I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

All info relating to the Denford MicroMill and MicroTurn lathes and mills

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westcoastkevin
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu 31 Aug , 2017 21:05 pm
Hardware/Software: MicroRouter

I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by westcoastkevin » Mon 20 Aug , 2018 21:13 pm

The background:
OK... I got a some goodies last week.

I got both of these machines.
MicroMill 2000
MicroTurn 2000

I got this software.
Lathe Cam Designer V1.11 (With intact floppy disk for license)
Mill Cam Designer V2.22 (With intact floppy disk for license)
VR CNC Milling V2.22 (With intact floppy disk for license)
VR CNC Turning V1.9 (With intact floppy disk for license)

Extras.
CNC Milling Basics Disk
Machine and software Manuals.
Instructor and student Manuals.
1 Rs-232 cable.

The problem, I think:
I unloaded the mill and plugged it in. (It has the original power key.)
I took off the back cover.
The RED 7-segment-displat has a L and a flashing dot.
What does that mean?

The machine has all of the three axes approximately at the midpoint of the travel. None is on the limit switches. The switches feel fine mechanically.
The S/N of the Denford Card on top of the main card is U0310240045

I have not hooked up a computer to it yet. I did successfully install and activate the software on the PC separately.

Can anyone help for what me next step (no pun intended) should be?
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westcoastkevin
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu 31 Aug , 2017 21:05 pm
Hardware/Software: MicroRouter

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by westcoastkevin » Mon 20 Aug , 2018 22:08 pm

OK, so the L should mean LIMIT SWITCH OPEN per this.
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=3167

What should I check. What does that likely mean?
I hear a click of some sort when I open and close the door.
The led display does not change though.
I actuate the limit switches manually but no change to the led display either.

Martin
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Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by Martin » Mon 20 Aug , 2018 22:40 pm

You need to connect the computer to the machine & then connect to the machine.

Neither machine will have any overtravels fitted. Just datum switches.

westcoastkevin
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu 31 Aug , 2017 21:05 pm
Hardware/Software: MicroRouter

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by westcoastkevin » Tue 21 Aug , 2018 15:21 pm

Martin,
Wow thanks. (I was expecting a nightmare but I am happily surprised.)
I hooked up the cable that came with it and nothing. I grabbed a null modem adapter from "the box" and It connected fine.
I will go back and confirm the pinout later. It was well after bed time.

It homed.
It jogged in all axes.
The spindle turned on and off and responded to S codes to change speed.

I put it in auto mode and randomly picked a sample G-Code file from the software.
I proofread it a little to be sure there were no large Z axis moves that would crash the head.
The program initiated fine but ran into an overtravel. It was not a surprise because I have not learned how to operate the work offset or tool offset yet.

That comes next.
I should learn how to mechanically go through it now and lubricate any place that needs it.

Regards,
Kevin

1. I got a scare when I first connected it. I thought the board had a problem.

2. The spindle seems to have the quick change tooling bushing to take a 0.375" shank endmill. This one was already in it and that is what it measured. Should there be a collet holder? Can I buy other bushings?

3. There is a little vise or clamp of some sort in it. I need to see how it works. It has some sort of fitting on it, perhaps for air.

4. Home Sweet Home. I was very happy to see and hear this.
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[size=150]I got a scare when I first connected it. I thought the board had a problem.[/size]
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[size=150]2. The spindle seems to have the quick change tooling bushing to take a 0.375" shank endmill. This one was already in it and that is what it measured. Should there be a collet holder? Can I buy other bushings?[/size]
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[size=150]There is a little vise or clamp of some sort in it. I need to see how it works. It has some sort of fitting on it, perhaps for air.[/size]
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[size=150]Home Sweet Home. I was very happy to see and hear this.[/size]
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TDIPower
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Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by TDIPower » Tue 21 Aug , 2018 23:55 pm

You need to zero the machines to where ever the job zero will be. In my years on micromill use job zero I would always set with x/y as far left/back as possible, easier to have a sacrificial bed with marks/boundaries to mount a job against. In that way once those zeros are set all you need to do is zero the Z (bit of paper between the tool and job and step down unit the paper rips when you try to move it . Well worth reading the manuals for the machines, they are on here


Pete

westcoastkevin
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Joined: Thu 31 Aug , 2017 21:05 pm
Hardware/Software: MicroRouter

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by westcoastkevin » Thu 23 Aug , 2018 16:35 pm

I figured out the Work offset business. Easy enough.
I ran a couple of small programs in the air just to get a sense of it. It all worked fine. (I will deal with tool offsets later once I figure out the tool library and the quick change holders. (I am thinking of a matched set of the common tools I might use))

I have one question and one problem.
First the question:

Is there any settings that improve the 2 axis or 3 axis interpolation smoothness?
It looked and sounded choppy to me when more than one axis was moving. I put it in TURBO mode and it got smoother. I assume hats is similar to DRY RUN mode on a larger machine.

Now the problem:
It stopped midway through the sample file Teddy.fnc while in Turbo Mode
It complained of a major timeout issue. (See picture.)

I unplugged and replugged the cable.
It mostly would not find the machine after that.
It did find it a while later.
It homed ok, but I could not jog it.
That was where I left it and went to bed.

What should I be looking at?
The PC is a Dell Dimension 4500 desktop machine with Windows XP SP2.
VR Milling Version is the 2.32 download from the forum.
1. Serial port in PC (any settings to turn off or on in the back end? (FIFO buffers maybe))
2. Serial cable looks perfect. (It was working fine with the null modem)
3. Does the top board need to be reseated to ensure a good connection to the Baldor board? (I figure it sat for years in a school storage building before I got it. )
4. Could I swap the board from the MicroTurn or MicroRouter that I have as a test?
5. Looking through the hole in the back cover, the RED Seven Segment LED had an 8 with no flashing dot.
6. Is there any other information I can provide to help diagnose the issue?
7. Is there a secret home/jog button on the Older Version of VR Milling that I have?
Thanks,
Kevin
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I did read these 2 threads but I am not immediately sure what they mean to me.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2123&hilit=major+timeout+problem
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2190&hilit=major+timeout+problem

westcoastkevin
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu 31 Aug , 2017 21:05 pm
Hardware/Software: MicroRouter

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by westcoastkevin » Mon 27 Aug , 2018 17:05 pm

I have swapped cables and I believe the serial port on the PC is okay.
I have been reading the reference guide for the Euro Step cards.
The 8 on the red led display is a possible reset condition state.
One of the causes is not a steady 5 Volts to the card.
Does that sound right?

Where should I have the 5v?
Is there other places than the pins referenced in the image here?

I want to check that first before I consider swapping the card from the microturn.

Kevin
Attachments
2018-08-27 11_50_50-EURO-STEP Reference guide 1937-204.pdf - Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.png
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TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by TDIPower » Mon 17 Sep , 2018 20:24 pm

I would be surprised if there is a PSU issue (it is on the bottom board (Baldor) but it is not impossible. You can get all the drawings on here. You should be able to swap the top/bottom boards from the microturn to prove things.

Pete

Martin
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Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by Martin » Tue 18 Sep , 2018 9:54 am

How many wires are connected on the internal RS232 lead. Some of the earlier machines just used 2 pins. It may be worth connecting a RS232 lead directly in to the control from the computer.

westcoastkevin
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu 31 Aug , 2017 21:05 pm
Hardware/Software: MicroRouter

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by westcoastkevin » Wed 12 Dec , 2018 2:31 am

OK. I am back after a long hiatus with house stuff to deal with.
@Martin There are 4 wires on the inside of the cabinet where the RS232 plug attaches to the machine.
Red and blue on pins 2/3
Black wire simply looped between 4/5
White on 7.

I am pretty discouraged.
The machine was working and then it stopped.
It had connected fine and I was working through the setup procedure for offsets and tools.
Then it stopped with the errors from the previous posts.

CURRENT STATE:
When I power up the machine, the segment display shows an 8.
Now it will not connect to the machine. It tries to initialize and fails with a picture and a message to check that the machine is powered on and the Serial cable connected.
I had removed the top board to clean it. I noticed some discoloration near the battery now that was not there when I took the original pictures above. See this pic below.
Is the board damaged?
If so, Is there a repair service?
Is this the likely source of my trouble?
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These areas:
attachment=1]20181211_200903.jpg[/attachment]

What I tried tonight:
I decoupled the steppers and limit switches just to make sure the screws would turn freely.(I was thinking maybe a screw that would not turn freely cooked the board in some way.)
I swapped the top board (only) from the Microturn but that does not even light up the seven segment LED.
I swapped the MINT chip between the two top boards and tried again. The Microturn board remained dead.

What should I do?
Is there something specific to ckeck?
Should I look for a board?

Thanks,
Kevin[
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jusalga36
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri 07 Apr , 2023 18:37 pm
Hardware/Software: Microturn 1.16
Micromill 1.16

Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by jusalga36 » Fri 07 Apr , 2023 18:56 pm

Hey, I knw this is a very old thread. Where could I get a hold of this software?

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Steve
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Re: I got a MicroMill and Microturn last week.

Post by Steve » Tue 11 Apr , 2023 15:48 pm

The software is available from Denford. Contact sales@denford.co.uk

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