Tech Support

NEVER plug or unplug motor wiring while power is turned on to the controller. The motor wires from the controller box are identified by a color band at the end of each wire. Plug the Green wire into the wire from the stepper motor on the Z-axis. Plug the Red wire into the wire from the stepper motor from the X-axis. Plug the Yellow and Blue wires into the two motors on the Y-axis. Since the motors are “slaved” together in the software it doesn't matter what color each Y-axis motor gets as long as it is the Yellow and Blue. Make sure you have the software installed and configured completely before powering up the controller. Once the software has been installed and configured you are ready to begin running. Please read the Mach 3 manual on the CD before operating your machine.

Configuration Screen Shots for the Sidewinder CNC 40 x 26 model using Mach 3 Controller Software. Use these screen shots to make it easy to set up your Mach 3 Controller Software to run your Sidewinder CNC 40 x 26 Router or Router/Plasma Combo.

To get to this screen click on Config then Ports and Pins.

To get to this screen click on Config then Ports and Pins then select the Motor Outputs tab.

To get to this screen click on Config then Ports and Pins then the Input Signals tab.

You can set up your hot keys for jogging the machine on this screen as well as on the HotKey screen shown below. To set the Hot Keys click in the Hot Key box on the X++ row. It will pop up with a message to press any key. Press the Right Arrow Key and the number 39 will show in the box.

For X-- Press the Left Arrow Key = number 37

For Y++ Press the Up Arrow Key = number 38

For Y-- Press the Down Arrow Key = number 40

For Z++ Press the Page Up Key = number 33

For Z-- Press the Page Down Key = number 34

To get to this screen click on Config then Ports and Pins then the Output Signals tab.

To get to this screen click on the Config then Homing/Limits.

To get to this screen click on Config then System HotKeys.

To get to this screen click on Config then Slave Axis.

Note: You must restart Mach 3 before any changes made here will take affect.

To get to this screen click on Config then Motor Tuning.

On this screen make sure you enter 3200 as the steps per, 120 as the velocity and 6 as the acceleration. The 120 will allow the axis to move at 120 inches per minute (IPM). This is a good starting point for setting up your machine. This can be increased as needed but leave it at 120 until your machine is setup and running smoothly. Once you have entered the settings make sure you click on the Save Axis Settings button before going on to the next axis. If you don't the settings will NOT be saved.

To get to this screen click on Config then Motor Tuning then the Y-Axis button on the right.

After changing any settings make sure you click on the Save Axis Settings button.

To get to this screen click on Config then Motor Tuning then the Z-Axis button on the right.

After changing any settings make sure you click on the Save Axis Settings button. Please note that you do not have to set the A-Axis as it is "slaved" to the Y-Axis.

How to "Zero" the machine.

To zero the machine on top of the material here is what you do. First jog the X and Y axis to the location you want to be the HOME position. Then lower the Z-axis close to the top of the material. Then turn off power to the controller. Not the computer just the controller box. Then using the knob on the Z-axis stepper motor adjust the Z-axis down until is just touches the top of the material. I usually us a small piece of paper as a feeler guage betweem the tool and the material. Once you have the Z-axis in the correct position the click on the REFERENCE ALL HOME button on the Mach 3 Program Screen. If the X, Y, and Z DROs are not all showing zeros then click on the zero X, zero Y, and zero Z buttons to zero the readout and then click on the REFERENCE ALL HOME button again. Now for the most important step. Make sure you turn the controller box back on before you jog the Z-axis up and start the program. If you jog up before you turn the power on the Z-axis will not be where it thinks it is and it will "dive in" to your material and ruin your workpiece. You must turn on the controller BEFORE raising the Z-axis up from the workpiece. Once you've turned on the power again you can jog the Z-axis (Page Up) about an inch or so before starting your program. If you jog it an inch the z-axis DRO should show 1.000" but the controller now knows where the Home Zero is.