Any experiences with CNC 6040 ROUTER?

[john-100]

pictures of your machine and the control box showing the controls , rear connectors and the boards used in side will help

they mix and match the boards use depending on the spindle motor and stepper motors fitted to the machine

on a 3 axis machine they just install 3 stepper motor drivers

the breakout board used on a 3 axis control box can be the connectors missing for the 4th axis !
the connector for the home & limit switches may also be missing when the original cnc router does not have the switches installed


John

[tigerfan413]

pictures of your machine and the control box showing the controls , rear connectors and the boards used in side will help

they mix and match the boards use depending on the spindle motor and stepper motors fitted to the machine

on a 3 axis machine they just install 3 stepper motor drivers

the breakout board used on a 3 axis control box can be the connectors missing for the 4th axis !
the connector for the home & limit switches may also be missing when the original cnc router does not have the switches installed


John

Here is the controller.


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[HiString]

Identical to the unit we purchased a couple of months ago.

Cable "A" is for a 4th axis, usually a rotating unit that mounts to the T-slots on the bed.

Did you happen to notice the note on the back of your controller regarding laptops?

[tigerfan413]

No, I hadn't noticed it, but I also had never disconnected and inspected the controller until tonight. So thanks for that. We have another desktop at our disposal, we just liked the portability and had hoped it would work! Ill get the software over onto the desktop and we will see if that makes it run! I sure hope so.

[john-100]

be very careful and ensure you connect the spindle motor to the VFD drive output !

the VFD output should of been connected to a touch proof socket and not the same 4 pin plug they have used for the four axis outputs
( on the UK version I would not like to have 240V on exposed pins !! never mind the it being possible to connect a stepper motor to the VFD )

even if you could get the control to work with a laptop ,
the power saving features on laptops will cause timing errors with mach 3's pulse timing

John

PS

example of 5 pin plug & socket

[Adverse Effects]

even if you could get the control to work with a laptop ,
the power saving features on laptops will cause timing errors with mach 3's pulse timing

John

that is easy to to fix by going in and turning off power saveing and editing the power profiles of the USB / LPT port to not go to sleep and in to low power mode

but i still wouldnt use a laptop on a CNC

[A_Camera]

even if you could get the control to work with a laptop ,
the power saving features on laptops will cause timing errors with mach 3's pulse timing

The problem is not power saving, that can be disabled if needed, and in fact, it exists also in desktops. The problem is that most, if not all, laptops use 3.3V logic and those Chinese boxes require 5V logic. Anyway, with a simple UC100 you can convert any laptop with USB to be a compatible PC for CNC control.

I just noticed another thing which may cause problems. Those drivers look like if the PP port pins are directly connected to the opto couplers, without any buffers in between the PP port pins and the opto. That's is really poor engineering and crappy design. Also the LEDs seems to be connected directly... so those drivers seems to be real bad and should be replaced.

[A_Camera]

but i still wouldnt use a laptop on a CNC

Why not? I and many others use laptops without problems. What I would not do is using the parallel port, regardless if it is a laptop or a desktop. A dedicated motion controller is the way to go, Ethernet is best but even USB is better than PP.

[Adverse Effects]

I just noticed another thing which may cause problems. Those drivers look like if the PP port pins are directly connected to the opto couplers, without any buffers in between the PP port pins and the opto. That's is really poor engineering and crappy design. Also the LEDs seems to be connected directly... so those drivers seems to be real bad and should be replaced.

LOL its a $900 CNC made in the cheapest way possible with the lowest grade components and cabling and your astonished that the engineering and design of the boards are crap???????????

[Adverse Effects]

The common size mini cnc router in China is 600mm*900mm size, not 600mm*400mm

no body here asked anything close to a question that would get that reply so why did you post here??

trying to get your post count up so you can post spam??

[macinblack]

I ask the same, buy a full 6040 or a 6040 frame and buy all electronics like gecko 540 and better motors in other place?

[tgdavies]

I bought a G540 and an ethernet smooth stepper, and haven't regretted it -- but you do need to be comfortable wiring up mains powered equipment.
I didn't bother replacing the stepper motors -- what's the reason for doing that?

[Ryadia]

I think you'll find that controller is a USB to parallel affair. It would comew with USB CNC software. That controller board is claimed to be a counterfeit by the designer Planet CNC. The USB to CNC software is also an illegally modified copy of the real thing. I've got one of these controllers that's just been rebuilt by Homann Designs in Melbourne to use Gecko G540 controller and parallel port to parallel port. It hasn't fired a shot in anger since I got it back!

[tigerfan413]

Alright so we now have figure out a lot of the basics and can produce a few simple designs. However, we broke a straight flute end mill tonight, and I want to buy some more. Does anyone have a link to a starter pack of end mills I could order that would cover my bases. Most cutting is going to be on MDF and Birch wood.


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[Ryadia]

Thx for your fast answer. If i place two pieces of wood under to protect axes i can put it on its side. the question is would it damage the structure or damage the settings of the 6040...

I've got a vacuum mounting machine (for mounting photos without air bubbles) It has a ½" thick glass 'lid' that weighs more than a 6040 router does. My problem was it is 6 feet wide and 4'6" deep. The room I keep it in is 15 feet x 10 feet. Space is at a premium. I don't make enough out of this branch of my business to justify using any more space but I make enough I can't justify getting rid of it either.

My answer was to bolt the long edge (with the lid hinges on it) to a pair of gate hinges that are bolted to the brick wall. I have 2 gas struts to help lift it into table position. 2 legs under it fold up when I drop the table. It doesn't quite sit flat against the wall but I get a lot more space.

I also have 6040, 4 Axis router/engraver it is actually close to 60 KG. I can't see any reason why it couldn't be hinged from a robust wall. You might need gas struts to help lift it into position but if I had to save space with mine, I'd hinge the short side to a wall. The gantry doesn't overhang the table at one end so hitting the wall as you lift it wouldn't be an issue. The only issue would be the legs. They fold under my vacuum table because of its size but you won't be able to do that with your router unless you don't mind working it on your knees! I'd be real concerned if it hung from the rafters and I had to work under it!

[Ryadia]

i am considering buying a cnc router in the new year (just bought a co2 laser machine and currently working to learn that at the moment), ive read mot of this thread and from what i can tell the controllers are still not that good, if were to get a 6090 size machine is it the same issues but just with a larger bed size

im thinking of this machine

UK RS6090D CNC Machine Desktop 600x900 Cutting Router Cutter Engraving Milling | eBay

thanks in advance

That machine looks exactly like all the other Chinese machines except this one has a control box I've never seen before and some blue paint. Do you know that you can buy identical machines without stepper motors or the control box? The basic router is pretty solid. You might have to pack up one side with shims to get to cut perfectly even lines but otherwise, its the electronics and pirate software the Chinese sell that gives all the trouble. Here's a UK link to one selling for $900US
You might find that buying an 'all-in-one' chinese controller and one of these bare routers plus the stepper motors will not cost a lot more than buying one likely to need the control box rebuilt.

If you plan on cutting and engraving Acrylic you have the right laser for cutting. I spent nearly $1000 AUD replacing faulty electronics and having the gantry re-machined so it had near perfect depth from end to end and side to side. In hindsight I should have bought the bare machine and found locally available electronics for it. You know what they say about hindsight and where it comes from . Of course its your level of engineering skills that will determine which way will suit you best.

[scorpsrlz]

I bought a 6040 with 1.5kw spindle from eBay seller couple of years back and I have bought better shielded cables but never have the need to recable it. I normally use it to engrave anodized aluminum in fact I have use it to do pocket holes with 1/4" endmills, now I have been using it to carve 1/4" round stock of D2 steel, I would attach image of tool parameters. I'm very impresed with the acuracy and repeatability it has in such a miniature work piece. The only problem I have come to is that since it is quite a large machine for the type of job the vibration sometimes carbide V bits brake easily but most of the time they would last many pieces. I would probably buy a small fixed gantry with X/Y moving table for this small jobs.



Overall working hours till date should bearound 600-700 hours and no backlash whatsoever.

The only upgrade I would like to make is to add the PP to USB or probably change the motin control to a stand alone system.

I can say this machine with some dials and calipers can be scared to a very high accuracy to around 0.001"

I have been having diffculties adding pictures, I would try to edit post and add videos of the steel machining it is doing, in fact I have have made a mistake and tried to remachine a part that I had tempered and end up breaking like 8 carbide bits

[Truest]

Don't make mistakes by buying Lycnc or LY 6040. They sent me aluminum scrap for $ 2,500. At first it gave a breakdown. I never used it. they made a sloppy installation. Warranty is a big lie. Nice scam. Don't throw away your money by buying.

[my6040cnc]

My experience was spindle failing within a few months followed by the control box losing Z steps from time to time. I did a major upgrade, minus the supported Y rails, and all is well now. Very soon I am upgrading the unsupported rails. Long story short... If you like to tinker with machines and making something your very own then it's worth the time and money. If you just want to plug it in and start cutting stuff then avoid any of these machines.

[Wilstonb]

I got the 6040 with the 4th axis. I've had it about 2 weeks now. As stated above there is NO documentation. I have an issue with the Z axis dropping as it cuts. I'm almost positive that it is losing steps as it starts Z+ moves. I have contacted the sellers a number of times. They were demanding that I don't leave a bad review or request a return as they will resolve the issue yet its been almost a week and not a word. I have racked my brain for over a week now and still haven't got it right. Aside from the Zaxis issue it seems sturdy and all but if i don't hear back by this weekend or have it figured out myself by then, I do believe it will be going back
Frustrated isn't the word,
Bill