupid this is becomming painful lol

[awerby]

If you don't have Mach3 (sorry, I was assuming that was what came with it) then what software is controlling it - WinCNC? I'm not familiar with that program, but it probably has a tuning function of some sort. Here's the manual: http://www.wincnc.net/webfiles/CNC%2.../WinManual.pdf If that's what you're trying to run and there's something in there you can't figure out, try making another post here with WinCNC in the header - there are a fair number of people who have struggled with these machines before. Be specific as possible about what you're trying to do, like make the spindle run, or wake up the Y axis.

[CitizenOfDreams]

Stepper motors "making noise but not turning" may mean:
- You are attempting to drive them way too fast (check the motor speed/acceleration settings in the control software);
- The motor is not hooked up properly (check for loose connections and broken wires);
- The motor driver is bad.

The spindle making sqealing noise... What kind of spindle is it - DC brushed motor, DC brushless motor, AC motor, stepper, something else? How is it powered?

[jeannine]

this is all the information i have on the actual machine itself....Stroke: 160x105x30mm
Reliable NEMA42 Stepper MotorsNote: Not for metal processing
Uses GRBL open-source control systems with USB interface
Can use software such as GrblController, UniversalGcodeSender, etc.
Comes Unassembled
Stroke (Work Area): 160x105x30mm
Reliable NEMA42 Stepper Motors
775 Spindle Motor accepts 12-36V
20100 Profile Table (100x180mm)
2020 Profile Rack

[Sundayforsammy]

If you have you Z axis working correctly then you can try out the X-Y axis motors by swapping the wiring over to the Z axis one at a time to test. If the x or y axis motors do not work on your Z controller then the problem is with the motors or wiring, if they do work on the z controller then the problem will more likely be with the software settings or the controller electronics.