I am a TOTAL new boy(old man) to Mach3, and the world of CNC.
I have a 6060 CNC imported to the UK from China.
All is set up, and after many problems is, it seems all working EXCEPT that the Spindle will not run. I know that the G code entered is correct (it was given to me by a friend who has the same machine.) I think I have set up Mach 3 correctly in  'Config' BUT STILL NO SPINDLE.
Is there anyway of testing the Spindle motor bypassing Mach3 ?
Please can someone give me ideas as to what to try next. In anticipation MANY THANKS

Can you post your mach3 XML file, you will need to name it something unique like roskow.XML

It sounds like you have not setup output1 on the ports and pins >> outputs page, and also m3 and m4 to use output 1 on the ports and pins>>>spindle tab.

The biggest difficulty is always the manual, as although they all seem to use the printer port for the controller it is figuring out which pin does what, hence can you post a link to what your machines controller.

More information is always helpful, don't hear the complaint of too much information in the CNC world .

Rob, Thanks so much for the reply.
here is the XML file you requested: roskrow XML

The USB connection is via http://leafboy77.com/
The file-name being:  Xulifeng-Mach3-USB-Motion-Card

Hope this helps you it is all totally foreign to me !!

I'll admit first off, the leaf boy card is not my thing, but I'll have a go at helping (sure someone else will chip in maybe)  [I have a smooth stepper and have used the parallel port before, and given armchair advice once on the leafboy (never owned one).... best to know the credentials of who is telling you what, as it will give you a degree of confidence / not in what you're being told]

Can you provide me with a link to the machine you bought, interested in knowing what the controller was (black or blue box)

The leafboy is a motion controller card, so it does the same job as the printer (parallel) port... just via USB.

The interfaces with the stepper drivers and a spindle controller, as well as the estop interface connection and any limit switches etc.

Trying to figure out how you wired the two together (which pins on the leafboy are connected to which pins on the box that has the stepper motors and spindle drive within it).

An initial look at your .xml indicates a few conflicts of pin numbers which may be confusing Mach3.

In Config / Ports & Pins / Input Signals   disable Z Home (this conflicts pin 2 which is used for spindle).

This may help.

Tweakie.

Hi Robert, and Tweakie,
Thank you both for your input.
My Machine is a GX-6060 CNC Router machine from Jinan Leading CNC Machinery Co Ltd. Website: http://www.leadingcnc.com

The Inverter is a E300 from Sunfar. I would presume this was installed correctly, although since setting up the machine I have found some VERY sloppy work carried out by the factory. I think I have now overcome all those minor/major irritations. (Is that the controller you refer to) if it is it is a white box. The website for the Inverter is:-
http://www.simphoenix.com/news_x.aspx?TypeId=15&Id=223
I have done NO wiring. My instructions were to download usbmove.zip from Leafboy, and copy it into the mach3\Plugins folder....I did and it appears to be working fine.

I think that is all I can tell you at the moment. I will test the suggestions made by Tweakie.

Going sideways if you have any spare moments have a look at my website to see my wood turning: http://www.malcolmfarrant.com/
So many thanks to you both for trying to help me

Roskrow,

Your inverter manual is available for download here (E300, from Sunfar):
http://www.kunaimpex.com/admin/images/gallery/pdf/806263833.pdf

remember I know absolutely nothing about the GX6060 or the leafboy motion controller, but I'll try to give some suggestions given your first request was how do I bypass mach3 and test the spindle, hence there is a fair bit of presumption in this post (you've also noted the GX6060 came pre-wired).

Leafboy manual here: http://leafboy77.com/files/USB_Motion_Card_AKZ250_Manual_v1.17_CN-EN20121102.pdf.zip

Ok, the leafboy motion controller outputs a PWM (pulse Width Modulation signal from two of its pins to the spindle).... poor diagram in the manual (pdf page 8/80), two others on 58/80 and 59/80....

Looking at your inverter manual, its controlled via a 0-10v analogue input signal (inverter manual pdf pages 13/42 and 15/42).....

key words analogue and 0-10v (inverter), and PWM 0-5v (leafboy)

Although a PWM signal can look a bit like an analogue signal with a voltmeter and mimic it... its not analogue.... hence unless they have done it properly you may experience not quite the linear profile you thought later on.... but it may work (again no leafboy expert).

within the leafboy manual there is a "hack" to get it to run with a 0-10v analogue signal on page 59/80
there is a clearer (non Chinese) image here: http://www.mycncuk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13647&stc=1

there is a bit of a discussion here although its not about your inverter some of the consideration should be the same with the signal (analogue is not the same as PWM in simple terms without doing something to it). http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7992-Denford-Novamill-Mach3-conversion

Ok....

to get your spindle to work in manual mode (as we'll presume it came pre-setup to run with mach3 and pre-wired)...

Have a look at pdf pages 21 & 22 of the inverter manual

as you can see "F0:0" provides the spindle control signal .... 0-10v external or from the potentiometer ... by selecting either 0, 1, 2 or 3 .... the default setting should be 3.... but as your machine probably came pre-configured they probably changed it to "1" ... external 0-10v control.

The same the "F0:2"... it is probably set to "1"... changing it to "0" should bring the control function back to the inverter keypad so you can control the spindle without mach3.

Note.... the F0:2 I say should as they are not clear about the 1st and second digits.... hence have a look at what the F0:2 number is before changing it

Best advice.... write down all settings before you change any....

Access to the functions is listed on pdf pages 17 and 18

And the "simple" (non mach3) operation is listed on page 19 & 20.

Rob

here is a discussion about making PWM into an analogue signal with some circuits (sorry not read it fully but you may want to consider it later if you don't get a linear profile on your spindle or something strange later that you want to correct or investigate).

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=21722.0


Also post 20 here

http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7992-Denford-Novamill-Mach3-conversion/page2?s=434addbb667d0275fc8c5938550fc096

cannot attest how well they work, but that is a due diligence thing before implementation really (many ways to skin that same cat)

Robert, Wow you really have been working very hard on my problems. I send you a BIG BIG THANK You

It looks as if I will be having a busy Monday trying to sort it all out. I have now emailed China, and will hope to have a helpful response from them in the morning.

It is all very depressing, but I am sure in the end it will be all sorted.
Many thanks and very best wishes
Malcolm