Welcome to Our Community

Some features disabled for guests. Register Today.

C-Beam™ Machine - Plate Maker

Discussion in 'CNC Mills/Routers' started by Mark Carew, Jul 16, 2015.

  1. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I tried changing the file name and i get this message 2a.PNG
     
  2. royco

    royco New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2015
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    4
    Hi Guys, first time poster showing off my progress.

    Finally found some time to work on the C-beam build again. It appears ready to cut some aluminum, I think. Did an acrylic cut and came out really nice.

    I did some quick test a few weeks ago and has since tweaked the machine and runs pretty smooth now.

    I placed the controller and 24V PS on a plank at the rear. It will have an acrylic cover eventually with just a hole for the IEC cable and everything covered. I did a quick design and 3D printed the E-stop and IEC housing.

    I will try to cut something aluminum by tomorrow, some brackets maybe for a 3D printer Im building.

    IMG_2112.JPG IMG_2109.JPG
     
  3. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Looking good! looking forward to seeing it cut!
     
  4. Mark Carew

    Mark Carew OpenBuilds Team
    Staff Member Moderator Builder Resident Builder

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2013
    Messages:
    2,746
    Likes Received:
    2,412
    @shugster I would think larger as it reads for instance 1/4" as .250 but in mm that would look like 6.350" to the system.
    I am not sure if this is the problem your having but is seems logical from the descriptions.
    My advice would be to try the same G Code post processor but in inches this time and see how it reacts.
     
  5. Mark Carew

    Mark Carew OpenBuilds Team
    Staff Member Moderator Builder Resident Builder

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2013
    Messages:
    2,746
    Likes Received:
    2,412
    Well done @royco :thumbsup: great looking machine build!
    Really like the back panel you have there its a great idea and it really makes it look nice and neat.
    Thank you for sharing.
     
  6. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Thanks Mark i'll give that a try and see what happens !
     
  7. Mark Carew

    Mark Carew OpenBuilds Team
    Staff Member Moderator Builder Resident Builder

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2013
    Messages:
    2,746
    Likes Received:
    2,412
    This is not a problem just hit yes
     
  8. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I'll try that again as well and hit yes this time, i currently have the machine in my living room and want to keep from disturbing my neighbor so i'll need to wait until tomorrow before testing further! I'll keep you guys up to date with progress, thanks for helping me here:thumbsup:
     
    Mark Carew likes this.
  9. motopreserve

    motopreserve Well-Known
    Builder

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2015
    Messages:
    127
    Likes Received:
    52
    Sounds like a good excuse to install an E-Stop :)
     
    Joe Santarsiero likes this.
  10. charliex

    charliex New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2015
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    15
    we do extensive testing with automotive ECUs, board warpage is obviously the worst contender. but solder joints can weaken with excessive vibration,bond wires in some IC's are also at risk with vibration.. part of the problem is that the device will go out of spec, or lifetime will shorten not just die out right. so a lot of time people don't attribute the eventual failure or see the out of spec. i see a lot of eia2/ x7r's in use and they show microphonic properties and induce noise into the circuit. electrolytics as well.

    but its one of those things where talking about it (especially on the net) is a bigger deal than it is happening, its a low enough risk but its easy to avoid, i know most people don't worry about it and the fixed are plenty. i find that the swarf gets everywhere.

    cheers
     
  11. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Yes i'm thinking that myself!
     
  12. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Things starting to try my patience :ROFL:

    I'm getting errors .... Captur.PNG
     
    David the swarfer likes this.
  13. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I have been sending the the .tap files from 1 computer as attachments through email to the laptop beside the cnc machine, would that cause me problems?
     
  14. R_B

    R_B New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2015
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    12
    Beware the rabbit hole Alice - or in this case the quality/reliability hole.
    Connections (of whatever type) that fail under (non destructive) test conditions fail for a reason.
    Typically process quality, but all too often unsuitability to purpose - assuming the test to be suitable.
    In THIS context it is hardly likely that IC lead bonds will fail as a consequence of the use that most of us will put this machine to.
    Solder ? Biggest problem is with solder bath times being inadequate for the LARGE power connections to get adequate flow, i.e. they fail because they came out of the bath BAD.
    By all means keep the control board away from the machine if you WANT to, but it won't be because there is a NEED to.
    There is usually a good case for keeping all leads no longer than necessary.
     
  15. Flash22

    Flash22 Well-Known
    Builder

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2015
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    42
    what cad/cam program are you using ?

    try one of my test .cnc files
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
    Staff Member Moderator Builder

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2014
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    196
    Hey Royco,
    Cool estop!

    Let your electronics breath some.

    welcome to the forum.

    Joe
     
  17. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Hi m8, i'm using aspire v4 with grbl panel, i have downloaded your file and i'll see how that works, i used the g code pencil drawing file and that worked perfect, i think aspire 4 hasn't or doesn't support grbl, i have been looking at threads for the shapeoko and see that they had do put files into the post processor in vetric or aspire for there's to work?
     
  18. Flash22

    Flash22 Well-Known
    Builder

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2015
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    42
    I have outputted .nc files from fusion 360 due to some g codes, grbl doesn't like it neither does openscan, no issues with outputs from sketchucam

    I remember reading somewhere that there are known issues with grbl panel and the xpro
     
  19. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I'd really like to get this working to do some test cuts, the misses has been playing with aspire and said its really easy to use so if i get stuck she can tell me what to do. I just need to get both programs coordinating in harmony together.
     
  20. charliex

    charliex New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2015
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    15
    yeah luckily moving a circuit board and power supply a short distance is a very very small rabbit hole. an ounce of prevention, and all that..
     
  21. Mark Carew

    Mark Carew OpenBuilds Team
    Staff Member Moderator Builder Resident Builder

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2013
    Messages:
    2,746
    Likes Received:
    2,412
    @shugster You should be able to use the generic G Code post processor in Aspire.
    You should be able to hit play again to get past those errors in grbl panel and it should roll down to the next command and start running. Its getting tripped up on the first couple lines of code because grbl does not understand them, so once it gets past these lines it should run fine.

    Alternatively you can always right click the .tap file and pick open with notepad (since it is really just a text file of xyz coordinates) and just delete the first two lines causing the error and then re-save it and try again.
     
    ChrisV and Serge E. like this.
  22. John Meikrantz

    John Meikrantz Well-Known
    Builder

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2014
    Messages:
    169
    Likes Received:
    56
    Grbl doesn't support the M6 command. I ran into this issue in the past. You should take out that first line and see what happens.

    -- John
     
  23. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I think i sorted it early hours this morning, i downloaded a trial version of the latest aspire and copied 2 grbl files then put those 2 files into my post processor folder in my version and as far as i can tell its working!
     
  24. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I turned some nylon and drilled a hole in it for a pencil to try drawing something, i have left the pencil 'just tight' so if i get the depth wrong i wont cause any damage 20150926_105447.jpg
     
  25. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Going to try and get a refund from robocutters, i have heard nothing at all from them since i placed the order and i can't get a hold of them at all, no answer to lots of emails and his mobile phone is switched off every time i call him, i also text him a few times without reply, very poor service....buyer beware, i'll not be dealing with them again! They have had plenty of opportunity to contact me and i have heard nothing, didn't even get a confirmation email or invoice and still no goods arrived.:confused:
     
  26. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    I tried drawing with the c beam, here is the result, there is 2 videos just look at my other videos and you will see the others

     
    Serge E. and Mark Carew like this.
  27. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
    Staff Member Moderator Builder

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2014
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    196
    Wow. That sucker seems noisy. It's running though. Congrats shugster. Great work!

    Joe
     
  28. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Thanks Joe, i think lol, seriously though it is a bit noisy:ROFL:

    Might have to bolt it down or stick rubber feet on it. everything is tight.
     
  29. stargeezer

    stargeezer Journeyman
    Builder

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2015
    Messages:
    328
    Likes Received:
    117
    Congrats Slugster! Aren't those first days trying to get a machine up and running fun? And, thank God when everything finally starts running right! ;)

    I agree that it seems noisy, but if it's just loose on the table, you will hear each step from the steppers. Screwing a few corner blocks into a 3/4 piece of plywood will do a couple things for you - First it will help to keep everything square and running smooth. Secondly, it will add mass, which helps with noise and vibration. I'd also suggest adding 4 rubber feet to the bottom of that to even help more.

    Have Fun!
     
    Mark Carew likes this.
  30. shugster

    shugster New
    Builder

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2015
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    20
    Thanks! Yes I'm thinking along similar lines, my first thoughts were to pour melted lead down the holes of all the aluminium lengths :ROFL: but the misses said that's a stupid idea lol. I'm just sorting the electrics out a bit but my dog 'diesel' is needing his walk, that's him to the left of your screen with the bone, he is nearly 5 now and if he wants something he soon lets me know!
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice