Project starts normal, then everything start's to go haywire

Hey All,

Just set up a 3018 pro, first ever CNC.

I am using easel to generate g code and using the g code sender that came with my device. I am cutting 1/8" into 3/4" MDF using a 15 degree V bit.

About 3/4 way through my drawing, it starts drawing it again in the wrong place but a much larger scale, then it just random draws lines all over before lifting up and stalling.

This should be one airplane silhouette.

I have made several attempts and used a different USB cord, and checked the power saving settings on my laptop. Same every time.

can you share the easel project and paste the share link here please?
Thanks!

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hmm, I’m not sure why your machine lost steps there. There’s no issue I see in the project… I was expecting to maybe see some anomalies outside of the intended carve area. But it all looks fine.

I’d probably change the design from “on path” to the “pocket” cut type and maybe reduce the depth by 50%… but it looks fine as is though, it must be an issue with the CNC itself maybe…

EDIT: Looking at your CNC photo again, IT LOOKS like your X and Y axis are switched!! and that could maybe result in a crash and loss of steps… you might want to test jogging and verify that the X and Y axis plugs aren’t swapped, if they are just switch the plugs at the controller board and then verify the correct directions.

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Sorry for the late reply.

My X and Y axis are setup correctly, I had rotated that project by mistake before sending it to you.

My machine seems to work fine for small projects with smaller bite depth, but when it’s a bit bigger, or deeper cut, it gets “lost” and this happens


The default settings id use on the 3018 is
700mm/min feed
100mm/min plunge
0.5mm depth per pass

Try that and clamp it so the boarf doesnt move and it ahould carve fine.

The work piece isn’t moving, I had removed it from the clamps for that photo.

I will try the slowed down rates and see if that helps, thanks!

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Success!

Seemed to work a lot better, do you think the more aggressive cuts were overloading the machine?

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very likely, yes. with the tiny nema17 stepper motors on the 3018 model, it can’t really push too hard through very deep at all.

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