CNC not working on x axis

Hi Guys

I have a problem with my CNC machine. I havent used it much so its certainly not a problem related to wear and tear.

It is a Shark CNC with Basic Panel controller and V Carve Pro software.

The X axis only moves in one direction when I am using the jog mode. ie I press + or - and it moves in the same direction.

I have plugged the X axis into the Y axis leads it then works in both directions so its not the motor.

With it in this configuration, the Y axis only moves in one direction.

I have double checked all connections and taken the cover off the control box to check the wires and everything is in place.

I noticed on the last couple of jobs that the holes are not round but oval. Thinner in the x axis and normal in the y axis. The last cut was not particularly neat as in previous jobs with the edges not perfectly straight.

I was thinking that the material has moved during the cut, or the router was loose in the bracket.

Seems this may have been the lead up to the problem and finally it has developed fully.

I have rebooted my computer, turned the control box on and off, unplugged and replugged the USB cable.

I am thinking it may be the main board in the control box as the only option left for concern.

Maybe I am missing something you may be able to point me in the right direction.

thanks for your help.

Sounds like you are on the right track. Are there fuses on the axis leads going to the motors?


Buddy

Hi Davek, did you ever get this figured out?

Buddy

Hi Dave, I had a load of grief with my Z axis early on, it ended up being a faulty parallel port and I had to fit a PCI parallel port card for $50.00 Do you have a spare PC to test it on?
Oval holes means you are losing steps, this is what my Z axis was doing. It was climbing away from the material during engraving ops.
I would also check the motor tuning in Mach 3, just make sure the settings for X & Y are identical.
If you swapped steppers and the second worked correctly, your first stepper might be dodgy or has a the field wiring wired wrong.
It's a pain when it's not working right but it will be a big buzz when you nail the bug, my mate who is a CNC/electronics whizz still spent about 10 hours fixing mine.

Yep all fixed now. I emailed Tim from nextwaveautomation.com (the manufacturer) and he suggested I double check all the electrical connections in the control box. Nothing looked sus but i undid thescrews and reinserted the wires.

Not sure which one it was but its fixed and working a ripper.

Thanks for the ideas though... appreciate the input