I own a CNC3040T-DJ which has a strange problem that I don't know if it comes from hardware or software. I use mach3 for control with an UC-100 USB to parallel controller and I generate my toolpaths with Vcarve. The spindle is the stock brushed air-cooled 230W spindle. So far I've used it mainly for 2D routing of fiberglass laminate, but recently I started getting into aluminium melting and I started using the CNC to 3D carve styrofoam for modeling. For that I use Cut3D.
The problem is that the X axis drifts in a weird way. Evey time that I combine two or more different toolpaths (for example a pocketing toolpath with a cutting toolpath, or two cutting toolpaths or the roughing and finishing toolpath of a 3D carving the X axis drifts by about 0.5 to 1mm to the right (towards positive X). At first I thought it was a progressive drift and that It was related to either missing steps, as the computer I was using for driving the CNC had 3.3V parallel port signaling, so I bought the UC-100, but the problem is still there. Then I thought that maybe the X axis couple was loose, so I tightened it but nothing.
Seeing that the drift is always in the X axis and it's always about the same amount and it only happens when there are two or more combined toolpaths in the same Gcode I don't know what the problem can be. I think it might be software related but I'm not sure. Any clues?
try changing your setting in mach3 for the x axis slow it down to about half try it if it works bring it up slowly till it happens again then back it down a bit. Missed Steps
Sorry to hijack the thread, not sure if this was resolved or not.
I am having a similar issue with Mach 3 and a Chinese CNC.
I am getting drift on the X axis when it is set at raster 90 (X ends up being the main axis of travel), but when I do a toolpath at raster 0 (Y being the main axis of travel) everything is fine. I need both though so I really want to fix this.
With each pass, X travels the same distance closer to the -X. So by the end of the cut, (depending on the length, X can be off by up to 10 mm! When I tell the CNC to go home, X has a new home position -10 or whatever the amount it ended at.
Please help, any information anyone can provide is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
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CNC3040T-DJ X axis sudden drift
