Topics:
Regarding: 6040 CNCEST USB running on Mach3 with the RnRMotion.dll plugin
1) Spindle Disassembly: 1.5KW GDZ-80 80mm Spindle dis-assembly tear down and re-assembly
2) Red USB Flying Eagle Series motion control card breakout-board (BOB)
by Bitsensor.com called a Super USB interface MACH3 motion control card
(M# BSMCE04U-PP)
Welcome!
INTRODUCTION:
Greetings:
The company I work for purchased a 6040 parallel port a CNCEST (no, not INCEST) CNC router from bestbid818 on eBay. It came with somewhat of a manual on CD and although it took me a while to set it up in Mach3, But I figured it out and it has had no significant problems. It has been a good production machine. I am new to CNC, so I figured it would be a good way to get my feet wet; I am an expert in SolidWorks and a design engineer, and somewhat knowlegable in Fusion360 and Vectric VCarve Pro.
So I went ahead an purchased the USB version of the 6040 from the same vendor; but it seems like they are a completely different seller comparing to the first purchase, even though they have the same seller name on eBay. They have the typical inability to communicate in engrish or understand questions: "How long of a cord should I use?" "yes". It arrived in the same packaging a the previous one, but had parts damaged (h2O pump). They furnished a link to supposedly some drivers. Luckily I had the previous experience with the parallel port version. It looks similar to this:
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Up until recently, I had still not been able to cut with the USB version I purchased since I could not consistently control the spindle; that, and there is rusty residue in the output from the spindle in the cooling tube, and it makes a bad bearing sound when starting up. I was concerned the water jacket was leaking and had damaged the bearings, so I removed the 80mm spindle from the clamp and proceeded to take it apart.
Of course, I searched many, many posts here on CNCzone before starting, via Google and on YouTube looking for info on how to disassemble safely, and while I found some other information on other spindles and taking them apart, but I never found specific details on this particular spindle; I am sure there are a lot of these spindles out there, and there were some that were similar, but not this model. So, I am providing this review of my disassembly and re-assembly for everyone who has an interest or need to perform this process. I also state I am sharing this as how I did it, with no responsibility for how you MIGHT do it, if you elect to.
Note: I took photos during the disassembly so everthing may not be exactly in the correct order.
The specific model is a:
GDZ-80-1.5C ø80x188 110v 1.5KW 10A 400hz 24000 rpm
I am providing a PDF document I have compiled for the benefit of anyone else who is interested.
The other issue I have been having is that I can control the motion of the my table fine for XYZA, both using G-code and manual jogging/jog keys, but the spindle controller cannot receive a M03/M05 from Mach3. When you click spindle button 'on', it spins up, and click spindle off, it turns off, but will not accept a command from G-code or from the MDI (manual data input). It has occasionally recognized an M03 and M05 in the past, but mysteriously just for a short period, and I am was not knowlegable enough to know why.
Any ideas?
Well, here is the good news: I solved the spindle control issue.
I am sure that THOUSANDS of these 'fine quality' chinese CNC machines, and since no-one bothered to answer my previous post,
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/chine...ml#post2239462
I did a LOT of research, including figuring out how to translate chinese. Since there is RARELY any documentation (in an understandable format) provided for any of the electronics or mechanical systems, you are pretty much on your own. For six months since I got the machine I did not have time to troubleshoot it. Mysteriously and intermittently, sometimes I could get the spindle to work by clicking the spindle button in Mach3 . Since this was the USB version, I had no idea how it worked and the cryptic chinese vids and docs did not help.
I carefully took the cover off the controller and took photos for later reference which I compiled into a single shot which I share here.
'USB 6040 internals single photo.jpg'
Using the picture(s) I was able to determine the how the components were set up by following cable details and knowing which components were what. What I found is that the USB version seems not to care about pin details as much as the parallel port version. I also figured out that the output was on OUT2 (not OUT1, as the documentation seemed to indicate). When I changed the spindle setting \Config\Ports and Pins\Spindle Setup\Relay Control\Clockwise (M3) Output #>to [2], the spindle began working properly; The way I figured that out was by looking at the BOB photo to determine the yellow wire was in the OUT2 socket and went to the FWD on the spindle control board (known as 'inverter' in chinese docs). BTW, thanks chinese guys for the wiring diagram; NOT. or the model number/user guide/owners manual/chip data/board data; at least we get to educate ourselves at their expense. I also tranlated the 'Flying Eagle Series Motion Control Card Quick Start Guide Version 1.0' which was originally in a secured PDF so you could not copy or translate it, but due to trickiness on my part, I did anyway. Again, THANKS for NOTHING, chinese guys.
Anyhoo, I hope that this will help others who are in the same boat as me..
(a slow boat from china)
:-)
-Christian