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Question #: 13870

Question: WHAT CAUSES ONE OF MY TWO AXIS MOTORS TO STOP WHILE THE MACH3 PROGRAM IS STILL RUNNING

Current Solution

If one of your stepper motors decides to stop moving and the others are moving during a CNC milling or laser cutting job, then there could be two things that could be causing this.

- The motor found its limiting torque (usually comes with a not-so-pleasant sound). This is where the control software is trying to move the stepper motor too fast (velocity, or too fast too quickly, acceleration) and the load against the stepper motor (inertia of the machine, or the material against the end mill while milling). Recommended action is to lower the velocity and/or acceleration, and/or lower the feedrate when cutting.

- There is a wiring issue with the wiring from the driver to the motor. This could be a loose wire, or a chafed wire (or two shorting together). It can also be a loose digital wire from the controller board to the driver. Sometimes wire ties can be the culprit. Recommended action would be to thoroughly inspect the wiring.

It's probably not the limit switches since that would cause a stop to the entire motion of the cnc router or laser machine.

Sometimes Mach3 will show a status when something goes wrong, but in cases where the motor is stopping due to its torque limit, then that would not be shown in the status. It's always good to check it anyway.

Additional Information:
I need to clarify my situation a little better after going to my shop and trying to run another program on Mach 3. About 15 minutes into the milling process all the motors (2-X axis, Y axis and Z axis)stop but the program continues to run. I stop the program and after a couple of minutes when I try to restart the program all the motors start working again. Then after another 15 minutes or so, all the motors stop again. I checked and rechecked my wiring. This has never happened to me before when running the same programs with the same setups and motor speeds. All of a sudden when I reloaded a program I successfully used before it does this. Do you have any recommendations?

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Yeah, it sounds like a more complex issue. Have you tried running in the air without using the spindle. This may be a power related issue.

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That's exactly what I did. I ran the program without the router motor on just to see if the motors would get through the whole program but they stopped working after about fifteen minutes and then I was able to start them again after about 3 or 4 minutes. I never had this problem before so you can imagine my frustration especially after ruining a couple of projects on expensive material.

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Sure. I can completely understand. Try this: disconnect all but one of the driver from power and digital connection and do the air run. Repeat this for each driver and note your findings. This will rule out the drivers causing a power failure.

Also, is your stepper motors and drivers on a separate power circuit from the computer?

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I will try disconnecting each driver and digital connection, which will be a real pain because it will be hard to access.

All the stepper motors, drivers and computer are plugged into the same power strip.

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Ok, so there is no power failure going on, but I believe it is necessary to test each stepper motor and driver pair individually. Hopefully that will lead to a conclusion.

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It will take a little time but I will do it and report back on my findings.

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Curious, what machine is exhibiting this problem?

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I purchased a BYCNC kit back in 2009 with an approximate cutting area of 2' X 4'. I later changed out the Z-Axis Motor and controller for a larger one and have two X-axis motors and controllers. In 2010 I rebuilt the machine out of birch plywood instead of the particle board that the kit supplied. I sent Patrick pictures to him. The machine never gave me a problem till now.

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Thanks for the update. This is Patrick by the way. I answer pretty much all of the Customer Service questions. That machine has given quite a good history.

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I love the machine and made a number of samples of my work for my e-commerce site, but I can't start selling product until I know this problem is solved because I will not be able to fulfill orders. I finally got all the electronics out of its enclosed protected area near the machine so that I test each controller as you recommended. I hope the problem can be rectified. Will let you know.

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Thanks.

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I tested each stepper motor and driver pair individually and they worked so what might be the next step?

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Did each stepper motor driver pair work for the full +15 minutes?

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Yes, I had them in operation for over 30 minutes.

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Ok, well it’s good that the motors and driver are ok. We are now down to the power supply and the breakout board as possible causes for the stop. I have a feeling it may be the power supply where with all three drivers drawing current and the power supply maybe getting too hot. Is the fan in the power supply working? You can also test to see if there is 36 volts on the power supply voltage output (V+ and V-).

Regarding the breakout board, if you have an oscilloscope, you can test if the driver pulses are outputting, but I would consider this as a last resort after you determine if there is a problem with the power supply.

Additional Information:
I tested the power supply with a voltmeter and each output was registering 39-40 volts. I think the problem may be the g-code. I am using V-Carve pro to do design and output to Mach 3 Mill g-code. When I studied the g-code lines I noticed that further into the program the z-axis g-code stopped zeroing out to move to the next part of the carving. In other words both the x and y keep moving and the z just stopped working because there was g-code missing. I think something is missing when the design was converted to g-code. I noticed that when I ran a simpler project it worked without problems so I need to investigate this further.

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New Update, Its not the g-code. I started to run the long program and everything was working fine until about 45 minutes into it, all the motors stopped working (but the program was still running) and there was a high pitched hum. When I put my hands on the motors they were all trying to move but it seemed they were all stalled. I turned the power off, gave it a minute and when I turned it back on I was able to move the motors again. Could this be a power supply problem?

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It does sound more and more like a power supply problem. Did you test the power supply after the motors stopped?

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No, I did not. What should I be looking for.

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It’s good that you know the voltage during normal operation, so you have a base understood. If the power supply is the problem, the voltage will be reduced or non existent when measured after the problem.

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Also, check to see if the fan is running on the power supply when the motors stop. That may (not absolutely) be an indication.

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I'll run another test, check the voltage and fan when the problem occurs and let you know. Thanks for hanging in there with me as we try to resolve the problem.

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It’s my pleasure. This service is rarely used and is faster then email. Odd nobody uses it. Any recommendations you can give would be great. No problem using this FAQ to pose ideas as this resolution will be cleaned up later.

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It might be that people do not realize you can communicate through the sight like this because they are so used to e-mail and texting. You may want to explain this feature in the customer service section.

I ran the program this morning and it did not take long before the motors stopped. While operating the voltages for all three motors was 46 volts, when the motors stalled (and again there was a high pitch hum) the voltage went up to 60 volts and the fan on the power supply was operating.

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So, the driver work individually, but not all together. There is a high pitch sound when the motors fail. You have noted 60 volts from the power supply and the supply fan remains on. This is a difficult issue to resolve, but it seems to me that your power supply may be bad. The 60v measurement tells me that the current dropped and ohms law tells us that is current drops, volts will rise if the resistance stays the same.

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As one last test I am going to test each driver again and let them go through the entire program because it seems that the failure can occur at the beginning or towards the end of the program. When I originally tested ach driver I let them run for about a half an hour and the program takes over an hour to run completely. I just want to make sure that it is not the drivers. I will report back when I finished but as you noted it may be the power supply but I want to make sure.

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That’s a great idea.

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I just ran the x-axis through the whole program and there was no problem especially since I have two NEMA 23 motors moving that axis. Before I check the Y and Z could having a NEMA 34 on the Z axis with appropriate controller be a problem. I used the larger motor on the z axis because the router I am using is a large 1 1/2 hp. I've run this program in the past with this set-up and have not had a problem.

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Having a, say 3.0 amp driver, driving a stepper motor that typically requires a 6 amp driver would not seem to be an issue since the driver is limiting the current draw, but the driver may not be able to handle larger coil and back EMF with the protection on the 3.0 amp driver. With that said, I don’t believe that is the issue in this case.

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I don't either because I was able to run this and other complicated programs with this set-up in the past. I will let you know on the y and z axis.

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Thanks

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I ran the Y axis and z axis separately through the entire program and there was no stopping or problem. I guess the culprit is the power supply and I'll order a new one and hope that resolves the problem.

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Yes, that is the most probable cause. Please keep me informed. Thanks!

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Received and installed the new power supply. I ran the program with the router on and it worked flawlessly. The program runs for an hour and a half and I did not have a single problem. I guess it was the power supply but I was glad to go through all the diagnostics we discussed before replacing it. I hope this power supply lasts a lot longer than the last one. Thanks much for hanging in there with me and coming up with the solution.

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It’s my absolute pleasure and I am so happy to hear that the power supply replacement solved the problem.

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Y axis stop working X & Z work fine Y axis has two motors have check wiring & connections new breakout board still the same port & Pin set OK dont no were to go next David

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my cnc plasma cutter will run out the program when cutting. what is the cause?

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The cnc plasma question shod be a separate question. Can you pise that question by clicking the customer service live menu button at the top? Thanks.

Respond:

Other Possible Solutions to this Question

  • I HAVE ONE OF YOUR SMALLER STEPPER MOTORS RUNNING MY X AXIS BRIDGE CRANE AND IF IT IS MOVED TO FAST THE MOTOR SOUNDS LIKE SKIPPING STEPS WILL 651OZ REQUIRE A DIFFERENT POWER SUPPLY CONTROLER?

    Yes, the 651 oz/in motor requires a driver that is compatible to the motors (the motor will draw 6 amps max and the driver paired with this motor will be able to allow for a 6 amp draw). I would also recommend a 36 volt power supply for better high velocity performance.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    I HAVE ONE OF YOUR SMALLER STEPPER MOTORS RUNNING MY X AXIS BRIDGE CRANE AND IF IT IS MOVED TO FAST THE MOTOR SOUNDS LIKE SKIPPING STEPS WILL 651OZ REQUIRE A DIFFERENT POWER SUPPLY CONTROLER?

  • I have one of your smaller stepper motors running my X AXIS bridge crane and if it is moved to fast the stepper motor sounds like it is skipping steps will the 651oz stepper motor require a different power supply and controler?

    Yes, the 651 oz/in motor requires a driver that is compatible to the motors (the motor will draw 6 amps max and the driver paired with this motor will be able to allow for a 6 amp draw). I would also recommend a 36 volt power supply for better high velocity performance.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    I have one of your smaller stepper motors running my X AXIS bridge crane and if it is moved to fast the stepper motor sounds like it is skipping steps will the 651oz stepper motor require a different power supply and controler?

  • I WIRED MY VFD (2.2KW VERSION) AND TRIED TEST RUNNING THE SPINDLE. CONFIGURED TO YOUR SPECS ON THIS WEBSITE, ONLY ISSUE IS WE GOT AN ERROR CODE. ERR 02, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS? OR HAVE A LIST OF CODES? THANK

    Can you provide the model number of your VFD?

    Yes, I have the "YL600 - 2S - 2K20"

    It just came with a small booklet that is all in Chinese...

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    I WIRED MY VFD (2.2KW VERSION) AND TRIED TEST RUNNING THE SPINDLE. CONFIGURED TO YOUR SPECS ON THIS WEBSITE, ONLY ISSUE IS WE GOT AN ERROR CODE. ERR 02, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS? OR HAVE A LIST OF CODES? THANK

  • WHAT IS THE FORMULA TO DETERMINE STEPS PER INCH OR RESOLUTION FOR EACH AXIS?

    The formula and calculation is a starting point to get into the area of steps per inch. You will then need to use the mach3 calibration utility to get the exact steps per inch.

    Formula:
    step per inch = (motor steps * microstepping) / (travel at one turn of the motor in inches)
    if microstepping is set at 16 (1/16 on the driver) then and you are using a sprocket and chain with a pitch of .25 inches and 12 teeth on the drive sprocket
    = (200 * 16) / (12 * .25)
    = 3200 / 3
    = 1066.666 steps per inch

    For lead screw that has a travel of .5 inches at one turn like the 5 start 1/2 inch lead screw and using 4 microsteps per step (1/4):
    = (200 * 4) / (.5)
    = 800 / .5
    = 1600 steps per inch

    Remember to use the mach3 calibration wizard and double check the driver microstep setting.

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    -1' OR 2+275-275-1=0+0+0+1 --

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    -1' OR 2+345-345-1=0+0+0+1 or '6eaEcsTN'='

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    -1" OR 2+474-474-1=0+0+0+1 --

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    1'"

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    1'"

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    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT IS THE FORMULA TO DETERMINE STEPS PER INCH OR RESOLUTION FOR EACH AXIS?

  • IS THE MACH3 SOFTWARE COMPATIBLE WITH 3 AXIS MOTION CONTROL COMBO KITS? PLANET CNC MENTIONED AS BEING COMPATIBLE.

    Mach 3 is compatible with our electronic combo's that include the Parallel Breakout Board.
    Planet-CNC is compatible with our electronic combo's that included our USB Breakout Board.

    The parallel breakout board is compatible to a wide variety of software control packages. The USB interface board that we sell can only be used with the Planet-cnc control software.

    If you are concerned with your computer (desktop) not having a parallel port, one can be purchased and inserted into a PCI slot on the motherboard. Some motherboard also come with a parallel port header (connector) on the motherboard and a simple cable can be connected to this connector to get that functionality on the computer. The former solution of getting a parallel port adapter card to plug into the motherboard is probable the easiest and least expensive option.

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    Is the mach 3 software compatible with kollmorgen s200 servo motors and controllers?

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    IS THE MACH3 SOFTWARE COMPATIBLE WITH 3 AXIS MOTION CONTROL COMBO KITS? PLANET CNC MENTIONED AS BEING COMPATIBLE.

  • WHAT CAUSES RINGING IN YOUR EAR AND HOW CAN YOU STOP IT?

    Tinnitus . Learn to love it. No really you should see a doctor. Make sure. White noise will help you sleep when it gets loud.

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    I learned, too late, that if a sudden loud event causes tinnitus, see an audiologist IMMEDIATELY. They can do something about it if addressed within a day or so.

    Wear hearing protection...always. Loud noises trigger my tinnitus, and headphones and ear plugs (when out & about or at the movies, subway, etc) help tremendously. Mine are rated 33dB.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT CAUSES RINGING IN YOUR EAR AND HOW CAN YOU STOP IT?

  • WHAT LONGEST RUNNING RACE IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES CALLED?

    The marathon is the longest running race in the Olympic games.

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    marathon

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    50 km walk

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    decathlon

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    decathlon

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    decathlon

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    decathlon

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    Which group was no.1 in the charts in ?95 with ?back for good??


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    Which is the longest running event in the Olympics

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    WHAT LONGEST RUNNING RACE IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES CALLED?

  • DON'T WANT TO USE MY OWN MOTORS FOR THE REDLEAF CNC COMPUTER SYSTEM.

    That shouldn't be a problem. I will need the current rating for the motors. We can subtract the price of the motors. and you can add you own. If you want us to solder the cable to the round connectors and them motor, you would need to send the motors to us.

    Let me know and I can send a paypal invoice for the redLeaf without motors.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    DON'T WANT TO USE MY OWN MOTORS FOR THE REDLEAF CNC COMPUTER SYSTEM.

  • WHAT CAN ADD TO MY BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER MEASURE THE TIME OF USE?

    Hour meter. This will tell you exactly how long your system has been 'on' giving you a more accurate bead on the length of your tubes life.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT CAN ADD TO MY BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER MEASURE THE TIME OF USE?

  • WHAT CAUSES THE SKY TO BE BLUE?

    Sunlight reaches Earth's atmosphere and is scattered in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth's atmosphere. Blue is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT CAUSES THE SKY TO BE BLUE?

  • MY MOTORS ARE RUNNING VERY HOT.

    If your motors are hot to the touch, this is normal. Current is being drawn by the motor coils as the motor moves and as the motor stays at a position. If the motor is not using the current in the coils to move (holding it's position), the energy will be translated as heat (rather than motion, sound or light). Even while moving, some of the energy will be lost as heat. Remember that energy cannot be created nor destroyed.

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    MY MOTORS ARE RUNNING VERY HOT.

  • WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MACH3 AND MACH4?

    Standard Version Features Mach3 Mach4 Hobby Mach4 Industrial
    Number of Planners 1 1 1
    Number of Axis 6 6 6
    Out of Band Axis (OBA) 0 1 6
    Slave axis (uses up coordinated axes) 3 N/A N/A
    Slave motors (does not use up coordinated axes) N/A 4 per Axis 4 per Axis
    API Interface - Open to All Hardware Yes Yes Yes
    Extended Plugin Support Yes Yes Yes
    User customizable GUI Yes Yes Yes
    Unified (GUI) Interface - PLC, CNC, etc.. Yes Yes
    Unlimited IO Yes Yes Yes
    Modbus PLC Yes Yes Yes
    PMC (Ladder Logic addressing for cnc/plc) Yes Yes
    Unlimited File Size Yes Yes
    Tool Path Display Yes Yes Yes
    Tool Path Speed & Quality Low High High
    Scripting - Customization Yes Yes Yes
    LUA Scripting - simple, fast, cross-platform Yes Yes
    - Lua sockets (ftp, http, smtp,..) Yes Yes
    - SSL (security layer) Yes Yes
    - LFS (manage large files and data storage) Yes Yes
    - Seriel port Yes Yes
    - Enraving of part numbers / serial numbering of parts Yes Yes
    - Plugin panel objects Yes Yes
    IPC Library for Data Sharing/tracking (Interprocess communication) Yes Yes
    Full Feature Screens/Controls Per Machine Type Yes Yes
    Currently Availabe: Mill, Router, Lathe, 3d Printer Yes Yes
    Multiple gcode Interpruters (Per Machine Type) Yes Yes
    Probing - Intergrated in standard screens Yes Yes
    Simulated 3d Machining (with additional plugin license) Yes Yes
    Tool Life Management (G10 L3 command) Yes
    Screw Mapping Yes
    Professional Screen Designer (advanced G.U.I.) Yes
    - Screen Animation Control Yes
    - Screen Integrated Tool Table Control Yes
    - Screen Integrated Work Offset Control Yes
    - Screen Integrated gcode editor Yes
    - Screen Artsoft Wizard Package Integration Yes
    Macro B gcode Programming (#variables) Yes
    - User definable gcodes via marco calls Yes
    - Macro Calls: G65, G66, G66.1 Yes
    - gcode via marco call (custom G codes via macro B) Yes
    - mcode via macro call (custom M codes via macro B) Yes
    - mcode via sub code (custom M code via sup program) Yes
    - Conditional gcodes Yes
    - set VN call - define variable names Yes
    gcode Editor Included Yes
    Scripted M code (custom M code via LUA script) Yes Yes
    Variable Speed Spindle Yes Yes Yes
    Spindle Relay Yes Yes Yes
    Coolant relay Yes Yes Yes
    Mist Relay Yes Yes Yes
    Threading Yes Yes Yes
    Rigid Tapping Yes Yes Yes
    Single Block Yes Yes Yes
    Block Delete Yes Yes Yes
    Optional Stop Yes Yes Yes
    MACH CNC CONTROL SOFTWARE MAIN FEATURES AND VERSION DIFFERENCES
    Standard Version Features Mach3 Mach4 Hobby Mach4 Industrial
    MACH CNC CONTROL SOFTWARE MAIN FEATURES AND VERSION DIFFERENCES
    Cutter Comp Yes Yes Yes
    Fanuc Type C Cutter Comp Yes Yes
    Fixture Offsets Yes Yes Yes
    G51 Scaling Yes Yes Yes
    G92 Offsets Yes Yes Yes
    G52 Offsets Yes Yes Yes
    Event Driven Yes Yes
    Multi Line MDI Yes Yes
    Subs In MDI Yes Yes
    OpenGL Optimization Yes Yes
    Multi-platform OS Compatibility Option Yes Yes
    Online Support Yes Yes Yes
    Phone Support Option Available Yes
    Support Priority Yes
    Available to End Users as "Do-it-yourself" Yes Yes
    Summary - Mach3 versus Mach4 :
    Mach4 Hobby is the closest comparable version to Mach3, yet it is still much more advanced. The price point of these versions is nearly
    identical. Mach3 is very popular for hobby enthusiest and is used in highly modified form by some great OEM's. In general, Mach4 is more
    complex than Mach3 and follows cnc industry standards. Mach3 has many customizations to make it easier for hobby users, but can lead to
    difficulties if users plan to apply their knowledge to more advanced systems. Mach4 is built as a full featured cnc controller capable of high
    speed machining for servo and stepper systems. Mach3's feature set is complete, while Mach4's will continue to expand. If you are new to cnc,
    Artsoft highly recommends using and learning Mach4 even if it appears that Mach3's feature set will be adequate for your needs.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MACH3 AND MACH4?

  • HOW DO I WIRE THE 4TH AXIS THAT YOU SELL. I HAVE MACH3 SOFTWARE. NO INSTRUCTIONS ON YOUR SITE

    The motor that is attached to the 4th axis is wired as follows:

    The motor should have red, green yellow and blue wires coming form the motor. The red and green are paired as one coil and the yellow and blue is paired as the other coil. You can wire the motor to a 3.0 amp driver with red to A+, green to A-, Yellow to B+ and Blue to B-

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    HOW DO I WIRE THE 4TH AXIS THAT YOU SELL. I HAVE MACH3 SOFTWARE. NO INSTRUCTIONS ON YOUR SITE

  • IF WE ASSUME DESIRE TO PLACE THE RED LEAF 6' AWAY FROM TABLE, HOW MUCH CABLE IS NEEDED CONNECT MOTORS ON TABLE ITSELF?

    blackToe requires a minimum cable length of of 15 ft for X, 17 ft for Y and 18 ft for Z for the redLeaf to be positioned at midpoint along the long axis and under the table. Each axis would need have 6 feet extra (form the midpoint)

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    IF WE ASSUME DESIRE TO PLACE THE RED LEAF 6' AWAY FROM TABLE, HOW MUCH CABLE IS NEEDED CONNECT MOTORS ON TABLE ITSELF?

  • I AM HAVING TROUBLES FINDING THE PD PROGRAM, HAVE BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW EVERYTHING NEED TO PROGRAM MY VFD. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED...

    When you power up your VFD, you can go into the programming mode by pressing the program button. You can press the up and down arrows to move through the parameters. Press the set button to go into the parameter to see the value of that parameter. If you want to make changes to that parameter, change the value with the up and down arrows until the desired value is shown, and press the set button to accept the changes.

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    I AM HAVING TROUBLES FINDING THE PD PROGRAM, HAVE BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW EVERYTHING NEED TO PROGRAM MY VFD. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED...

  • HOW COMPLEX IS YOUR KIT TO ASSEMBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - HARD IT SETUP CONTROL THE LASER WITH MACH3?

    The blackTooth Laser cutter and Engraver can be built in a weekend. Take a look at the build instructions and try to determine if you feel you have sufficient capability to put together the laser system.

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    HOW COMPLEX IS YOUR KIT TO ASSEMBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - HARD IT SETUP CONTROL THE LASER WITH MACH3?

  • WHAT IS THE SHIPPING COST OF MACHINE TO AUSTRALIA?

    You can determine if the country is serviceable by:
    - selecting the items you want to purchase on the website
    - go to the cart (shopping cart top left of any webpage)
    - log in, or register
    - Enter the address and click on calculate shipping.

    The webpage will return the direct rates and whether your area is serviced or not. Feel free to enter any address as long as you are able to receive the package from that address.

    The shipping times are determined by the service you select in the shopping cart. If a machine is purchased, we generally have a one week lead time unless otherwise stated in the description of the machine's product page.

    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT IS THE SHIPPING COST OF MACHINE TO AUSTRALIA?

  • IS THE "#25 ROLLER CHAIN" ADJUSTABLE TO ANY LENGTH? LIKE IF I ORDERED TEN FEET OF IT, CAN MAKE TWO 3-FOOT LOOPS AND ONE 4-FOOT LOOP USING SOME SORT CHAIN JOINER?

    Roller chain in general is adjustable by using "master links", which are links which have horseshoe clip holding the pin and thus allow connections to be made or broken. The #25 is a designation of the type of roller chain. ANSI codes designate that the first digit(s) specify the pitch in eights of an inch, and the last digit is 0 for standard chain, 1 for lightweight chain, and 5 for bushed chain with no rollers. So #25 is 2/8 = 1/4 inch pitch bushed chain with no rollers.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    IS THE "#25 ROLLER CHAIN" ADJUSTABLE TO ANY LENGTH? LIKE IF I ORDERED TEN FEET OF IT, CAN MAKE TWO 3-FOOT LOOPS AND ONE 4-FOOT LOOP USING SOME SORT CHAIN JOINER?

  • WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN A 2.5 AXIS MACHINE?

    An axis is a direction of motion controlled by the CNC machine control. It can be linear (motion along a straight line) or circular (a rotary motion). The number of axes a machine has determines it's machining capabilities. A 2.5 axis machine really has three moving axes, but only two axes can move together (most machines sold today are full three axis machines). For machining centers, a three axis machine will have three linear axes. A four or five axis machine will have three linear axes as well as one or two rotary axes.

    Note that 2.5 versus 3 axis has yet another context. 2.5 axis machining requires that the machine have three axes, but only two axes must be moving simultaneously at any one time. (Simple operations, like drilling and most milling, fall into this category). On the other hand 3-axis machining requires that all three axes be moving at the same time (More complex operations, like the machining of sculptured surfaces required in molds and airfoils, fall into this category.)

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN A 2.5 AXIS MACHINE?

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