# CNC 3018 PRO step motors does not work properly



## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

Hi to all,

I am new to this forum and many thanks to everyone. I am also new to the fantastic world of carving. Actually, I am experiencing problems with the step motors of my CNC 3018 PRO. The fact is that when I connect the machine (that now I use as laser engraver) using Lasergrbl and I try to move the X- or Y- or Z-axis, just to check if there are issues, the motors seem not to move. I just hear a noise like something is moving, but nothing happen. What I observed is: 

MACHINE TURNED OFF: I am able to rotate the motors and all the axes can move;
MACHINE TURNED ON: I am not able to rotate the axis;
When I adjust the feed rate, the problem still persists
the driver is installed because COM3 is the port which the machine can connect to the computer;
the same problem is shown when I use Candle
When I reset the motherboard, by pushing the button RESET, the problem still persists
When I re-install the driver, the problem still persists

Any comments are appreciated

Many thanks


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, @andrewBigo .


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

This sounds like the steppers aren't wired properly. Typically there are two windings for each stepper. Since you can't spin the motors when you power on the machine, that makes me think that only one of the windings is getting power. A quick search says the humming with no movement (or vibration that may not be obvious on the machine) is also an indication of that as well.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MikeMa said:


> This sounds like the steppers aren't wired properly. Typically there are two windings for each stepper. Since you can't spin the motors when you power on the machine, that makes me think that only one of the windings is getting power. A quick search says the humming with no movement (or vibration that may not be obvious on the machine) is also an indication of that as well.


HI and thank you very much for the feedback. So you think it is a motor problem?


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

old55 said:


> Welcome to the forum.


Thanks a lot


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

It sounds like the motors are working correctly but the controller is not receiving a command to move the spindle to a new location. 

Are you actually sending a move command to the controller? Just changing the feed rate does not make the spindle move, it needs to be told the feed rate you want to move and where you want to move the spindle. This should be in gcode format for the machine you are using.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

Hi to all and many thanks for all the advices. But the problem still persists. so today I attach the screen of the "error 22" which shows me when I run Grbl controller 3.6.1. 








what does the error mean? 

thanks a lot


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

I don't use lasergrbl, but I've seen this issue in other senders. You can turn the axes with power off but not on. This happens because you likely have $1=255, which sends power to the motors all the time. With this setting, as soon as you turn on the controller, power is sent to the motors. You will not be able to turn them by hand.

Check to see what your jog distance settings are. In some software that I have used, the default is so small that there appears to be no movement at all. You hear the motor, but see no movement. If this is your problem, the gantry really is moving, but it is moving so such a small distance in such a long time, you can't see it. Change the distance.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

gwilki said:


> I don't use lasergrbl, but I've seen this issue in other senders. You can turn the axes with power off but not on. This happens because you likely have $1=255, which sends power to the motors all the time. With this setting, as soon as you turn on the controller, power is sent to the motors. You will not be able to turn them by hand.
> 
> Check to see what your jog distance settings are. In some software that I have used, the default is so small that there appears to be no movement at all. You hear the motor, but see no movement. If this is your problem, the gantry really is moving, but it is moving so such a small distance in such a long time, you can't see it. Change the distance.


Yes definitely, you have decoded my problem. So, how can I set the jog distance?


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

I don't use lasergrbl, but I found this on their page









So, find this on your lasergrbl and increase the step and speed. Let us know what happens.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

gwilki said:


> I don't use lasergrbl, but I found this on their page
> 
> View attachment 401014
> 
> So, find this on your lasergrbl and increase the step and speed. Let us know what happens.


The speed is set at 900 and step is 5. Problem still persists


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

Increase the speed to 1000, which is the max that you have set in grbl. Increase the step to 20.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

GRBL error 22 is “Feed rate has not yet been set or is undefined.” Try this to add a feed rate


> G91
> F150
> G01 X1


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

I thought about that Mike, but he is just jogging so why do you think this error would pop up? I am disagreeing with you, just curious?


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

andrewBigo said:


> Hi to all and many thanks for all the advices. But the problem still persists. so today I attach the screen of the "error 22" which shows me when I run Grbl controller 3.6.1.
> View attachment 401012
> 
> what does the error mean?
> ...


He has feed rate default settings shown for all axis in the listing so the jogging should be using them but I'm looking at this code he posted with the relative move 1mm to the right along the x-axis and error:22 is telling him that the feed rate has not been defined. 

If he tries what I posted and still gets no movement of the spindle then he is either at the far right limit and can't move or, and this might be the actual problem, the controller is not receiving a good signal from the software. 

I'm still thinking along the line of my first post it might be a bad connection or bad cable so the controller is not getting a good signal. That would explain why both jogging and sending gcode commands don't work. It still might be in the settings but I would still check cables and connectors.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> He has feed rate default settings shown for all axis in the listing so the jogging should be using them but I'm looking at this code he posted with the relative move 1mm to the right along the x-axis and error:22 is telling him that the feed rate has not been defined.
> 
> If he tries what I posted and still gets no movement of the spindle then he is either at the far right limit and can't move or, and this might be the actual problem, the controller is not receiving a good signal from the software.
> 
> I'm still thinking along the line of my first post it might be a bad connection or bad cable so the controller is not getting a good signal. That would explain why both jogging and sending gcode commands don't work. It still might be in the settings but I would still check cables and connectors.


HI Mike, thanks to your reply. Cables and connectors are good.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> GRBL error 22 is “Feed rate has not yet been set or is undefined.” Try this to add a feed rate


I tried to write the code but problem still exists


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

I went back and looked at all the posts and I see you are saying that you are using COM3, doesn't the CNC 3018 PRO use a USB interface? Is the CNC shown as a USB device connected to COM3?

If it doesn't then you are sending gcode to the wrong place and when trying to jog or run gcode it is not receiving the signal so it won't move. Check the Windows Device Manager under Ports and look for devices connected to one of the USB ports. It should show the Com port number, after the USB device, that you need to designate as COM port in the laserGBRL software. Could this be the problem?


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> I went back and looked at all the posts and I see you are saying that you are using COM3, doesn't the CNC 3018 PRO use a USB interface? Is the CNC shown as a USB device connected to COM3?
> 
> If it doesn't then you are sending gcode to the wrong place and when trying to jog or run gcode it is not receiving the signal so it won't move. Check the Windows Device Manager under Ports and look for devices connected to one of the USB ports. It should show the Com port number, after the USB device, that you need to designate as COM port in the laserGBRL software. Could this be the problem?


The problem is present using port COM3 and COM4. I even checked the USB cable but the problem still persists


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

I post this video. Nothing happens. Only little noise of the motor but no movement


MEBCWD said:


> GRBL error 22 is “Feed rate has not yet been set or is undefined.” Try this to add a feed rate


I tried this as well but nothing happened. thanks a lot for the advice


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Did you look in the Windows Device Manager to find your CNC, it should show up in the ports as a USB device? That is where you get the port number the device is using.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> Did you look in the Windows Device Manager to find your CNC, it should show up in the ports as a USB device? That is where you get the port number the device is using.


Hello MEBCWD, yes I attach the screenshot


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

andrewBigo said:


> Hello MEBCWD, yes I attach the screenshot
> 
> View attachment 401047


the COM3 port works properly, I mean that when the machine is turned OFF, I can move the motor. When it is ON I can't. Also, when I move the jog, I hear that something is moving but apparently nothing happen


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Did check in the Windows Device Manager under Ports for a device using USB that is your CNC machine? That is where the port that the CNC uses would be called out.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> Did check in the Windows Device Manager under Ports for a device using USB that is your CNC machine? That is where the port that the CNC uses would be called out.


yes it is COM3 port


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

What are your step settings? $0 thru $4


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Try lowering the $100 thru $102 to "800" and see what happens. That 1600 setting might be too high.
Also lower the $110 thru $112 to "500"


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> What are your step settings? $0 thru $4


100 are my step settings. Do you think is here the problem?


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> Try lowering the $100 thru $102 to "800" and see what happens. That 1600 setting might be too high.
> Also lower the $110 thru $112 to "500"


Nothing happened. Still the problem exists with the GRBL values


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

post all your settings


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> post all your settings


here they are, many thanks

$0=10 (Step pulse time)
$1=255 (Step idle delay)
$2=0 (Step pulse invert)
$3=2 (Step direction invert)
$4=1 (Invert step enable pin)
$5=0 (Invert limit pins)
$6=0 (Invert probe pin)
$10=1 (Status report options)
$11=0.010 (Junction deviation)
$12=0.002 (Arc tolerance)
$13=0 (Report in inches)
$20=0 (Soft limits enable)
$21=0 (Hard limits enable)
$22=0 (Homing cycle enable)
$23=0 (Homing direction invert)
$24=25.000 (Homing locate feed rate)
$25=500.000 (Homing search seek rate)
$26=25 (Homing switch debounce delay)
$27=1.000 (Homing switch pull-off distance)
$30=1000 (Maximum spindle speed)
$31=0 (Minimum spindle speed)
$32=0 (Laser-mode enable)
$100=1600.000 (X-axis travel resolution)
$101=1600.000 (Y-axis travel resolution)
$102=1600.000 (Z-axis travel resolution)
$110=1000.000 (X-axis maximum rate)
$111=1000.000 (Y-axis maximum rate)
$112=800.000 (Z-axis maximum rate)
$120=30.000 (X-axis acceleration)
$121=30.000 (Y-axis acceleration)
$122=30.000 (Z-axis acceleration)
$130=200.000 (X-axis maximum travel)
$131=200.000 (Y-axis maximum travel)
$132=200.000 (Z-axis maximum travel)


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Try changing these settings

$2=25
$100=250
$101=250
$102=250
$110=500
$111=500
$112=500
$120=10
$121=10
$122=10
$130=180
$131=300
$132=44


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> Try changing these settings
> 
> $2=25
> $100=250
> ...


I tried but nothing happens


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

What brand CNC 3018 PRO do you have? Where did you get it?


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> What brand CNC 3018 PRO do you have? Where did you get it?


I got it from Amazon. I used it very few times after 2 years I did not used it. What do you mean by brand? It is cnc 3018 pro


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

There are a lot of people selling CNC 3018 Pro machines and all of the sites that I have checked have different settings and documentation for their machines. All the machines have slightly different components so it does make a difference.

So, you did have it working at one time then it sat for 2 years! You say you are having trouble with it now using both Candle and Lasergrbl. 

Have you changed anything since it was working? Replaced anything, parts, controller, rewired anything? Maybe when you added the laser it was wired wrong, not connected correctly, or is not compatible with your machine.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

MEBCWD said:


> There are a lot of people selling CNC 3018 Pro machines and all of the sites that I have checked have different settings and documentation for their machines. All the machines have slightly different components so it does make a difference.
> 
> So, you did have it working at one time then it sat for 2 years! You say you are having trouble with it now using both Candle and Lasergrbl.
> 
> Have you changed anything since it was working? Replaced anything, parts, controller, rewired anything? Maybe when you added the laser it was wired wrong, not connected correctly, or is not compatible with your machine.


No, I did not changed anything since I bought it. I think is the controller it is damaged


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

ok guys, problem solved. It was the FEED rate, which is now to 6000. I do not know why, but using the grbl settings of an ATOMSTACK A5 20W laser engraver, everything runs smoothly.


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## andrewBigo (11 mo ago)

How can I set the size to 3000X200mm, which is the size of the plate?
Now this is my actual size


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

$130 For X-axis working area max travel
$131 For Y-axis working area max travel
$132 For X-axis working area max travel

Here is a Configuration Guide in Italian for Lasergrbl. It might help you get this going correctly.


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## pal (Feb 13, 2008)

I run my images through GIMP which is a free Image Manipulation Program and set the size in your case 3000x 200 mm plus anything else i want to change. When you load the image into laser grbl







you will get the background screen (highlighted hand's) this will allow you to rotate the subject to fit your plate. the top screen allow you to set your dimensions


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