Compressor motor turning on and off is cutting out my cnc spindle

Have a Implotex compressor and a omio 3040 that dont seem to like each other

This happens pretty much every job. Sometimes it will cut out, sometimes not. The compressor is plugged into a different wall socket (in my small utility room).

When the compressor kicks in or off I get a ncusb error on mach3 and the spindle stops.

Anyone had this issue? Ive been thinking about upgrading to a UC300ETH, not sure if it will fix the issue though

There is a general consensus on the forum that USB interfaces are more susceptible to electrical noise than ethernet, and general advice is to chose ethernet over USB for this reason. However, no-one here can state whether this would fix your issue (I suspect it'd certainly help).

First things though - can you not try to dampen your electrical noise - get some ferrite filters for your compressor (remove noise at source) and IEC leads for your CNC get-up. <- that might not be very effective - yeah, some noise when switching an induction motor on/off, but not as much as a brushed motor.

A UC300ETH would, as well, open you up to try the UCCNC software, rather than Mach3 - I for one much prefer this, I know this is a view shared with others.

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Originally Posted by Doddy

There is a general consensus on the forum that USB interfaces are more susceptible to electrical noise than ethernet, and general advice is to chose ethernet over USB for this reason. However, no-one here can state whether this would fix your issue (I suspect it'd certainly help).

First things though - can you not try to dampen your electrical noise - get some ferrite filters for your compressor (remove noise at source) and IEC leads for your CNC get-up. <- that might not be very effective - yeah, some noise when switching an induction motor on/off, but not as much as a brushed motor.

A UC300ETH would, as well, open you up to try the UCCNC software, rather than Mach3 - I for one much prefer this, I know this is a view shared with others.

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Thanks Doddy, how simple of a process is switching over the controller?

I'd like to move away from the cracked mach3 that came with the machine asap.

My only worry is getting is all setup again in UCCNC, or a new mach3 license because I have no clue and the cracked mach3 that came with the omio had everything setup ready to go/

Paul,

Much depends on your level of experience and your ability to pick a soldering iron up the right way

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Firstly, disclosure - I have a UC300ETH, however, I'd recommend the AXBB-E. Basically the brains of the UC300ETH coupled to a pretty robust break-out board (BoB). If you don't do this, you'd need to source a BoB anyway, and a 26->25 IDC header cable (at least!). It's just more faff. Another thing though - I'd examine your control box to understand the space envelope you have to play it, or, work out if your want to adapt of replace the control box (just the physical enclosure). Quarts don't fit into pint-pots, and recent experience with another's 6040 indicates the control boxes can be a bit pokey. Your experience may vary.

Before seriously considering this - have a look in your control box and get a photo of the innards and post here - we'd have to understand if you have separate stepper drivers, or integrated onto the controller board. If the latter, you have a steeper cliff to climb. In principle the control box is very simple in design, but implemented in any number of cost-cutting ways, so it's hard to advise anything without eyeballing what you have.

This is very common with compressors, esp with USB, back in the stone age long before Ethernet controllers where common I had the same problem with one of the first USB Smooth steepers from Warp9. My compressor was outside on the opposite side of the wall in the compressor house however it shared the same ring main as the PC. The fix was to hack the cable shield which was causing a ground loop and lot of messing around, but even then it was never fully stable. I wouldn't ever use USB for a CNC controller as it's far too unstable.

Regards UCCNC or MACH3 then I'd go with UCCNC. As most on here know I've been a long-time user of Mach3 and have built or retrofit fitted 100's of machines that use it and various controllers that work with it. However, I've recently made the decision to soley use UCCNC and AXBB-E or UC300ETH/UCBB boards on all the machines I build from now on. The reason for this decision is because Mach3 is no longer supported and Mach4 is full of bugs, Also the controllers are very well built and the UCCNC software just gets bettter and better.

Now I was going to create a thread to say this but I'll mention it here in case it helps you. I'm buying the AXBB-E and UC300ETH controllers in bulk for the machines I build/convert and I'm happy to sell to forum members to save them the hassle of importing etc. I'm also doing the same with Lichuan Closed loop steppers and drives.

If this interests you then get in touch via PM.

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Originally Posted by Doddy

Paul,

Much depends on your level of experience and your ability to pick a soldering iron up the right way

Attachment 29130

Firstly, disclosure - I have a UC300ETH, however, I'd recommend the AXBB-E. Basically the brains of the UC300ETH coupled to a pretty robust break-out board (BoB). If you don't do this, you'd need to source a BoB anyway, and a 26->25 IDC header cable (at least!). It's just more faff. Another thing though - I'd examine your control box to understand the space envelope you have to play it, or, work out if your want to adapt of replace the control box (just the physical enclosure). Quarts don't fit into pint-pots, and recent experience with another's 6040 indicates the control boxes can be a bit pokey. Your experience may vary.

Before seriously considering this - have a look in your control box and get a photo of the innards and post here - we'd have to understand if you have separate stepper drivers, or integrated onto the controller board. If the latter, you have a steeper cliff to climb. In principle the control box is very simple in design, but implemented in any number of cost-cutting ways, so it's hard to advise anything without eyeballing what you have.

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Heres what Im working with. The current controller is approx 110mm x 60mm. I like the sound of the AXBB-E and will gladly switch over to UCCNC. Tried to make a simple fixture today and it cut out about 30 times, becoming very annoying.

The AXBB is 120mm x 97mm so it doesnt look like it will fit where the current controller is but could I just mount it in that spare stepper drive slot?

Attachment 29131

Attachment 29132

Attachment 29133

What's the supply voltage on that PSU?, if 24V then you're cooking (that's the supply voltage to an AXBB-E). You'd have to re-spin the cable assemblies to the stepper drivers (the green/blue/purple/brown cables) - cut the ends off where they connect to the USB BoB, and re-terminate into your assigned Step/Dir signals from the AXBB-E. There's a 4/5 pin connector next to the stepper motor connectors which I expect carries the limit/home switches - they'd have to be re-terminated into the AXBB-E inputs, and you'd need to examine the E-Stop wiring to work out if it's acting as you want it to act (you don't particularly want to switch off the AXBB-E every time you E-Stop), but it's not a particularly difficult conversion.

For me, I'd start with the AXBB-E outside the box, slave power to it and transfer one stepper driver to one pair of outputs, commission that, rinse-and-repeat. Once you're happy then install into the enclosure and make good.

All do-able... if you want to throw the cost of an AXBB-E and UCCNC license at it.

I should add, UCCNC will impact Mach3 settings, as well.

EDIT: Urgh. I feel dirty just looking inside that box - Get Henry out!

Mounting the AXBB-E where you suggest is fine - if it fits, but will be a ball-ache to commission/maintain etc. with limited access to terminals. Personally I'd look to see if there's height available to mount a plate above the stepper drivers to fix the AXBB to - so you present all terminals immediately under the cover in an accessible manner. But running before we can walk...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Doddy

What's the supply voltage on that PSU?, if 24V then you're cooking (that's the supply voltage to an AXBB-E). You'd have to re-spin the cable assemblies to the stepper drivers (the green/blue/purple/brown cables) - cut the ends off where they connect to the USB BoB, and re-terminate into your assigned Step/Dir signals from the AXBB-E. There's a 4/5 pin connector next to the stepper motor connectors which I expect carries the limit/home switches - they'd have to be re-terminated into the AXBB-E inputs, and you'd need to examine the E-Stop wiring to work out if it's acting as you want it to act (you don't particularly want to switch off the AXBB-E every time you E-Stop), but it's not a particularly difficult conversion.

For me, I'd start with the AXBB-E outside the box, slave power to it and transfer one stepper driver to one pair of outputs, commission that, rinse-and-repeat. Once you're happy then install into the enclosure and make good.

All do-able... if you want to throw the cost of an AXBB-E and UCCNC license at it.

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Its a 40V PSU

Doesnt sound easy, especially with no electronics background (currently trying to google what 'respinning cables' means), i guess this is why ive been put off in the past from upgrading. Seems like its a good few days of tinkering around which I don't have spare at the moment

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Originally Posted by paul4523

Its a 40V PSU

Doesnt sound easy, especially with no electronics background (currently trying to google what 'respinning cables' means), i guess this is why ive been put off in the past from upgrading. Seems like its a good few days of tinkering around which I don't have spare at the moment

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Keep it in mind. We're here to help if you decide to pursue this.

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Originally Posted by Doddy

Keep it in mind. We're here to help if you decide to pursue this.

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Thanks, i have a feeling i'll be bugging you all LOTS to get this solved :)

Would I need a new power supply if i switched to the AXBB or will 40V work?

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Originally Posted by paul4523

Thanks, i have a feeling i'll be bugging you all LOTS to get this solved :)

Would I need a new power supply if i switched to the AXBB or will 40V work?

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You'd keep the 40V for the stepper drivers. If necessary you could slave a very small 24V supply in there, or a DC-DC convertor to derive a 24V from the 40V. If you pursue this conversion I would at that time ask for more photos - I'm somewhat surprised that the control card takes in 40V - that's unusually high so it could be that there is another supply derived elsewhere (or otherwise regulated on the control card).

EDIT: Omio's website shows the USB control card, at a V2.2 - the V2.1 I can trace to a Canadian supplier and looks identical except for the 2.2 including screw-terminals (2.1 was wire-board connectors), BUT, it did specify a 12-24V supply for the controller, which makes me more convinced than ever that there is a 12-24V supply sourced within the control box - that should be sufficient for the AXBB-E.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by paul4523

Thanks, i have a feeling i'll be bugging you all LOTS to get this solved :)

Would I need a new power supply if i switched to the AXBB or will 40V work?

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The AXBB-E needs 5v and 24Vdc PSU's. The 5V is for the Step/Dir outputs and the 24Vdc is for the Input/outputs. ie Limits, E-stop etc.
The 40vdc you have already is just for the Stepper drives.