Newbie FlashCut CNC Compatibility

I recently got put on the project of getting my companies broken CNC machine working again. I have little to no experience with CNC machines, but I'm hoping to learn more and get into running this machine to make prototype packaging.

The machine uses an older generation FLASHCut CNC Servo subpanel, so all drivers and motors are obsolete and I am unable to replace them. Currently the issue has to deal with a faulty motor on the Z-axis - which does not move.

I am currently looking at retrofitting the machine, but I was curious if anybody here had experience running other brands of motors off of the FlashCut CNC 501A signal generator. The motor is just their MV-3403, a NEMA34 Brushless servo.

It seems like I could just get another servo motor with the same size, torque, power needs, etc. and its corresponding driver and plug it into the signal generator - as long as its compatible

Has anybody done anything similar? Are certain brands better for compatibility?

The Flashcut software along with the 501A USB controller box is a simple but very capable Step and Direction CNC control just like most of the similar packages out there. It is also quite adjustable, to where you can practically dial in ANY stepper or servo motor driver that has a step and direction input connected to any suitable motor for the driver.

As such, there is no "obsolete" really, only perhaps that Flashcut themselves no longer sell or support the particular items your machine had installed, which is understandable..... As long as the Flashcut control still works, everything downstream is replacable.

Your goals need to be whether the bad motor may have also destroyed the motor driver and if so, replace both. There are many sources for what you are looking for by searching out CNC "retrofit" part suppliers.

I am absolutely sure that Flashcuts latest version 10 is a fantastic development. I would sure like to upgrade to it! But don't let anyone tell you that older 501A control, especially if you had at least version 4 of the software with it is no longer relevant. I guess I have never upgraded because my 501 control(s) have been absolutely fantastic for the past, what.... 20 years ? A true testimony to the quality of their product !

Thank you for the reply and the vote of confidence in the 501A control.

I have had no luck over the past few weeks finding an original model of the motor or driver, at least over the past few weeks which is prompting me to look into replacing with a similar motor and driver. The DMM DHT-86N has the same NEMA rating, similar power/torque, and the same shaft size - so I would ideally get one of those and a DYN4 or DYN2.

I see where the 501A takes the Direction and Step as well as enable, grnd, +5v, and the input. However, I also see that the current drivers have their addresses set by manual switches and are daisy chained together for Network In/Out.

Would I have to modify the software to recognize a new driver?

>>> However, I also see that the current drivers have their addresses set by manual switches and are daisy chained together for Network In/Out.

I wonder what you have for drivers ? Your "manual switches" are probably for amperage and step resolution settings. I don't ever recall seeing Flashcut use an actual network communication.... Perhaps it is not even a full Flashcut provided system in that people could just buy a 501 signal generator and use whatever drives and motors they desired.

If anything could you be looking at RJ45 connectors/cables that are just being used to transport the step/dir signals to the drivers ?

Without access to what you have exactly, it's hard to say, and for a newbie, you could be really lost if you have not been around these things before. Most "servo" machines that used Flashcut level software used something like the following for a driver: https://www.automationtechnologiesin...r-driver-g320x

The machine is a FROGMill SFM II, which uses an older version of the flashcut servo subpanel. Here is a link to the newer version, I have not found any differences in the electronics between this and ours. The boards follow the same layout. https://www.flashcutcnc.com/servo-co...anel/#overview

Here is a link to the updated version of the driver as well https://www.flashcutcnc.com/product/...-drive-module/

The manual specifies that these switches are to configure the drives for RS-485 serial communication. Out of 8 switches, four determine the drive address, one is unused, another sets the motor as slave, and the last two set communication termination.

The "network" aspect then of your system is pretty local to just their servo main board and their drivers. I am curious if you have a 4 axis frogmill ? Have you turned everything off and rotated components to identify that it is exactly your z axis motor with the issue ? If you have 4 axis, can you get lucky enough that all the motors are the same and you can just use the 4th axis motor on the Z ? and, the 4th axis driver if necessary ?

The A-axis is also broken. Apparently, at the previous plant the machine was in the Z-axis started to act up so they swapped out the broken Z-axis motor for the A-axis motor. After moving the machine to our plant the 'new' Z-axis motor started to intermittently lose its zero before progressing to faulting immediately.

I have tried running both independently and from other drivers and neither work, I am fairly confident it is an issue just with the motors. I can run both the Z and A axis using the working Y-axis motor. Rotating the Z-axis motor by hand feels like the bearings are off and powering it up by itself shows that the shaft only moves sporadically and with shaking the entire motor. Essentially I only have three (two for the X-axis gantry and one on the Y-axis) working motors to run a machine that needs at minimum five.

Seems rather easy fix then... Just get the company to buy two new motors from Flashcut. I'm sure you can find a motor with the same specs, but why wrestle with something the company just wants to get running? Sounds like if they shipped you some motors overnight, you would be running by noon !