Motor speed problem/missing steps

[rich_cree]

Hi everyone. I'm struggling a bit to get my motors running right. I'm running Mach 3, with a Gecko 540 and Kelling 48V power supply & motors on a Taig mill.

I managed to calibrate everything fine, so each axis moves what it says it should when I ask it too. I tried some of the wizards in Mach 3 and they all seemed to work ok.

My problems come when I tried to cut my first proper part. I generated the g code in meshcam and I was really conservative with the feed rates (didn't want to do any damage). It seems my motors just don't run at all if the feedrate is too low. By low I am talking about 4ipm (100mm/min). Surely I should be able to run the motors this slow?

The part I test cut looks a mess. It's all of about the right dimensions but the circular pockets are all out of round, and the external walls are a bit chewed up where I'm guessing the mill has lost/gained steps.

Any ideas why my motors stall at low speeds? Is this normal???

Thanks for any help guys!

Rich

[SpeedsCustom]

It's not normal, I able to run my motors on my Taig with the 540 and same Power Supply using EMC2 not Mach at under 1 IPM. I can cut at .5 .6. .7 etc...

Are you sure you set everything up correctly in Mach?


-Jason

[rich_cree]

Hi Jason

I'm guessing I've got something mixed up somewhere, just not sure where to look! Any pointers would be much appreciated.

Its calibrated right, a 100mm move is a true 100mm move when run at a high enough feed rate.

[escott76]

Hi everyone. I'm struggling a bit to get my motors running right. I'm running Mach 3, with a Gecko 540 and Kelling 48V power supply & motors on a Taig mill.

I managed to calibrate everything fine, so each axis moves what it says it should when I ask it too. I tried some of the wizards in Mach 3 and they all seemed to work ok.

My problems come when I tried to cut my first proper part. I generated the g code in meshcam and I was really conservative with the feed rates (didn't want to do any damage). It seems my motors just don't run at all if the feedrate is too low. By low I am talking about 4ipm (100mm/min). Surely I should be able to run the motors this slow?

The part I test cut looks a mess. It's all of about the right dimensions but the circular pockets are all out of round, and the external walls are a bit chewed up where I'm guessing the mill has lost/gained steps.

Any ideas why my motors stall at low speeds? Is this normal???

Thanks for any help guys!

Rich

You mention cutting wood. Are you sure that not only the dovetails/ways are clean, but also the leadscrew and nuts? Wood tends to get into everything, and a little sawdust in a precision screw can really bind things up. If the axis slides free by itself perhaps the problem is in the screw and nut, or maybe even in the bearings. Sawdust could bind up the bearings as well.
A systematic approach will find the culprit. Test everything in sequence working from the free-sliding dovetail back to a complete system.

edit, confused this with the other similar post. Not enough coffee. Advice still applies though, sounds like something is sticking somewhere. Systematically find it.

[fretsman]

Rich,

What OS on your PC are you running and if it's windows XP, have you done all the Mach 3 optimizations for windows? That can make a night and day difference in your performance.

Dave