I just got the X-Carve assembled about two weeks ago. I’ve done a few simple tests with Easel and everything seems to come out ok. So I’ve been working with MeshCam a little so I can do more 3D work. This is my first test with mechcam. This is what the carving is supposed to look like.
I had to stop the job because the router had lost its way and was trying to plow into the stock in the finish passes. This is what the work piece looked like after the roughing passes.
And this is what It looked like when I stopped the machine midway into the finish passes.
It looks like the roughing tool path was just fine, but the finish tool path either jumped up in the Y-Axis (maybe a stepper voltage issue, i havent checked that yet) or it almost looks like the image remains in the center of the work piece but is scaled down a little bit (maybe a G-Code issue).
Has anyone ran into any problems like this, or know what may be causing this problem??
I don’t use meshcam, but more then likely it is a mechanical issue. I would adjust the pots as it seems like you are losing steps.
I think you were right Erik. I gave my Y pot about a 1/8 turn clockwise and ran more gcode through the machine and didn’t have any issues. Although it was a smaller 2.5D job, about 40 minutes start to finish. The piece in my first post didnt give me any trouble till a little over an hour into it. I was looking through the forums trying to find the best way to figure out if your pots are properly adjusted and it seems that the issue im having with the Y axis is pretty common. The Y axis having to run 2 steppers gets a little tricky to calibrate properly. In addition to adjusting the Y pot, I also tightened up my belts and checked my eccentric nuts. I think its finally all dialed in and hopefully its done loosing steps. I’ll run a few longer jobs through it and see what happens.
Here’s a pic of the piece I just made without troubles.
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I have been having other issues with multiple versions of UGS, but for that particular test I was using the current UGS thats on the github. Its v1.0.9 i believe. I had issues where the milling would hang up or completely stop at random points, usually within the first 2 minutes of a cut. I tried different version of UGS because forum posts about UGS issues I read people talked about each version behaving differently for them. I finally cam across a post that talked about possibilities of EMI causing interference with the communication of the CNC machine. So I moved the X-Carve to a different outlet in my garage (it was on the same one as my computer, router, and shop vac), and it actually fixed that problem. I was able to run the same gcode file that would hang up one me and not have any stops or hang ups. Although that is the same gcode file that had the problems described in my first post. I did run the gcode through CutViewer Mill and the simulation came out just fine, so I dont think its my Gcode. Im using MeshCam’s gcode profile called “Shapeoko GRBL-inch”.
I havent had the time to run a longer test on the X-Carve yet, but when I do I will post the results here. If anyone has any other ideas as to what can cause this issue please let me know.
Try the daily build, it works so much better.
Thanks Erik, I’ll give that a shot.
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