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  1. #1
    Hello,
    #Totally new to this CNC Routing lark.Just purchased a machine with Mach 3 Confusion software installed and just about to install Vectric Aspire.There will be a learning curve with Aspire but I need something on Mach 3.
    Where the hell can I do a course on this?
    Looks like complete gibberish and I think I've reached my intelligence limit.
    Got a 100 W laser,got to grips with that and Chinglish instructions and various other machines but software is Klingon to me.Can anyone advise of a suitable course available?
    Any help\advice appreciated.I'm on the Wirral.

  2. #2
    Hi Keith

    Same here, I'm new to CNC. My local college runs a city and guilds course for CNC, but didn't last year due to low numbers. I'm hoping to get on it in September as well as another CAD one. Both part time one night per week. Google "city and guilds 2303" If you're interested.

    Mark

  3. #3
    there is a few videos on the new-fangled solutions website and lots of tutorials on youtube, ive been using mach 3 for a few years now and ive found the best way is to just play with it, itll get clear eventually

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by malcolm01 View Post
    there is a few videos on the new-fangled solutions website and lots of tutorials on youtube, ive been using mach 3 for a few years now and ive found the best way is to just play with it, itll get clear eventually
    That's what I'm hoping too, just need a machine to play with :) it's usually the case though with most things isn't it, learn as you go?

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Don't get hung up on Mach3 it's actually very simple in use and there's not a lot to learn to actually use the machine.

    The main issues people have is actually setting up mach3 to work with there machine but once setup using it is very simple really. Once you have learned the main buttons and few bits of terminology like "DRO's" etc then you'll be awaya and cutting in no time.

    If your having issues setting up then the best thing to do is start a thread outlining your troubles and provide info on your setup. Usually we will have you up and running within few posts.
    If your having trouble using the machine then again ask we'll answer any questions. To give an example of how simple cutting a Job is I'll run thru the process.

    #1 Home the machine by pushing "Ref All Home" button. (This assumes you have Home switches fitted)
    #2 Jog to location want to call X0 Y0 then then push "Zero X" "Zero Y" buttons.
    #3 Jog to material surface and set Z0 by pushing "Zero Z". (This assumes you set Z0 to top of material in CAM)
    #4 Load G-code and push Cycle start.
    #5 If using Multi tools in same job then repeat step 3 for each tool when asked for tool change then press cycle start.

    It's that simple really. Obviously there is little more to mach3 than this basic operation but in general this is the process you'll take for every job on router.
    One of the problems with Mach3 is it caters for lot of different machines so there's lot of stuff on screens you'll never use.

    Just ask if your unsure of anything.

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to JAZZCNC For This Useful Post:


  7. #6
    KAB's Avatar
    Lives in Heswall, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 03-01-2020 Has been a member for 4-5 years. Has a total post count of 16.
    Thanks for the feedback.It is most helpful.My current predicament is that the limit switches,one per axis,do not stop travel of gantry.Also,I want to set the Home position at the same point permanently.You mention home switches “if they are fitted”-are they micro switches?
    On the Diagnostics page I have a lot of Yellow lights and whilst the X and Z lights are green,the Y lamp is red.All of this is finger trouble I know but it’s bl—dy frustrating.I would pay someone to set this bugger up properly.I’m on the Wirral.

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by KAB View Post
    Thanks for the feedback.It is most helpful.My current predicament is that the limit switches,one per axis,do not stop travel of gantry.Also,I want to set the Home position at the same point permanently.You mention home switches “if they are fitted”-are they micro switches?
    On the Diagnostics page I have a lot of Yellow lights and whilst the X and Z lights are green,the Y lamp is red.All of this is finger trouble I know but it’s bl—dy frustrating.I would pay someone to set this bugger up properly.I’m on the Wirral.
    Ok well first let me explain why you have a HOME position and how it can be set.
    Home position is used to define the MACHINE COORDINATE ZERO position. This position is what the controller uses for Fixed reference point for all WORK COORDINATE ZERO positions. You'll often see these WORK ZERO positons called FIXTURE OFFSETS.
    You can have many FIXTURE OFFSETS located on the table or bed each with there own WORK ZERO position. This is done using fixture offset commands G54,G55, G56 etc in some controllers like mach3 you can have upto 256 different FIXTURE OFFSETS.

    Now HOME should be FIXED position that never changes. This way the controller can repeatably find it's way back to the WORK Zero should you ever lose position while cutting or say if crashed the machine by simple traveling back to the HOME position and resetting the HOME Zero point.
    It then nows how far away from HOME the WORK Zero point is.

    So For this Reason the HOME Position is usually set by switch located on the machine who's position never moves.
    Often HOME is located at or near the end of travel but really it could be at any loaction of your choosing, the main requirement is it never changes.

    Now here's where it can get a little confusing when we bring LIMITS and HOMES into the same equation.?
    Some Controllers like Mach3 will allow you to use the same INPUT for both HOME and LIMITS. I call them INPUTS rather than switches because that's really what your doing, the switch is just a device which triggers the INPUT and could quite easilly have two switches in different locations both tripping the same INPUT. However it's more common to use 1x sw to save costs.

    So in your case regards the limits not working this will most likely 99% be because you don't have them configured correctly in the controller.
    Each INPUT as it's own unique Pin number which you need to tell the controller which INPUT will control what function. ie: INPUT#1 = Limits
    Also Switches can be NC or NO types (normally closed / open) so you need to tell the controller the type of switch. This is done using HIGH/LOW logic.
    So if using NO switch then the input will go HIGH when the switch gets tripped. If NC then the input will go LOW when tripped.

    If your inputs are not configured correctly then you'll get the errors your seeing.

    Now if your wanting to share HOME/LIMIT switches then it's simply case of selecting the correct settings in the controller. But first you must determine your Switches and INPUTS are configured and working correctly first.

    If you don't want to use HOME switches then you don't have to have them. Just simply REF ALL HOME at any location you choose and that will ZERO the MACHINE COORDINATE.
    However if you stall the motors, crash or just loose position then you will have lost your MACHINE Reference point so therefore need to accurately try to find it again, which will be nearly impossible without some reference, so can relocate your WORK zero. So it's much better to fit switches or share limit switches.

    The down side to sharing Limit switches is that while HOMING the LIMITS are disabled so not the safest setup. But to be honest HOMING is done at such low feed then can easily stop the machine your self if somethign goes wrong.(provided you see it going wrong soon enough.!!!)

    Regards setting your machine up then if you provide us or me with details of your machine then we can easily get you setup and running. It's really not rocket science and when you see how it works and understand the importance of knowing what is connected to what then becomes very easy and logical.

    If your not sure what you have then provide good clear pictures of inside the control box from different angles and try to note what is connected were by tracing wires around the machine.
    From this it will give us good idea of what's what and we take it from there.

  9. #8
    KAB's Avatar
    Lives in Heswall, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 03-01-2020 Has been a member for 4-5 years. Has a total post count of 16.
    Quote Originally Posted by JAZZCNC View Post
    Ok well first let me explain why you have a HOME position and how it can be set.
    Home position is used to define the MACHINE COORDINATE ZERO position. This position is what the controller uses for Fixed reference point for all WORK COORDINATE ZERO positions. You'll often see these WORK ZERO positons called FIXTURE OFFSETS.
    You can have many FIXTURE OFFSETS located on the table or bed each with there own WORK ZERO position. This is done using fixture offset commands G54,G55, G56 etc in some controllers like mach3 you can have upto 256 different FIXTURE OFFSETS.

    Now HOME should be FIXED position that never changes. This way the controller can repeatably find it's way back to the WORK Zero should you ever lose position while cutting or say if crashed the machine by simple traveling back to the HOME position and resetting the HOME Zero point.
    It then nows how far away from HOME the WORK Zero point is.

    So For this Reason the HOME Position is usually set by switch located on the machine who's position never moves.
    Often HOME is located at or near the end of travel but really it could be at any loaction of your choosing, the main requirement is it never changes.

    Now here's where it can get a little confusing when we bring LIMITS and HOMES into the same equation.?
    Some Controllers like Mach3 will allow you to use the same INPUT for both HOME and LIMITS. I call them INPUTS rather than switches because that's really what your doing, the switch is just a device which triggers the INPUT and could quite easilly have two switches in different locations both tripping the same INPUT. However it's more common to use 1x sw to save costs.

    So in your case regards the limits not working this will most likely 99% be because you don't have them configured correctly in the controller.
    Each INPUT as it's own unique Pin number which you need to tell the controller which INPUT will control what function. ie: INPUT#1 = Limits
    Also Switches can be NC or NO types (normally closed / open) so you need to tell the controller the type of switch. This is done using HIGH/LOW logic.
    So if using NO switch then the input will go HIGH when the switch gets tripped. If NC then the input will go LOW when tripped.

    If your inputs are not configured correctly then you'll get the errors your seeing.

    Now if your wanting to share HOME/LIMIT switches then it's simply case of selecting the correct settings in the controller. But first you must determine your Switches and INPUTS are configured and working correctly first.

    If you don't want to use HOME switches then you don't have to have them. Just simply REF ALL HOME at any location you choose and that will ZERO the MACHINE COORDINATE.
    However if you stall the motors, crash or just loose position then you will have lost your MACHINE Reference point so therefore need to accurately try to find it again, which will be nearly impossible without some reference, so can relocate your WORK zero. So it's much better to fit switches or share limit switches.

    The down side to sharing Limit switches is that while HOMING the LIMITS are disabled so not the safest setup. But to be honest HOMING is done at such low feed then can easily stop the machine your self if somethign goes wrong.(provided you see it going wrong soon enough.!!!)

    Regards setting your machine up then if you provide us or me with details of your machine then we can easily get you setup and running. It's really not rocket science and when you see how it works and understand the importance of knowing what is connected to what then becomes very easy and logical.

    If your not sure what you have then provide good clear pictures of inside the control box from different angles and try to note what is connected were by tracing wires around the machine.
    From this it will give us good idea of what's what and we take it from there.

  10. #9
    KAB's Avatar
    Lives in Heswall, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 03-01-2020 Has been a member for 4-5 years. Has a total post count of 16.
    Thank you for the very
    full response.I appreciate the time you’ve taken.I’m a bit further down the road now.I can move in three axes and I can zero.BUT-for some reason still uncertain,I can’t get the machine to stop automatically.I have to stop the traversing myself.Still finger trouble no doubt.

  11. #10
    KAB's Avatar
    Lives in Heswall, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 03-01-2020 Has been a member for 4-5 years. Has a total post count of 16.
    Are there any Mach 3 experts on the Wirral?Birkenhead,Liverpool or near?
    My problems stem from the fact that I did not build the machine-purchased from someone who will not answer his phone so I'm up the creek.
    I'm sure that Mach 3 is fine but it's installed on a machine that won't perform.I think I'll scrap it and do something easy like learning Swahili from a Chinaman.
    Last edited by KAB; 19-03-2018 at 09:47 PM.

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