Difference between revisions of "MAXNC"

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Makers Local 256 (https://256.makerslocal.org/) owns at some point got two MAXNC mills. One was a MAXNC15 with a closed Loop control system and the other had an open Loop control system. They came with a 4th axis and a lathe chuck. The the company MAXNC is now defunct. The main problem with running these machines was that they used an unusual control system compared to typical stepper driven desktop CNC machines. Apparently it used a quadrature system. I have no idea what that means or how it is different. They use normal stepper motors.  
 
Makers Local 256 (https://256.makerslocal.org/) owns at some point got two MAXNC mills. One was a MAXNC15 with a closed Loop control system and the other had an open Loop control system. They came with a 4th axis and a lathe chuck. The the company MAXNC is now defunct. The main problem with running these machines was that they used an unusual control system compared to typical stepper driven desktop CNC machines. Apparently it used a quadrature system. I have no idea what that means or how it is different. They use normal stepper motors.  
  
==Reference Materal==
+
==Running the Machine with Mach3==
Here are some links to where I found information about MAXNC
+
For minimum cost I want to get it running with the MACNC controller. This means using either the MAXNC software, or using Mach3 which has two special modes for compatibility with MaxNC control systems.
The following are pages from the original company that are available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)
+
I couldn't find the original MAXNC software that would have shipped with the machines. And I am familiar with Mach3, so it was an easy decision.
:http://www.maxnc.net/
+
:http://www.maxnc.com/
+
:http://www.ximotion.com/
+
  
This another page available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)
+
this link has a configuration file:
:http://032568b.netsolhost.com/page13.html
+
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop-machines/254426-cnc.html
 
+
Here are some other pages
+
:https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/MaxNCMill
+
:https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/cnc_equip.htm#maxnc
+
:https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/images/resources/cnc/MAXNCmanual.pdf
+
::This is not the original manual, but something written as an introductory overview for student at Purdue.
+
 
+
YouTuber "Josh AQ" has made many videos about his MaxNC mill
+
:https://www.youtube.com/@quickebay1
+
 
+
 
+
==Getting the Machine to Work==
+
For minimum cost I want to get it running with the MACNC controler. This means using either the MAXNC software, or using Mach 3 wich is supoised to have a MAXNC compatable mode.
+
I coudn't find the MAXNC software, and I am familiar with Mach3, so its a easy decision.
+
 
+
Bradley wants to ditch the MAXNC controller and use only the steppers instead.
+
He wants to replace the controller with one of these:
+
https://www.geckodrive.com/g540-4-axis-digital-stepper-drive.html
+
https://www.geckodrive.com/support/g540-rev-8.html
+
I'm ok with this option if I can't get the MAXNC controller to work. But I'd prefer using cheaper controll system of ebay if I had to pay for it myself.
+
In eith senario the stepper connectors would need to be rewired. The steppers are 8 wires. The controller Brad wants uses 4 wires. Most cheap diy CNC stuff also uses 4 wires.
+
  
 
==Wiring a stepper cable==
 
==Wiring a stepper cable==
I rewiring a stepper cable to if it would work with a Geckodrive
+
Before I got the original control system working with Mach3 Bradley wanted to replace it with a Geckodrive.
 +
:https://www.geckodrive.com/g540-4-axis-digital-stepper-drive.html
 +
:https://www.geckodrive.com/support/g540-rev-8.html
 +
I'm okay with this option but I would prefer to use something expandable to 5 axis, because I am strongly considering buying a 5th axis.
 +
Replacing the control system with something more conventional would require the stepper cables to be rewired. The steppers are 8 wires. Four wire systems are much more common. Most cheap DIY CNC stuff uses 4 wires and so does that Geckodrive in particular. I rewiring a stepper cable to test if the Geckodrive will work with the steppers the machine came with. Bradley has agreed to take the stepper and the new cable to his place of employment to test on a Geckodrive they have there. Bradley swore upon his honor that he would complete this quest. Yet still I wait. The following are my notes I write wile figuring out how to do the wiring.
  
The steppers the MAXNC has
+
The steppers the MAXNC came with Powermax 11 Model P22NRXG-LNN-NS-00 steppers
Powermax 11
+
:https://www.kollmorgen.com/en-us/products/motors/stepper/powermax-m-and-p-series/
Model P22NRXG-LNN-NS-00
+
:https://www.kollmorgen.com/sites/default/files/public_downloads/Nema_P2_Stepper_System_TB.pdf
https://www.kollmorgen.com/en-us/products/motors/stepper/powermax-m-and-p-series/
+
:http://www.portalnaukowy.edu.pl/allegro/powermax22.pdf
https://www.kollmorgen.com/sites/default/files/public_downloads/Nema_P2_Stepper_System_TB.pdf
+
The infro Brad Was Looking at
+
http://www.portalnaukowy.edu.pl/allegro/powermax22.pdf
+
  
 
Motor Pins
 
Motor Pins
 
Pin                1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8
 
Pin                1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8
internal conect    5    6    7    8    1    2    3    4  (The pins that had conectivity)
+
internal connect    5    6    7    8    1    2    3    4  (The pins that had connectivity)
 
ohm                17.8  17.5  17.7  17.4
 
ohm                17.8  17.5  17.7  17.4
Color       blue  black orange black black red black yellow
+
Color     blue  black orange black black red black yellow
  
 
Cable motor side (indexing from arrow)
 
Cable motor side (indexing from arrow)
 
pin        1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8
 
pin        1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8
conected  1    6    2    6    6    3    6    4   
+
connected  1    6    2    6    6    3    6    4   
  
Cable drver side (indexing from arrow)
+
Cable driver side (indexing from arrow)
 
1    2    3    4    5              6
 
1    2    3    4    5              6
-    -    -    -    no conector    -
+
-    -    -    -    no connector    -
 
blue  orange red  yellow                black
 
blue  orange red  yellow                black
  
9 pin serial port conection
+
9 pin serial port connection
 
1    2      3    4    5    6      7      8    9    case
 
1    2      3    4    5    6      7      8    9    case
 
red  yellow blue  gray  black orange purple brown green White
 
red  yellow blue  gray  black orange purple brown green White
  
 
Here is how to wire it from 8 pin to 4 pin (with serial Connection)
 
Here is how to wire it from 8 pin to 4 pin (with serial Connection)
Stetter side
+
Stepper side
 
2 and 5 get tied together and terminated
 
2 and 5 get tied together and terminated
 
4 and 7 get tied together and terminated
 
4 and 7 get tied together and terminated
Line 74: Line 51:
 
8 yellow  |  -B  |  6 orange
 
8 yellow  |  -B  |  6 orange
  
Serial pins 1-5 gets a resistor
+
Apparently the Serial pins 1-5 gets a resistor put between them. Or at least that what it looks like from the Geckodrive documentation.
  
==Using Mach3 with MaxNC==
+
==But what about the second Mill==
this link has a configuration file:
+
I plan to turn that shit to a CNC lathe.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop-machines/254426-cnc.html
+
 
 +
==Reference Material==
 +
Here are some links to where I found information about MAXNC
 +
The following are pages from the original company that are available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)
 +
:http://www.maxnc.net/
 +
:http://www.maxnc.com/
 +
:http://www.ximotion.com/
 +
 
 +
This another page available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)
 +
:http://032568b.netsolhost.com/page13.html
 +
 
 +
Here are some other pages
 +
:https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/MaxNCMill
 +
:https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/cnc_equip.htm#maxnc
 +
:https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/images/resources/cnc/MAXNCmanual.pdf
 +
::This is not the original manual, but something written as an introductory overview for student at Purdue.
 +
 
 +
YouTuber "Josh AQ" has made many videos about his MaxNC mill
 +
:https://www.youtube.com/@quickebay1

Revision as of 22:42, 23 November 2022

MAXNC Milling Machine

Makers Local 256 (https://256.makerslocal.org/) owns at some point got two MAXNC mills. One was a MAXNC15 with a closed Loop control system and the other had an open Loop control system. They came with a 4th axis and a lathe chuck. The the company MAXNC is now defunct. The main problem with running these machines was that they used an unusual control system compared to typical stepper driven desktop CNC machines. Apparently it used a quadrature system. I have no idea what that means or how it is different. They use normal stepper motors.

Running the Machine with Mach3

For minimum cost I want to get it running with the MACNC controller. This means using either the MAXNC software, or using Mach3 which has two special modes for compatibility with MaxNC control systems. I couldn't find the original MAXNC software that would have shipped with the machines. And I am familiar with Mach3, so it was an easy decision.

this link has a configuration file: https://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop-machines/254426-cnc.html

Wiring a stepper cable

Before I got the original control system working with Mach3 Bradley wanted to replace it with a Geckodrive.

https://www.geckodrive.com/g540-4-axis-digital-stepper-drive.html
https://www.geckodrive.com/support/g540-rev-8.html

I'm okay with this option but I would prefer to use something expandable to 5 axis, because I am strongly considering buying a 5th axis. Replacing the control system with something more conventional would require the stepper cables to be rewired. The steppers are 8 wires. Four wire systems are much more common. Most cheap DIY CNC stuff uses 4 wires and so does that Geckodrive in particular. I rewiring a stepper cable to test if the Geckodrive will work with the steppers the machine came with. Bradley has agreed to take the stepper and the new cable to his place of employment to test on a Geckodrive they have there. Bradley swore upon his honor that he would complete this quest. Yet still I wait. The following are my notes I write wile figuring out how to do the wiring.

The steppers the MAXNC came with Powermax 11 Model P22NRXG-LNN-NS-00 steppers

https://www.kollmorgen.com/en-us/products/motors/stepper/powermax-m-and-p-series/
https://www.kollmorgen.com/sites/default/files/public_downloads/Nema_P2_Stepper_System_TB.pdf
http://www.portalnaukowy.edu.pl/allegro/powermax22.pdf

Motor Pins Pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 internal connect 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 (The pins that had connectivity) ohm 17.8 17.5 17.7 17.4 Color blue black orange black black red black yellow

Cable motor side (indexing from arrow) pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 connected 1 6 2 6 6 3 6 4

Cable driver side (indexing from arrow) 1 2 3 4 5 6 - - - - no connector - blue orange red yellow black

9 pin serial port connection 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 case red yellow blue gray black orange purple brown green White

Here is how to wire it from 8 pin to 4 pin (with serial Connection) Stepper side 2 and 5 get tied together and terminated 4 and 7 get tied together and terminated

Motor Pin | letter | Serial Pin 1 blue | +A | 9 green 6 red | -A | 8 brown 3 orange | +B | 7 purple 8 yellow | -B | 6 orange

Apparently the Serial pins 1-5 gets a resistor put between them. Or at least that what it looks like from the Geckodrive documentation.

But what about the second Mill

I plan to turn that shit to a CNC lathe.

Reference Material

Here are some links to where I found information about MAXNC The following are pages from the original company that are available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)

http://www.maxnc.net/
http://www.maxnc.com/
http://www.ximotion.com/

This another page available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)

http://032568b.netsolhost.com/page13.html

Here are some other pages

https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/MaxNCMill
https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/cnc_equip.htm#maxnc
https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/images/resources/cnc/MAXNCmanual.pdf
This is not the original manual, but something written as an introductory overview for student at Purdue.

YouTuber "Josh AQ" has made many videos about his MaxNC mill

https://www.youtube.com/@quickebay1