Thread: 6040 CNC questions

Greg that is awesome. What program do you use?
David

Originally Posted by dj_pnevans

What program do you use?

The toolpath was done with Aspire. It is a Vee carving toolpath that has been projected onto a 3D model. (Aspire does that)

Then that toolpath was "wrapped" with CNCWrappper. CNCWrapper - Home Page

Latest versions of Aspire have a wrapping post processor. Back when that job was done, it did not.

Anyone interested in getting into 4th axis work should at least get the demo version of CNCWrapper. It has good help files which are great for getting your head around the concept of wrapping an X Y toolpath around a rotary axis.

Greg

I thought these things were made in china. My tracking seems to indicate otherwise.
Bloody strange.

Changi, Singapore 08/03/2012 7:20 P.M. Departure Scan
Perth, Australia 08/03/2012 6:32 A.M. Package data processed by brokerage. Waiting for clearance.
Shenzhen, China 08/03/2012 1:39 A.M. Arrival Scan
Sepang, Malaysia 08/02/2012 11:00 P.M. departure Scan 08/02/2012 3:40 P.M. Origin Scan
Malaysia 08/01/2012 6:05 P.M. Order Processed: Ready for UPS

Big Shed
It arrived today. A big dent on one end of the frame but i don't thin k it will affect accuracy but can't be sure till i put a DTI on it.
The 4th axis unit, $250, seems quite nicely made and the 4th axis was already installed in the control box.
It sure seems like it was dispatched from Malaysia. The shipping label says
Virtual Volf international
Selangor, 63000
Malaysia

Will post some pix of the damage when i get it all assembled. It sure does seem quite sturdy and tight. Very nicely finished as well.
Still waiting for some electronic components to come before i can run it.

Mike

Thanks for keeping me up to date Mike

Disappointing about the dent though, hopefully it doesn't affect things too much, reckon it can be fixed?

Rest of your report sounds encouraging.

Looking at the traking it is a well travelled unit!

Mike did you get any import tax?
David

Big shed
It is only in the extrusion that runs along the long axis on the bottom. About 20mm of it is crushed but i don't think it will affect anything, and its at the back so won't see it when its working.

They just unbolt things and leave nuts on bolts and some of them come off. One of the square nuts that fits the extrusion to hold on the cable tray escaped somewhere during the journey. All the bolts holding the driver cards in hadn't been tightened, need to find 2 nuts to fit.

Its all together and fits are very good, screws just go in, no having to force things or twist bolts to coax them to go, very impressed. Seems at least as stiff as my old Gravograph machines of about the same size and 20 times the cost. Winding each axis by hand it feels the same load from end to end, no tight spots.


Dave
They under declare the value so it just shows up

Bloody parts are on backorder with RS components sure hope they hurry up, its ready to go now. The smooth stepper shipped last wed so that must be close.

Mike

just from experience with mine , check that the main amplifying chips of there cheep VFD are touching ( bolted too ) the heat sinks

bye enough 4 core ( fine stranded ) wire to replace all axis wire ( mine lasted 8 Hours )

and please "earth" the thing before you turn it on , as it is , it does not comply with the "Australian standards" for electrical gear

SDS
Don't worry i have read many of the problem threads on CNC Zone. Cable is comming from Homann with the S/S The other bits from RS components. In my first incarnation i was an electronics tech so its all minor details for me.

The thing is supposed to be 600x400 but not quite, 400 if the Z axis hits the side plates and only 570 for the other axis bashing the plates.
Lose a few mm at each end and it significantly undersize. Must order some limit switches i suppose.

Mike

They specify 580x380x60mm working area on the 6040Z model, so that sounds about right.

Pity about the slack QC, it wouldn't really add anything to the cost to cross the Ts etc.

Oh well, we have to bear in mind the cost of these things as compared to others on the market here, eg the Shark ones that Carbatec sell.

Perhaps all the bad press about crappy controllers has been heeded!

Carving-CNC now offer a 'mainbody' model which is the hardware only, no controller, spindle or VFD. At $899 plus shipping (around $400) might be worth a look.

Hadn't seen that before Geoff.

Doesn't seem to offer much of a saving compared to this complete model though.

It would allow one to at least get going and then upgrade as time/money permits.

Hi Fred,
The model Geoff pointed to has larger stepper motors and the bracket for a proper spindle. If you intend to can the controller and fit a VFD and spindle it is a reasonable option IMHO.

You are up for another $1k to finish the machine off so how does that compare to their fully kitted machine?

For comparison I pay $500 just for a T slot table like that in Australia.

Thanks Rod, I didn't realise that there is a difference in stepper motors between those two models.

The fully kitted out model I am looking at comes to about $A2150 delivered, that is with a 4th axis included, the 1.5Kw spindle and VFD.

Still sitting on the fence as I have a number of other things on the go and still waiting to see how Whimsical goes with firing up his machine.
I believe there is another forum member waiting for delivery of one of the Caring-CNC machines.