For newbies - How to operate the Excitech

[rocket67]

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.

[rocket67]

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.

[Big S]

Originally Posted by rocket67 ( 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.

[rocket67]

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.

[rocket67]

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

Rocket.

[Big S]

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.

[Kent_Norway]

Originally Posted by rocket67 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

[rocket67]

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.

[Taney118]

Originally Posted by rocket67 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

[Greolt]

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

[Taney118]

Originally Posted by Greolt 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

[advcomp]

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