CNC 6040 USB 1500w ebay - need help

[automationtechinc]

This machine may not have relay and spindle control in breakout board

You can not have the mach3 control if do not have analog control



https://www.automationtechnologiesin...ge/cnc-router/

[DarbyOhara]

This machine may not have relay and spindle control in breakout board

You can not have the mach3 control if do not have analog control



https://www.automationtechnologiesin...ge/cnc-router/

Everything is working fine with this machine. Thanks.

[DarbyOhara]

Guys (and Gals, if any),

I have a serious issue. I was working on a .75" thick board and was about to do a V carve before a .25 EM cutout. As it was carving I noticed the board was badly out of level and the carve was deep on left and light on the right. So I decide to shave off about .2 mill with a 3/4 EM. I re-zero'd the tool on the right side and hit run. The machine went to the left side and plunged into the board about 1/2" and the controller shut off completely (no power). I checked the vcarve setting for the tool and it should have only plunged .25". I've had many times to completely shut off Mach 3 and re-start because it acts funny. I do have a registered purchased license.

Anyway, I can not get the controller to turn back on. It is a Chinese PRT-E1500W . I opened the case up and can not find a fuse, which I was hoping would be the easy fix. I'm lost what to do. Plug the controller in and no power. Attached are pics. 1st is the front of the Controller. 2nd is the total inside with the top flipped back. And the 3rd is a closer look of the board. Beneath the board looks like a power supply. Can anyone help or advise?

Worse comes to worse, I'll buy a new replacement controller, but I am not sure where to get it. ebay doesn't seem to have just the Controller. When I search for this Controller model, it only shows compete Chinese machines. Appreciate any help...

[Mmpie]

My iec socket on the back of the case had a tiny little fuse tray that was really difficult to spot and even harder to open. Just looked like a solid lump of plastic til I removed it and caught it in the right light.


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[DarbyOhara]

My iec socket on the back of the case had a tiny little fuse tray that was really difficult to spot and even harder to open. Just looked like a solid lump of plastic til I removed it and caught it in the right light.


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YES! That was it! Not sure what an iec is, but the compartment was right below where the power plug inserted on the back. Wasn't easy to see, but now that you pointed it out. Took a screwdriver and little pressure, and popped right open. Slid open like a drawer. And yep, the fuse was blown. Luckily there was a brand new extra in a hidden compartment. Put it all back together and the thing powered up like Chinese Harley.... lol. Thanks again so much. Not sure what I do without this forum and you folks... Back to my project...

[Sterob]

YES! Not sure what an iec is,

IEC is a type of power connector used on electrical devices.

[DarbyOhara]

I got another question that maybe someone else has encountered this issue. I am not sure it is my Chinese 6040 machine, or the Mach 3 program, but I am kinda thinking it is the Mach 3 program. I carved out my 90 degree tool work on this project and I needed to simply change the tool to a 1/4" EM to cut-out. Tool changed and zero's the Z and glanced at the Mach 3 screen. Seemed to be ok, but remember, I had to move it so I could zero the Z, Hit the Go button... dang! Cut into my work wrong! I stopped it. Somehow my X axis is off by nearly 1 1/2". I know for a fact I did not touch anything on Mach 3 except the go and start. It's like it has a mind of it's own. It is annoying that I have to re-check the X Y zero each time I do something. Has anyone else experience Mach 3 issues like this? If so, what did you do to resolve it? I did notice a few times that I had to close the Mach 3 program out because it was acting up. This is so frustrating. Once again, another piece of wood ruined.

[Mmpie]

Yes, the cheap motion control cards at fault I believe. For some reason when you move the machine at an M6 command it restarts relative to your current position. Not sure exactly why.

Best thing to do is to save your files one tool at a time instead of having the whole job in one g-code file, that means you can jog your machine around as you wish between tool changes and not have any problems. It also makes it much easier to restart from a position part way through the job if you have to stop it for any reason, or to flick through the code to make hand edits etc.


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[DarbyOhara]

Yes, the cheap motion control cards at fault I believe. For some reason when you move the machine at an M6 command it restarts relative to your current position. Not sure exactly why.

Best thing to do is to save your files one tool at a time instead of having the whole job in one g-code file, that means you can jog your machine around as you wish between tool changes and not have any problems. It also makes it much easier to restart from a position part way through the job if you have to stop it for any reason, or to flick through the code to make hand edits etc.


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Thanks for the explanation. The cheap motion card? Is there a way to update/replace these with something better? And how easy is it with these Chinese machines? If I replace them with something better, would that mess up my other Chinese settings?

And I do save my tool paths separate when only the tool changes. It seems that when I positioned the tool manually to set the Z new tool zero that is when it might have lost the X axis. I am not sure, but it is just downright frustrating. I don't like to hit the Mach 3 goto Z button just to start a new path because the tool changed... I think there is a way to tell mach 3 to goto just the X Y zero position? If there was an easy way to re-check my X Y zero after setting the new Z, that would help a little.

[Mmpie]

Thanks for the explanation. The cheap motion card? Is there a way to update/replace these with something better? And how easy is it with these Chinese machines? If I replace them with something better, would that mess up my other Chinese settings?

And I do save my tool paths separate when only the tool changes. It seems that when I positioned the tool manually to set the Z new tool zero that is when it might have lost the X axis. I am not sure, but it is just downright frustrating. I don't like to hit the Mach 3 goto Z button just to start a new path because the tool changed... I think there is a way to tell mach 3 to goto just the X Y zero position? If there was an easy way to re-check my X Y zero after setting the new Z, that would help a little.

Changing the card, not so much an issue. Many people swap them for smoothsteppers and have a much more trustworthy machine after doing so.

X/Y zero, go into MDI and type “G90 G54 G0 X0 Y0”

You shouldn’t have to press the goto z button if you have a separate g-code file for each tool. Nor should you lose position after jogging in X/Y. Which could indicate lost steps on the X axis or coupler slippage.


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[DarbyOhara]

Changing the card, not so much an issue. Many people swap them for smoothsteppers and have a much more trustworthy machine after doing so.

X/Y zero, go into MDI and type “G90 G54 G0 X0 Y0”

You shouldn’t have to press the goto z button if you have a separate g-code file for each tool. Nor should you lose position after jogging in X/Y. Which could indicate lost steps on the X axis or coupler slippage.


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Ok... sorry I am a newbie... What is MDI?

On these smoothsteppers... are they just the card with easy replacement? Just swap them out and go? Or is there more configuring to do? Also, were do I purchase these for my machine?

I been doing a few projects successfully. After each job, before changing tools, I send the tool back to zero.. lift the Z and change tool, then re-zero the Z. Make sure the X Y didn't change. So far so good. Thanks again for your help.

[banjodave]

I didn't read all of this thread but here's what I did to setup a 6040 for my friend to cut inlay with Mach3: First - threw away the cable that came with the machine and bought a UC100. Second installed X+Y+Z+ limit switches. Then wired and configured accordingly. Note - we decided to keep the manual knob speed control active rather than control it from Mach3 as it's easier to change speed that way than click with a mouse. Mach3 does control on/off however. I used a Dell Optiplex 745 MT with XP to run the machine. It paid for itself in three weeks. Here's the pics:

[banjodave]

Last photo showing limit configuration. They are wired in series. I run my CNC (not a 6040) on a Gecko 540 and learning to set up my friend's 6040 was a little tricky. Luckily I ran my router with a Chinese control before I moved to the Gecko so I still remembered some stuff. Wiring the VFD was new to me and took some research as the documentation was crap/nonexistent.

[banjodave]

ALSO, this is important - we could not run the Z axis over about 50 or 60 IPM or it would skip steps. We set the X and Y at about 70 IPM I believe. The problem was in the drive because we swapped motors etc. to see if the problem followed.

BTW - MDI is Manual Data Input.

[DarbyOhara]

Thanks for the info banjodave. Quite interesting, but a bit too complex for me. I work with 8 thumbs and a mechanical/electrical IQ that is pretty low... lol. That is why I decided to go with a Chinese machine... few or little assembly required. But I know... they are made with cheap guts. However, I may try to tackle the limit switches (if I can).

I think if I can keep a decent working pattern as I have the past few days. everything will be fine for the simple jobs I am doing. I would eventually like to get into the 3D carving. But that may be a ways down the road for me. Again, thanks for all your help and information.

- - - Updated - - -

ALSO, this is important - we could not run the Z axis over about 50 or 60 IPM or it would skip steps. We set the X and Y at about 70 IPM I believe. The problem was in the drive because we swapped motors etc. to see if the problem followed.

BTW - MDI is Manual Data Input.

Ok.. but where do I find that? I thought there was a button control to goto to X Y home (not Z) in Mach 3.

[damo1023]

Hello all,

I am newbie on a forum and also in a cnc world. Today I got my usb 4 axis 6040 with 1500w spindle and trying to start it. Unfortunately machine came without any drivers, software etc. I contacted the seller on Ebay, but frankly don't expect much from him.

I have same machine and controller as you DarbyoHara. Would you be so kind and email me or put it on Google Drive (my mail is damo1023atgoogle.com) the software, drivers and pdf's that came with the machine? I would really help me a lot to start the machine. I am using HP laptop with usb 2.0 ports and Windows XP.

I hope I don't ask too much. Thank you for your help in advance.

best regards,
Damjan

[DarbyOhara]

Hello all,

I am newbie on a forum and also in a cnc world. Today I got my usb 4 axis 6040 with 1500w spindle and trying to start it. Unfortunately machine came without any drivers, software etc. I contacted the seller on Ebay, but frankly don't expect much from him.

I have same machine and controller as you DarbyoHara. Would you be so kind and email me or put it on Google Drive (my mail is damo1023atgoogle.com) the software, drivers and pdf's that came with the machine? I would really help me a lot to start the machine. I am using HP laptop with usb 2.0 ports and Windows XP.

I hope I don't ask too much. Thank you for your help in advance.

best regards,
Damjan

There are no drivers that I know of. The main communication between the computer and the machine is Mach 3. The copy I got from the Chinese seller was a hack that didn't work because after the hack, it still was limited. I purchased a legal license of Mach 3 to be legal and to be unlimited. You really need to convince your ebay seller that you MUST have the software and proper documentation of your machine.

[damo1023]

Hello,

thank you for your answer. In the mean time seller provided me with software and settings. Now I can turn X Y Z, will try A in the afternoon and then I have to figure out how to control spindle. It responds on M3/M4/M5 commands, but haven't figured out how to set speed.

regards,
Damjan

[ZASto]

I guess that you will have to set the speed manually in VFD

[DarbyOhara]

Hello,

thank you for your answer. In the mean time seller provided me with software and settings. Now I can turn X Y Z, will try A in the afternoon and then I have to figure out how to control spindle. It responds on M3/M4/M5 commands, but haven't figured out how to set speed.

regards,
Damjan

Have you set the VFD controller's D001 setting yet? If your machine is like mine, I had set the D001 and it worked fine. Some how I later lost those setting and couldn't control the spindle untill I checked and reset the D001 setting.