When we were waiting for our Excitech to arrive - we were clueless about how to operate it. So for intending owners here is an overview. The commentary may not be technically perfect - but it should take the mystery out of it.
I will divide it into three posts - with photos for each operation. Here goes -

Part 1 Design work-

In order to operate the machine you need to have a good understanding of your chosen software. We use V Carve Pro. It is easy to use once you know the fundamentals. You can either download existing cad files into V Carve Pro or design your chosen object (s) within the program.The software will then create toolpaths and generate G code for the machine.
In the photos you will see the USB stick. This is pushed into a USB port on your computer before you start the design work. Upon concluding the design work you save the files to the USB stick, then remove the USB stick and put it into the DSP controller which will decipher the info and send it to the machine.

It is very important to warm up your spindle before operating the machine. Otherwise your bearings in the spindle will wear out prematurely which will result in expensive repair bills.

There may be a way to do this within the DSP controller, but we do not know how. So here is the method that both Shannon and Jimmy use.

Use the inverter keypad to warm up the spindle and also to alter spindle speed.
If you push the mode button it toggles through the display settings and after about 5 or 6 settings it returns to the original display. On one of the settings the O on the right hand end of the display will be flashing. Use the arrow across button till it gets the first digit on the left flashing. Change it with the up and down arrows ( you can change any of the digits to set the output speed ). Warm it up for 2 minutes on 200hz ( 12,000
rpm ) and two minutes on 300hz ( 18,000 rpm ).
Thanks to Shannon for this info.

( you can change any of the digits to set the output speed ). Warm it up for 2 minutes on 200hz ( 12,000
rpm ) and two minutes on 300hz ( 18,000 rpm ).
Thanks to Shannon for this info.

The HSD spindle manual also recommends 1 minute at 24,000 rpm.

Shannon.

After putting the USB stick into the DSP controller and warming up the spindle - you can get ready to start routering.

1) Load the board to be routered onto the table and start vacuum pump

2) Remove the dust extractor cover from the spindle and fit the required router bit into position on the spindle

3) Z Zero This must be set before starting any router operation. It tells the machine the height of the board on the table - and therefore at which height to start routering. Note that Ramon is using the paper method to get a precise reading. If the paper is torn by the router bit without the bit touching the surface of the board- you know it is correct.

4) Set process speed and travelling speed on the DSP controller. Our machine maximum speed is 8,000 mm per minute. We generally run it at about 4,000 mm per minute as we do not want to run it flat out.

5) Start dust extractor, then hit the go button! The machine will go through the program exactly how it was programmed. When it is finished routering it will return to the home position ready to have a bit change if needed. If you are finished simply turn the machine, vacuum pump and dust extractor off.

So you will see that it is easy to operate the machine. The hard part is in the design work on the computer. That is why experienced cnc men will always tell you to learn the software before you buy a machine!

Hope this has helped you to get an idea of how to operate these machines.

Excitech rules!

Rocket.

Our spindle has a maximum speed of 18,000 rpm!

Rocket.http://cnczone.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://cnczone.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://cnczone.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

Hmmm that does put a slight damper on things then,

Great articles by the way, Should be very good to help out anyone wanting a quick setup guide.

Shannon.

It is very important to warm up your spindle before operating the machine. Otherwise your bearings in the spindle will wear out prematurely which will result in expensive repair bills.

There may be a way to do this within the DSP controller, but we do not know how. So here is the method that both Shannon and Jimmy use.

Use the inverter keypad to warm up the spindle and also to alter spindle speed.
If you push the mode button it toggles through the display settings and after about 5 or 6 settings it returns to the original display. On one of the settings the O on the right hand end of the display will be flashing. Use the arrow across button till it gets the first digit on the left flashing. Change it with the up and down arrows ( you can change any of the digits to set the output speed ). Warm it up for 2 minutes on 200hz ( 12,000
rpm ) and two minutes on 300hz ( 18,000 rpm ).
Thanks to Shannon for this info.

Great thread Rocket

My inverter has however a different way of operation.
Before I hit the start button I simply hit the up or down arrow and the display changes to it's frequency setting and I just hold the arrow (UP/DOWN) until the desired freq is read. Then I just hit start and the spindle starts slowly to rev up to the desired frequency.

I normally start between 100-200 for at least 5min. Then I adjust accordingly to the needed Rpm's.

Note that a slower speed on you and mine spindle heats the spindle quickly because the fan is going slower (I assume we have the same spindle since we both max out at 18K Rpm's).

Just a small twist on how to operate.

Kent

Ripper mate!

I will get Ramon to try your method on our machine.

If any Excitech users can add any tips on how to operate the machine - Please don`t be shy. Post them here. I am flying blind as i do not operate the Excitech, but that is all about to change!

We are selling more and more Robes with routered panel doors. Ramon works a couple of days a week and cannot give us any more hours or his university studies will suffer. So yours truly is about to undertake a crash course in the fundamentals of using V Carve Pro. I have only had a computer for a couple of years so poor Ramon may find it a bit of a challenge to teach me. LOL!
Operating the machine should be easy for me, but the programming side of it is not going to be a walk in the park. Time will tell.

Rocket.

It is very important to warm up your spindle before operating the machine. Otherwise your bearings in the spindle will wear out prematurely which will result in expensive repair bills.

There may be a way to do this within the DSP controller, but we do not know how. So here is the method that both Shannon and Jimmy use.

Use the inverter keypad to warm up the spindle and also to alter spindle speed.
If you push the mode button it toggles through the display settings and after about 5 or 6 settings it returns to the original display. On one of the settings the O on the right hand end of the display will be flashing. Use the arrow across button till it gets the first digit on the left flashing. Change it with the up and down arrows ( you can change any of the digits to set the output speed ). Warm it up for 2 minutes on 200hz ( 12,000
rpm ) and two minutes on 300hz ( 18,000 rpm ).
Thanks to Shannon for this info.


Hi Rod, thank you very much for your threads and assistance! There is another way to warm up the spindle from DSP as following:

Menu--MACHINE SETUP--Spindle Delay--enter 10,000--OK

Maybe better for Ramon's knees:D

You might want to consider letting the DSP take the feed rates from the gcode.

There is a setting on the DSP, I forget what it is but easy to find, to use the feed rates as contained in the gcode.

That way you can have suitable feed rates set up in Vcarve Pro for each tool and they will be output with the gcode.

Greg

You might want to consider letting the DSP take the feed rates from the gcode.

There is a setting on the DSP, I forget what it is but easy to find, to use the feed rates as contained in the gcode.

That way you can have suitable feed rates set up in Vcarve Pro for each tool and they will be output with the gcode.

Greg


Yes, that's convenient to set the working speed automantically. the path is:

MENU---AUTO PRO SETUP---G CODE READ SETUP----READ F , Change is to ENABLE will be ok :D

Hello All,

We have a machine that uses this DSP controller and we would like to
change the spindle speed under program control. Does anyone
know if this is possible. Do the S codes work. I have seen instructions
on activating F codes and setting the spindle speed from the pendant
but not in the code.

Any clues?

Cheers
mike

Hi all,
I'm new to this and thinking about buying an Excitech or similar DSP controlled machine.
If I buy a single spindle machine, will it be possible to add another spindle or drill head in the future and get ATC type of operation?
You comments will be most welcome.
CABINET MAN

most gantrys are configured for single spindle or atc at fabrication, if you "think" you will need multiple bit operations (panel proccessing, mdf doors, etc.) then you will!!

jim

There are some new blokes looking at these machines, so i just wanted to bring this thread back to the front page.

Rocket.

For new machine owners.

Sh-cnc may have rectified this problem by now- not sure. If they have not - Please make this modification BEFORE you use the machine.

The DSP Cable fits into a connection on the front of the control box near the floor. Unless the cable and connection are secured to the machine and kept off the floor - someone will step on the cable and damage the pins in the connection. See photo below

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/rocket67/DSC00718.jpg
As you can see in the bottom LHS of the photo - The DSP Cable is on the floor - An accident waiting to happen.

The next photo is a close up of the connection

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/rocket67/DSC00716.jpg

You need to keep the cable off the floor at all times. We placed a block of wood under the connection to support it. From the plumbing section of a hardware store we purchased some 1/2" brackets that are normally used to secure pipes to a wall. These were screwed to the leg of the machine to secure the cable and keep it away from the floor.
We screwed a coat hook onto the other side of the machine to hang the DSP controller up -This will keep the cable off the floor. Problem solved!!http://cnczone.com/forums/images/icons/icon7.gif

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/rocket67/DSC00763.jpg


http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/rocket67/DSC00764.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/rocket67/DSC00774.jpg

I cannot emphasive enough that if your machine arrives as ours did - make this modification before you crank up the machine. Otherwise somebody WILL step on the cable which will bend the pins at the connection and cause problems with the DSP.

Rocket

Nona has just taken delivery of a 1300 x 2500 machine and has posted in another section of the forum asking for assistance in running the machine

I am amazed that within all these threads there are no concise instructions on how to crank it up!

Today i programmed and operated our new router for the first time by myself. So i am a learner just like you Nona. I will give it a try. If anybody wants to correct me - please do so.

Lets assume you have loaded your board onto the table, and fitted the correct bit into the Spindle.

1) Fit the USB stick into the top of the DSP Controller.

2) Start the machine. The DSP Controller should be on. The green light is on.

3)The DSP Controller should read " Go to Home? This is actually a request. Press the " Home " Button - the gantry will go to the home position which is top left of table.

4) Warm up your Spindle. Press on/off button and you will hear the Spindle start turning. After 2 minutes turn the spindle off by pressing the on/off button again.

5) Time to Z Zero - never run a programme without doing this. Manually manouevre the spindle to your X and Y starting point. We always set ours to the top left of the material to be machined. You should have shown this in your software preparation. Carefully find the exact starting point using short bursts of the X and Y buttons. When it is precise at the point press x/y Zero button. Now press Z- to take the point of your cutting tip to the precise top of the material - then press Z zero button. Now send machine to home position by pressing Home button.

6)Press Run Button and scroll to U Disk file. Press OK and then scroll through programs till you find the one you want. Press Ok on the required file. Set process anbd travelling speed on DSP Controller. I suggest you run it slowly at first ( about 3,000mm/minute ) and then press Run. Machine will go through the program and return to home position when it is finished.

Thought i had better add a photo of the DSP Controller
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/rocket67/DSC02563.jpg

Until you are comfortable with running the machine - keep the DSP Controller in your hand and one fiinger on the stop/cancel button.

Disclaimer! I am new to this myself. Go carefully - and at your own risk!

If anybody wants to correct me - now would be a good time!

Rocket.

I will chime in and say that the really important bit is before you load the file onto the flash drive and put it in the DSP and also that you have double checked the material thickness in the CAM software compared to what you are cutting. If you don't you end up with interesting shaped holes in your machine bed (been there done that)
Also check the the objects will fit in the size material that you have on your machine.

Shannon.

G`day Shannon, We have quite a nice shape in our table too - when Ramon decided that he did not need to Z Zero one day.

You are the person who could have written these instructions better than myself. Are all of the steps in the correct order or is there anything you would do differently?

Rocket.

This is great thread Rocket, It's very informative.

My SHM1212 is on the way to Sydney and should be here in 3 weeks.
In somewhere in Excitech thread, I've read someone recommended to clean up the machine before hit the start button. Not just surface grease but ball screws,Rack and Pinion ,Linear Bearings, etc...
I tried to find this post without luck.
Could someone tell me what to do ?

According to my sales rep Jerry, machine would be double tested before leaving their factory.

Hi Bananafish, There is a protective coating on the exposed metal areas that you mentioned - which prevents rust from forming during the voyage.

We used " Wax and Grease Remover " to clean our machines. You can buy it at any Automotive Paint Supply Shop in 4 litre tins. I guess you could even use Kerosene or White Spirits, but the Wax and Grease remover is probably best and will not leave a nasty smell afterwards.

What about Lubricants? Maybe check into this business -
http://www.anglomoil.com/selected_product.php?product_id=38

We bought our Lubricants in bulk quantity from Anglomoil on the reccommendation of Jimmy007. The two products we bought are the Uniplex NLGI ( Grease ) for the Rack and Pinion and also the Pro-lon PTFE Spray Lubricant for the slides. They have both worked well for us.
It is most important to keep your machine clean and well lubricated. Any problems we have had were due to lack of lubrication. Depending on your frequency of use for the machine, it is probably a good idea to grease it weekly and spray the slides every day of use. Make sure that MDF Dust never builds up on the rails.

Rocket.