[Nan Gaidheal]

Hi folks, I'm pretty new to the world of CNC machining but being familiar with Artcam and several other CAD/CAM programs I decided to take a punt on a Chinese machine in order to satisfy my curiosity.

Well I'm now the proud owner of a Strong Signs Digitech CNC router/engraver which I've imported to Scotland from Guangdong, China. I'm using Artcam 9.1 with it and have enjoyed some success in setting up and figuring out the processes over the past fortnight.



It appears to a be a pretty good machine for the money, and I upgraded the spindle to a 2.2kw for the hell of it. It seems to be very similar to the Exitech and Quick CNC machines from China, although Strong themselves cite the build quality and the incorporation of European and Japanese parts as being the major difference.

Their technical support has been first rate, although I did have a couple of problems to begin with (one of the micro-step motors needed replacing for example) and Strong have been ultra-supportive and professional in their approach to all problems. I'm currently experiencing a problem with the plunge depth of my z axis (it won't go beyond 10mm when I am trying to cut doughnut shapes from 18mm MDF for some reason) but I think it is a simple parameter problem in the DSP hand-controller, they say that they will have the solution tomorrow morning. (Time zones are one of the difficulties in obtaining technical support from China - no answers in the same shift unless you start work at Midnight! :violin: )

On the whole I'm quite satisfied, but I would dearly have loved to have been one of many English speakers to have bought one as my Mandarin is non-existant and the language barrier can be a problem - especially when you are a Scotsman! :tired:

Slan leat,

Scott.

[Nan Gaidheal]

Meant to ask, if anyone here has experience of non-software related cutting depth problems on Chinese USB hand-controller machines then please feel free to let me know!

Thanks!

[Nan Gaidheal]

Turns out it was a simple pulse equivalent problem with Z.

So anyway 3 6mm endmills later and my first job is being turned out as we speak. Z is performing the way Artcam is asking it to and I'm happy! Hooray!

[lennybennett]

Hi Scott or Nan?,

this is my first post on this forum, but i have been looking on here for the last couple of months whilst awaiting the arrival of my strong 1318ds!

i have being very Cautious since unpacking yesterday, cleaned the machine throughly applied new grease and lubricant and started the Machine up after reading exchitech for newbies(believe they are very similar machines)

followed all the instructions without a hicup until i came to the tool sensor cad section. which is to test the tool sensor function on the z axis. followed the instructions to press "menu & on/off" buttons together to make the z axis move toward's the table.

i was under the impression this would move the z axis towards the table until it makes contact, then the z axis would recognise the contact and stop. MINE DID NOT! I hit the kill switch straight away.

can you advise me what i have done wrong or does the strong machine not have this function? and if so how do you set the z axis depth?

Sorry to pick on you and be so long winded in my question but you have the same machine as me, and i don't want to break it before i cut anything!

any help much appreciated, i am totally new to cnc so apologies for being such a newbie, but this machine could make a massive difference to my sign company.

many thanks,
Lee,
Fleet Grafix

[jamieholden85]

Hi guys,

I know this is an old thread, but I am hoping that some of you still use this site and possibly this machine.

I was just wondering whether anyone out there could help me with an issue? We currently have a sign strong 1318ds CNC machine, purchased from China. I believe it is quite an old machine. The issue we are having is that it will not home. It is moving in the x and y directions, and the z to an extent, but once it hits its z maximum, the controller does not recognise this, and the dial keeps going up. If I try to set the origin, we get an error message, 'some axis of the coord not set zero, can not go to origin'.

All the alarm lights inside of the box are green, so we are led to believe it is a programming issue.

Sorry if this is a basic question but we are all new to this. If someone has a copy of an English user manual that they wouldn't mind sharing with us, that would be great. If not, I look forward to hearing your responses.

Thanks, in advance.

Jamie