Hello,

We successfully used our Tormach for about 3 months before it started having problems with some 3D programs. We are using MasterCAM X. Any ideas?

Yes, tell use what problem, Please put you brain in gear.

Regards
Phil

Hello,

We successfully used our Tormach for about 3 months before it started having problems with some 3D programs. We are using MasterCAM X. Any ideas?

Although good forums are extremely helpfull, I find that the quickest help can be often had by calling the vendor/manufacturer. They often hear the same user problems over and over and usually have quick and easy solutions.

Nice post philbur ... get your typing in gear.

I meant to say that it had a tendency to just stop in the middle of the program. Not always in the same spot...but at different parts of the program.

We have contacted the manufacturer and don't expect to have anymore problems, but I was just wondering if anyone had similar troubles. I think Tormach's solution should be ok...but I just wanted some feedback.

But...it doesn't seem like there will be much help on here, only from Tormach.

What did Tormach say the problem was and what was their solution?

Perhaps we can recommend a more robust version of their solution.

Nice post philbur ... get your typing in gear.

I meant to say that it had a tendency to just stop in the middle of the program. Not always in the same spot...but at different parts of the program.

We have contacted the manufacturer and don't expect to have anymore problems, but I was just wondering if anyone had similar troubles. I think Tormach's solution should be ok...but I just wanted some feedback.

But...it doesn't seem like there will be much help on here, only from Tormach.

You meant to say but you didn't say. You will never get much help if you are to lazy to explain the problem.

Regards
Phil

Nice post philbur ... get your typing in gear.

I meant to say that it had a tendency to just stop in the middle of the program. Not always in the same spot...but at different parts of the program.

We have contacted the manufacturer and don't expect to have anymore problems, but I was just wondering if anyone had similar troubles. I think Tormach's solution should be ok...but I just wanted some feedback.

But...it doesn't seem like there will be much help on here, only from Tormach.

Phil,

The number of words you use up to humiliate a person could be much better spent in helping them instead. Same effort but much better results all around.:-)

Mariss

Hi Mariss,

I was trying to help. Somebody that posts such a question and then in a second post apparently blames the forum when they did not receive any helpful answers needed a wake up call. If some mild embarrassment leads then to take a different approach then I was successful. Letting this poster go away believing the post was legitimate would have done them a disservice.

Regards
Phil

Phil,

The number of words you use up to humiliate a person could be much better spent in helping them instead. Same effort but much better results all around.:-)

Mariss

I have had problems with my Tormach machine, but not that particular one.

Sounds like the heat problem that they sent the heatsink out to us for. Was that your solution?


Speaking of the heatsink, was anyone able to get it to install like in the picture on the SB? I found that I did not have enough room between the component heatsinks to get the screw through like the SB shows. I had to mount the external heatsink on the opposite side of the component heatsinks to get it to work. Looks like it should work fine, but since I haven't had any overheating problems I don't know...

Dave

Uh,.. Heatsink for what? The motor drives maybe? I can give you helpful information if that's the case.

Mariss

Hi Mariss,

See service bulletin SB0006 on the Tormach website, under "Help and Support - Document Library". The problem related to thermal overload of a voltage regulator on the VFD which caused the spindle to shutdown after running for sometime. The attachment of a heat sink, supplied by Tormach, to the regulator apparently solves the problem.

Mine fitted as described in the bulletin without a problem. I have not had the described problem before or after fitting.

Regards
Phil

Uh,.. Heatsink for what? The motor drives maybe? I can give you helpful information if that's the case.

Mariss

That's right, I'm sorry I wasn't thinking. The SB addressed a problem with the spindle shutting down in the middle of running.

It was an overheat problem with the VFD, but the heatsink gets installed between two voltage regulators on the control board not the VFD itself.

I have mine attached, it just isn't identical to what they pictured. I had to put the heatsink on the other side of the regulators. Won't know if it helped anything or not though because I never had the problem.

But this is not the same problem that EPM was asking about...

Dave

I have also been fighting intermittent VFD problems. The current issue is a fault of some type. The spindle dies and the orange light comes on. Sometimes I get 2 or 3 faults per hour. Sometimes it runs all day without problems. It seems that if I turn the little pots up and then back down it will work fine again. Possibly a bad pot or something.

I also had a bad connection on the Auto/Manual VFD switch on the door. It would just shut off randomly. Took a while to figure that one out because every time I would open the door it would work - it would pull on the wires slightly when the door opened and make the connection.

The heat sink on my machine would not go on as the picture described either. Took a little modification to get it to work.

I am planning on re-wiring the entire machine as soon as we get caught up and maybe add a fan to the cabinet. There are many loose connections that are just waiting to cause problems and the cabinet is always quite warm when I open the door.

I gather that the Tormach has quite some design and teething problems. The location of the electrical panel has potential for coolant seepage and possible electrocution... I gather this from internet research. It sure looked good at first to myself. I came soooo close to buying one. Mike

I don't think the cabinet/coolant problem is so much a design problem as one of usage. The machine was never designed for inside washing machine conditions. If you want this you need to move the control cabinet, not a big deal.

The Tormach was made down to a price, thank god, so for many of us it is fine, without it we would be run retro fit mill/drills, or still waiting. If you want to use it on the edge then you will probably need to modify it, or buy something further up market, much further.

Like any product if you design and built it according to the requirements of your most demanding customer a large percentage of your potential costumers can't justify the asking price.

Regards
Phil

I gather that the Tormach has quite some design and teething problems. The location of the electrical panel has potential for coolant seepage and possible electrocution... I gather this from internet research. It sure looked good at first to myself. I came soooo close to buying one. Mike

I came soooo close to buying one.

Don't get me wrong, I am very happy I made the purchase. It does exactly what it says and more. The next step, as Philbur mentioned, is quite large. When I was looking the next step for me was a Haas TM-1 for around 5 times the cost.

potential for coolant seepage

I use a lot of coolant on my mill and have never had any moisture in my cabinet. I think that if you were able to get coolant in the cabinet you would have it all over your shop also.

Tormach has quite some design and teething problems

If you think that there seem to be a lot of small problems with the Tormach, take a look at the Fadal or Haas forums. CNC machines have a lot going on and a lot of things that can go wrong. The nice thing about the PCNC is that it is designed so you can fix it yourself if/when something happens.

If you are new to cnc machines I would especially recommend the tormach. I was concerned about the 60ipm rapids being too slow but when you are new that gives you just enough time to hit the E-stop when things don't go like you had planned. There have been several times when I hit the wrong button and things started to go wrong that I had thought "I'm glad I didn't do that at a 1000ipm rapid!!!". Or when I just recently drilled a small hole in my table " I'm glad I didn't do this on a $40K machine". It takes a while to get used to controlling something by numbers alone.

If I had a chance to rewind the clock and do it all over I would buy another Tormach without any doubt. If I lost my Tormach now though, I'd replace it with a Haas because I have a better grasp of cnc now and a little extra money.

:) I have been running my machine 6 to 12 hours a day mostly on stainless steel 6 days a week with full flood coolant, I leave the machine and PC turned on all the time, I never shut it off. No over heating or shut down problems yet, well the motor door came open a couple of times while it was cutting and of course the spindle stops but the travel keeps going so you know what happens to the cutter and the part. I am very happy with this machine so far, the very expensive machines have their problems also and when they do its costly. So far the bottom 3rd of the cabinet gets wet on the outside but has stayed dry on the inside. So far so good.

I don't think coolant getting into the cabinet is an issue. The cabinet is designed with a generous lip that fits into the door when closed. I've had mine for a few months and have been very impressed with the machine's capability, accuracy, and especially the repeatibility. I've also been impressed with the fact that with some 150 machines deployed, I read very few complaints from users on either of the two forums. The company seems to be remarkably open with both the design details of their products as well as any design/production issues that invaribly come up. I certainly own other equipment that isn't as well supported.

I've been thrilled with my machine. Ive had a couple challenges, but Greg has taken care of them immediately and to my satisfaction.

Tormach has given me the ability to buy a machine at a price I can afforrd... learn CNC machining(its been a dream of mine for some time) and produce very high quality parts in almost no time.... and I've only got a few hours of time on the machine, and no previous experience and was able to produce this little gem!

http://norcal-cobras.com/cnc/oil-bypass/images/IMG_4547.jpg

Im not aware of another machine that will give you the accuracy, rigidity, service, support and documentation that the Tormach will any where near the price point.

My hats off to Greg and his whole Tormach team!

David

I was going to ask dave6 how do you like your Tormach but, I see the replies speak for them selvs.
I thought very hard about getting one to dedicate to a prodution job that is too heavy for an engraver or a router but too light to tie up one of my bigger machines with.
I was looking for a used Proto Trak without much luck, think I'll look at the Tormach again too.
Thanks