Hey folks! I apologize if this is in the wrong place. CNC machining newbie here. I have just purchased an SLB for a newly acquired (3yr old never built) GR3 24x48 setup. It has 3 Stepperonline Nema23 2.8a, 1.85nm motors. X/Z have 16mm bs, single Y 20mm bs. When I first connected the motors and limits (NC basic), no spindle connected at all, everything moved fine. I made 2 simple changes in Gsender; 2 axis directions were backwards so I changed those, and I switched from the “stock” setup to 2x4 Altmill, as I was just hoping some of the settings would be similar enough to get going. I read in where I should just use “generic cnc” for my setup, and changed accordingly. Everything worked fine again so I moved the gantry to access the Z axis better, fiddled with tram and the limit switch mount, shut system down and returned a day or so later. Immediately when I turned the system back on, I was in an alarm code 14. The spindle still was not even connected and I could not clear the code. After a web search I unplugged everything even the power supply and reconnected only to have the machine not move at all. Code was gone but now the motors wont move. Support keeps kicking the can down the road saying my setting need to be corrected. How was it running fine til it wasn’t with the same settings? I have tried to change setting to the motors. I can get them to hold torque as needed but cannot get movement. If I try homing I get codes 8 or 9. when I toggle the arrows in Gsender for movement, the dro changes and the “tool” in the visualizer moves but nothing. I’m sorry this was so long winded and I really dont mind being the dummy here, I just don’t know where to go from here.
@PBA Welcome to the group. I have no advice, since I have absolutely no knowledge of your particular CNC. I did do a search for it, and found this site from the manufacturer
I have no modern slb nor using thems fancy new softwares you kids use these days but I can link you to some info that might help you look into your problem and fix it, like you say nowaday, with a selfy.
I think I found the problem…this one anyway. There is a “button/switch” within the “machine info” icon at the top of Gsender that is for locking motors. Great, however, I asked specifically if there was ANY setting that I could have changed during my process of figuring things out. They even had a diagnostic report and I was repeatedly told to “follow my instructions” and correct motor settings and homing settings to fix my issue, even though it moved til it didn’t under stock config settings. I spent the first of two weeks stuck in 14 error waiting for email support only to be told to disconnect the spindle, yes, the very spindle I first made clear that I still had NOT connected, only to read online that there is/was some sort of “handoff” sequence to turning on/off the controller, power, and computer bla bla bla. It is certainly plausible that I hit the lock “button/switch” during that first week of my confusion and troubleshooting and assumed that all issues were related, screen set missing or covered up controls, the spindle alarm code, and a few small things that were ultimately my doing. Once disconnected all components and main power to the transformer, reconnected, what do you know, it all was back online but without movement. I don’t mind being the ignorant one here, that’s called learning, but if you are in a position of customer service/tech support, you should be more fairly knowledgeable of the product. Maybe it is AI support and that is what we all have to look forward to, idk. As someone who spent 30 years working and troubleshooting line voltage electrical systems, simple things happen that can be overlooked and snowball the confusion. It seems to me that “check the lock motor switch” would be a basic suggestion to offer a new cnc “dummy”, from any worthy tech. With that, while tuning steppers, I still get the random situation where nothing moves (if I change a motor setting, test, and return back to original) until I close down and restart. Hopefully , that doesn’t become a reoccurring problem. I want to thank all that replied or even read my post and sparked ones curiosity. I will surly be back for help along this journey, this machine is not necessarily for hobby use, but an addition to my small custom pool cue and woodcraft shop. At this point, I still think the SLB/Gsender looks to be a great package for my needs. We all have room to learn. Thank you all again!!
Thank you for the reply. I have reached out to Gr3 multiple times and with a little digging, it seems that they don’t respond to support emails, just new sales. I have the XML profile already but obviously not applicable so I have to do it all manually. The basket case machine I bought came un assembled with a G540 controller that ultimately has a bad integrated driver and out of warranty. I didn’t really read enough good things about the G540, UC100 nonsense or UCCNC to buy a simple driver and fix it, so I opted to start fresh with the SLB/Gsender setup. I just wanted a 2448 sized machine frame to add a 4th and a turning center setup for profiling at higher speeds…for pool cue making. Thanks again!
I am in the process of fine tuning motors. Challenging to say the least but I’m moving forward. I have cheap basic limit switches that were not stopping the movement til they are slightly backed off. I reversed the NO and NC, changed settings and now they stop as they are supposed to, however, when they back off, it triggers a limit fault. I will order prox sensors from Sienci and I may even order motors so I can closely match what a Labs machine specs are. I thought the wait time and tarrif situation would be an issue as far as buying an Altmill ready to go. Hindsight is 20/20 haha!
