Taig CNC Micro Mill 2000 motor issues

[bdoop21]

Hi everyone.
I seem to be having some kind of problem with pretty much all 3 axes on my new Taig CNC machine and I need help.
I am a complete newbie to CNC machining..so bare with my lack of knowledge of what I have just gotten myself into and please keep your responses simple. I have read everything that I received with the machine and almost the entire Mach 3 manual online. I "kinda" get it but am still new.
So story begins:
I was away for a week and when I got back and turned the machine on, a number of things happened.
When first turned the machine on, I did not think of jogging the axes...so I'm not sure when this occurred, before or after I installed the software for a brand new Z-bot Jog Dial 2.
When I first installed the software, I just thought it was going to work because the cd did not have any config instructions, or anything beside the installer on it. So I tried jogging the axes...first with the z-bot and nothing worked. Then I tried jogging the axes with the arrow keys just to check, and the Z axis did not work.
Then I found the config directions online for the z-bot from littlemachineshop.com (thank you)
I configured Mach3 to see the Z-bot properly but I still could not jog the Z axis at all. I think I rebooted the machine a few times and unplugged the motors from the driver box. Then the X axis didnt work...rebooted again and now the Y axis wont work.

Then I checked the motor outputs and input signals, and of course they had been cleared. I reconfigured everything as stated in the binder that came with the machine but the Y axis is still not working properly.
The motor is making all sorts of high pitched noises...when I hit jog, the numerical position changes as if it was moving but the table doesnt really move.

If I plug the X motor into the Y port on the driver box, then the problems happen to the X axis.

So..now after messing around by rebooting and changing the parallel port mode to all 3 possible settings, the Z axis is not moving at all when jogged and the Y axis is making awful noises when jogged. The coordinates in Mach 3 are changing.

As per the trouble shooting section in the book that came with the machine.
I think this is my problem:
PROBLEM: X, Y, or Z axis is not stepping correctly.
CHECK: This could be a problem with the parallel port of the computer. Check first if all the bit lines of the computer are working correctly. If this checks ok
then there may be a problem with the driver unit.
Call the factory at this time.

I do not know how to check the bit lines and I do not know what tools I need to do this. I can only imagine that I would know which pin is supposed to control what.

I'm about to go get a different computer to try but its a laptop. Its the only other computer with a parallel port that I have access to at this time. I think it might rule in or out the parallel port being the culprit though.

Am I approaching this correctly? Is there anything else that I should check/change?
Thanks so much.

[cartertool]

I configured Mach3 to see the Z-bot properly but I still could not jog the Z axis at all. I think I rebooted the machine a few times and unplugged the motors from the driver box. Then the X axis didnt work...rebooted again and now the Y axis wont work..

I hope you didn't unplug the motors with the control box powered up? That can cause big problems. I'm assuming you have the stock Taig control? Or which control do you have?

Am I approaching this correctly? Is there anything else that I should check/change?
Thanks so much.

First I would ununstall and reinstall Mach3 and do not install the z-bot.
Configure Mach3 for the machine and see if you can get it to work.

[awerby]

The only setting that works is EPP. ECP and "ECP and EPP" are worthless for CNC control.

Don't bother with the laptop - you're getting into more problems with that than you're avoiding.

Like Nick says, uninstall and reinstall Mach3. Remember to do the crucial restart when prompted. Install the XML file that configures Mach3 for the Taig. Oil all the axes on the slides and screws.

If you've wired that z-bot MPG into your system, take it out for now. (Of course, you need to have everything shut down when you do this, or any plugging and unplugging of motors.) Let the capacitors drain for a few minutes after shutting down - they can retain enough current to give a spark that will burn up a drive.

If the Y axis motor is making bad noises, try going into config/motor tuning and lowering the accelleration and velocity settings for that axis. Press the up/down arrow keys to jog it, and if you find a setting that sounds better, remember to "save axis settings".

Since you refer to "the binder that came with the machine", I'm guessing you got the Taig control system. If so, you can call Taig/Microproto and someone knowledgeable will walk you through a setup procedure. Once you get the mill working correctly, then you can call Little Machine Shop for help with their pendant. Let us know how it goes, okay?

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[bdoop21]

Ut-Oh, I think I probably did unplug the motors with the black driver box powered on...BUT I never did that before the motor stopped working right.
For now, while I get through these some parts I have to make, I have swapped the motor inputs of the rotary table with the inputs for the Y axis...so it is definitely something physical wrong with the driver box.
I did reinstall Mach 3 and nothing changed... I dont think Mach 3 had anything to do with it...but I still dont know why it happened.

I spoke to Microproto, they said to send the black box back.
He said it might be a bad transformer or bad connection in the box.

Thanks for your responses! This is a whole new world to me! I will keep let you know what it ended up being once I find out.
Thanks!!!

[Peter Zicha]

Kind of curious on how this pans out .....best of luck