chinese 3040 wood router

wulliepie1 said:

Hi i bought a chinese 3040 3 axis wood router new last february it came with mach 3 which i installed its connected to a desktop computer running windows xp...

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You may need to configure some settings in Mach3. It has quite a few settings (what signal is on what pin, how many “steps” per inch on each axis, etc.). You should go through all of the tabs and menu items and take screen grabs of what is there right now before you change anything.

I have yet to hear of any Chinese CNC to come with a legitimate, licensed, copy of Mach3 instead of an old demo or hacked copy. So you will likely need to buy a license, and download the current version from Newfangled Solutions. https://www.machsupport.com/. This is where you can also download manuals and configuration guide for Mach3.

You need to look if there was an XML configuration file that came with you machine. This file contains all the settings Mach needs to talk to your CNC, and will make configuring Mach much easier (it may be preinstalled into whatever version of mach3 came with the machine, which is why I suggested you do screen grabs first!). The newfangled website has good instruction of how and where to install the XML file. Use that to see if one was preinstalled into the version you got with machine. There also may be some plugins (.dll files) to talk to the motion controller, if it came with just an usb to parallel converter, that won’t work, so it must use a usb motion controller.

If there is no xml file, try to contact seller and ask them to send it to you, otherwise you are in for a tough slog configuring it manually.

Richard

Hi, I've been using Mach 3 with a CNC Mill for more than 10 years, and having looked at the specs of your CNC Router it would appear that you only have it connected to the computer using a USB port. As another member has already pointed out, you need to connect it to the computer using a Parallel Port, unless you use a Smooth-Stepper, or similar adaptor, which would allow a USB connection from the Controller to the Computer. The DRO's (Digital Read Outs) in Mach 3 will show movement on all axises regardless of whether the controller is connected to the computer or not! Regarding the use of XP, I used XP to run my CNC Mill for about 8 years without any issues, so don't feel obliged to update the Operating System of your computer, it is not the issue. The only reason I upgraded from XP to Windows 7 was so that all my computers, I have 7, were using the same OS. The real issue is the Parallel Port. You may be aware that computers are no longer supplied with Parallel Ports, so, if you upgrade your computer you would have no option but to purchase a USB adaptor like Smooth Stepper. There are cheaper versions than Smooth Stepper available from China, and a search on Aliexpress or EBay will show you many. All the best with your Router. Denis from Downunder!

Denis again. Here is a photo of the CNC Mill I designed and made about 4 years ago. I previously had a Mill I made from plans. It was made out of MDF, not aluminium, which this one is. I use it for various operations such as cutting mortises for the work I do, but its uses are endless, and limited only by your imagination! The second photo is a prototype Jewellery Box. The top and legs were made using the CNC Mill. Most of my design work is done with V Carve, but the Jewellery Box was designed using Fusion 360, which has capabilities well beyond VCarve in my opinion. I trust the photo of the Jewellery Box whets your imagination! Denis from Downunder.

Not exactly the same, but if you study it, very similar.
Only the pinouts have changed.
-Christian