For newbies - How to operate the Excitech

[Cabinet Man]

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

[cabnet636]

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

[rocket67]

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

Rocket.

[rocket67]

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


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



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!!








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

[rocket67]

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


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.

[Big S]

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.

[rocket67]

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.

[bananafish]

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.

[rocket67]

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_pr...?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.

[sanak]

Hello
My first thread...
Just received a new machine- and as most of you felt lost about the lack of an useable documentation or an operation handbook. Well we all can complain about that and the lack of service by Exitech- but in the end we sit all in the same boat and our only chance is to help each other. This only works if everyone contributes a bit - here my part:
I started to write a "starter handbook" were I tried to compile all info's from the documentation and the forums etc in just some 15 pages.
It should cover everything from unpacking to operation and maintenance.
This handbook is not checked or validated, will have some bugs and is in bad English (I am not a native speaker)
-and most of all still lack a lot of vital information (e.g. DSP menus/meaning).
I hope that this document can grow over time with the help of everyone.
Right now it is limited to basics and a simple SHG1224. I am sure that some machines and especially the DSP and Inverter software are different. But I hope we can manage that. So if you want to contribute - send me a reply and don’t forget the machine type and SW version you have so I can mark that.
I will update this doc from time to time as soon new info’s reach me.

Crank it up
Klaus (from Noumea in the Pacific)

[bananafish]

Sanak
This is the first and the best English Excitech manual I've ever seen.
Thank you very much for your contribution.

I have received my first machine from Excitech few weeks ago.
The machine is still in the wooden crate and sitting in the workshop.
They send me a wrong model.
I'll follow your manual once I receive the right machine.

[sanak]

Hello
updated some menu and operation aspects.
I found (perhaps?) the a new manufacturer page for the RZNC0501
http://www.richnc.com/Enindex.asp
Klaus