Seig X1 micro mill 'e'stopping Mach 3

[Shandy]

Hello Everyone
This is my first post on this site so please forgive me if I drop a few clangers. I have a Seig X1 micro mill fitted with steppermotors/driver boards from Routout CNC (here in the UK) powered by a regulated 12V DC supply. When I bought the mill (secondhand complete with steppers/drivers/powersupply) the vendor said that the varispeed control for the mill motor didn't work, it only worked at full speed. I got this repaired by replacing the duff mosfet on the control board (£6 as against £75 for a new board!) I have rebuilt the mill to correct the dubious build quality issues inherent with these mills and I,m fast approaching the time to actually start cutting/making something. My problem is that when i start the mill motor after a short while Mach 3 estops or limit stops even when it is not running a part program. The mill motor is plugged into the 240V ringmain in my workshop as is the computer and 12v supply transformer. The estop button and limit switches are wired with shielded cable and the computer has a surge suppressor between it and the ringmain supply. Has anyone had a similar problem? and if, as I suspect it might be, a suppression issue how and what suppressors do you fit to the mill/motor/speed control to cure this fault. Any help is greatly apprecated.
Regards
Shandy

[LUCKY13]

You said Mach3 is what E-stops your mill, so Mach must be picking up a problem somewhere. I would look over the Limit/homing switches real good. WIggle the wiring around, tap on the switchs, work the switch control arm/button and see if one of them is on the very edge of triggering or loosing connection. A lot depends on how the switches are run and if they are in series ( which is a good way to have them wired) then all it takes is a break in the curcuit anywhwere to trigger Mach.


It doesnt sound like you have the spindle hooked to mach, but do the same checking with all the drives and there wiring. If you cant find anything then unhook each drive one at a time ( with everything turned off ofcourse). So you would unhook one drive and motor, turn mill on and let it set and see if it E-stops. If it still does then hook that driver and motor back up and try the next one.

Somewhere Mach is picking up a problem. Try to eleminate eacg curcuit one at a time until you track it down. Limit/homing switchs are the worst for having problems so start with them.


Now i havnt worked with Mach or CNC for a while, there may be some problems others are having so keep up with your post incase someone knows of such going on.

Jess

[Al_The_Man]

Take a Shufti at these links, they may help diagnose the problem, one from a lad from Lancashire.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/phase_...lp_please.html
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/phase_...se_issues.html
Al.