3040 machine - Which axis has the flexible couplings?

[DaveMorris]

Hi, All
Simple question, just received a CNC 3040 (3 Axis) from Ebay - Look straight forward to assemble expect I have a problem with stepper motors:
2 have a flexible coupling and 1 has a fixed coupling. Which axis has the fixed coupling?

Regards
Dave

[komatias]

Hi, All
Simple question, just received a CNC 3040 (3 Axis) from Ebay - Look straight forward to assemble expect I have a problem with stepper motors:
2 have a flexible coupling and 1 has a fixed coupling. Which axis has the fixed coupling?

Regards
Dave


The z gets the fixed coupling

[DaveMorris]

Guessed that might be the one, but thanks very much for the confirmation (I did not want to break the machine) - wish they put it in the manual - it would help.

Do you know of a better (and more detailed) manual for this type of machine (it is described as a CNC 3040T Router Engraver/Engraving Drilling and Milling Machine).

Dave

[komatias]

The manual is the same for all of them as they probably just copy each other. As lon as you have the motor speeds and steps per unit right the machine will work. The difficult thing would then be to learn how to use Mach3 or EMC and then how to make gcode.

In the meantime try not to over stress the spindle as it tends to pop a diode on the speed control board and of course the stepper control board is not the most reliable.

[Lee Roberts]

Also try not to push those couplings to hard, if its the type i think, then they are really easy to snap, I would look at changing them for Oldham type couplings myself.

.Me

[DaveMorris]

Hi
Thanks for the input, I'm a Electronics Design engineer so problems with the electronics don't really worry me. O by the side, if you need any electronics advice, please ask as I would like to return the favour.

However, I do have a question Router motor - is appears to make a high pitched noise at about 1/3 speed, it occurs on and off load. It is not coming from the control board (as I have tried running it with the motor disconnected). Does not appear to be a mechanical vibration.

Do you know how the motor speed is controlled - i.e. is it DC voltage or do they use a inverter (therefore frequency controlled) which could explain the noise.

Regards
Dave

P.S. I am trying the machine out on plastic - so I hope the couplings and control board should hold out. I do a lot of Microcontroller programming, so G-codes should no problem (I hope!) - Not sure about the MACH3 manual its is a bit badly written, it appears to complicate some simple concepts. Still early days, so I might get use to it.

[komatias]

The spindle motor is run off a 555 based PWM circuit with a peak of 46-50V if IIRC. No inverter just a transformer rectifier to get the DC. The machine is not very stiff so it will go through resonances at different speeds. I seem to remember mine also had a whiny spot.

2/3's of the way should be sufficient to work it. If you are really clever you could tap into the PWM trigger and get Mach3 to set the speed of the motor. Some control boxes have the connection for this on the outside, some don't. Looking up the 3040 manual on the net and opening the box up may give you all the info you need. Would have done this myself but got rid of the stepper motor board in favour of a Gekcco G540 and then lost interest in the spindle mods.

[Cromaglious]

The YOOCNC controller is mostly garbage. I've bypassed the speed control with a PWM spindle controller from ebay which works a treat. I've also replaced the parallel port interface and drivers with other ebay stuff that seem to work better and I'm no longer dropping steps. About the only thing I'm still using is the case, connectors, transformer and power supply circuit.


The spindle motor is run off a 555 based PWM circuit with a peak of 46-50V if IIRC. No inverter just a transformer rectifier to get the DC. The machine is not very stiff so it will go through resonances at different speeds. I seem to remember mine also had a whiny spot.

2/3's of the way should be sufficient to work it. If you are really clever you could tap into the PWM trigger and get Mach3 to set the speed of the motor. Some control boxes have the connection for this on the outside, some don't. Looking up the 3040 manual on the net and opening the box up may give you all the info you need. Would have done this myself but got rid of the stepper motor board in favour of a Gekcco G540 and then lost interest in the spindle mods.