6x CNC Controller died

[daxliniere]

Wiki Search Terms

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Controller Board

6x_CNC_Controller V1.2

Machine Description

3-axis gantry mill
Switches: X- X+ Y- Y+ Z+ (limits), door (e-stop), macro_1.
Outputs: 3x Servo57C/D, 2x coolant (to Arduino)

Input Circuits

Limits are all NC, door and macro are NO. All wired directly to 6x_CNC

Configuration file

board: 6x
name: 6x Default
meta: Settings v1.0.0 (2025-01-14) Dax Liniere

stepping:
  engine: I2S_STREAM
  idle_ms: 254
  pulse_us: 4
  dir_delay_us: 1
  disable_delay_us: 0

axes:
  shared_stepper_disable_pin: NO_PIN
  x:
    steps_per_mm: 800.000
    max_rate_mm_per_min: 3000.000
    acceleration_mm_per_sec2: 100.000
    max_travel_mm: 301.000
    soft_limits: true
    homing:
      cycle: 2
      positive_direction: false
      mpos_mm: 0.000
      feed_mm_per_min: 20.000
      seek_mm_per_min: 600.000
      settle_ms: 500
      seek_scaler: 1.100
      feed_scaler: 1.100

    motor0:
      limit_neg_pin: gpio.35
      limit_pos_pin: gpio.32
      limit_all_pin: NO_PIN
      hard_limits: true
      pulloff_mm: 1.000
      standard_stepper:
#        step_pin: I2SO.2
#        direction_pin: I2SO.1:low
#        disable_pin: I2SO.0
        step_pin: I2SO.13
        direction_pin: I2SO.12:low
        disable_pin: I2SO.15

  y:
    steps_per_mm: 800.000
    max_rate_mm_per_min: 3000.000
    acceleration_mm_per_sec2: 100.000
    max_travel_mm: 186.000
    soft_limits: true
    homing:
      cycle: 2
      positive_direction: false
      mpos_mm: 0.000
      feed_mm_per_min: 20.000
      seek_mm_per_min: 600.000
      settle_ms: 500
      seek_scaler: 1.100
      feed_scaler: 1.100

    motor0:
      limit_neg_pin: gpio.33
      limit_pos_pin: gpio.26
      limit_all_pin: NO_PIN
      hard_limits: true
      pulloff_mm: 1.000
      standard_stepper:
#        step_pin: I2SO.5
#        direction_pin: I2SO.4:low
#        disable_pin: I2SO.7
        step_pin: I2SO.18
        direction_pin: I2SO.17:low
        disable_pin: I2SO.16

  z:
    steps_per_mm: 800.000
    max_rate_mm_per_min: 1000.000
    acceleration_mm_per_sec2: 50.000
    max_travel_mm: 100.000
# was 46.000
    soft_limits: true
    homing:
      cycle: 1
      positive_direction: false
      mpos_mm: 0.000
      feed_mm_per_min: 20.000
      seek_mm_per_min: 200.000
      settle_ms: 500
      seek_scaler: 1.100
      feed_scaler: 1.100

    motor0:
      limit_neg_pin: NO_PIN
      limit_pos_pin: gpio.2
      limit_all_pin: NO_PIN
      hard_limits: true
      pulloff_mm: 1.000
      standard_stepper:
        step_pin: I2SO.10
        direction_pin: I2SO.9:low
        disable_pin: I2SO.8


i2so:
  bck_pin: gpio.22
  data_pin: gpio.21
  ws_pin: gpio.17

spi:
  miso_pin: gpio.19
  mosi_pin: gpio.23
  sck_pin: gpio.18

sdcard:
  card_detect_pin: NO_PIN
  cs_pin: gpio.5


10V:
 forward_pin: gpio.14
 reverse_pin: NO_PIN
 pwm_hz: 5000
 output_pin: gpio.13
 enable_pin: NO_PIN
 direction_pin: NO_PIN
 disable_with_s0: false
 s0_with_disable: true
 spinup_ms: 0
 spindown_ms: 0
 tool_num: 0
 speed_map: 0=0.000% 1000=0.000% 24000=100.000%
#update later with speed maps inc minimum 6000rpm
 off_on_alarm: false

probe:
  pin: gpio.34:low
  check_mode_start: true
#  toolsetter_pin: gpio.36:low

control:
  safety_door_pin: gpio.39:low
  #needs external PU resistor
  cycle_start_pin: NO_PIN
  feed_hold_pin: NO_PIN
  reset_pin: NO_PIN
  macro0_pin: gpio.36:low
  #needs external PU resistor
  macro1_pin: NO_PIN
  macro2_pin: NO_PIN
  macro3_pin: NO_PIN

coolant:
  flood_pin: gpio.12
# continuous air
  mist_pin:  gpio.4
# pulsed air 
  delay_ms: 0
  
parking:
  enable: true
  axis: Z
  pullout_distance_mm: 5.000
  pullout_rate_mm_per_min: 250.000
  target_mpos_mm: 0.000
  rate_mm_per_min: 800.000

#user_outputs:
#  analog0_pin: NO_PIN
#  analog1_pin: NO_PIN
#  analog2_pin: NO_PIN
#  analog3_pin: NO_PIN
#  analog0_hz: 5000
#  analog1_hz: 5000
#  analog2_hz: 5000
#  analog3_hz: 5000
#  digital0_pin: NO_PIN
#  digital1_pin: NO_PIN
#  digital2_pin: NO_PIN
#  digital3_pin: NO_PIN

start:
  must_home: false
  
macros:
  startup_line0:
  startup_line1:
  macro0: $H
#unlock and home XYZ
  macro1: G38.2 G91 Z-46 F100&G0 Z1&G38.2 G91 Z-2 F50&G10 L20 P1 Z4.985&G10 L20 P2 Z4.985&G10 L20 P3 Z4.985&G10 L20 P4 Z4.985&G10 L20 P5 Z4.985&G10 L20 P6 Z4.985&G53 G0 Z0&G90
#z-probe
  macro2:
  macro3: $SD/Run=lasertest.gcode


# #begin PWM
# pwm:
  # pwm_hz: 5000
  # direction_pin: NO_PIN
  # output_pin: gpio.13
  # enable_pin: gpio.14
  # disable_with_s0: false
  # s0_with_disable: true
  # spinup_ms: 0
  # spindown_ms: 0
  # tool_num: 0
  # speed_map: 0=0.000% 10000=100.000%
  # off_on_alarm: false

# #begin Laser
# Laser:
  # pwm_hz: 5000
  # output_pin: gpio.4
  # enable_pin: gpio.12
  # disable_with_s0: false
  # s0_with_disable: true
  # tool_num: 1
  # speed_map: 0=0.000% 255=100.000%
  # off_on_alarm: true

Startup Messages

I don't have it on hand, but all was normal.

User Interface Software

UGS

What happened?

Controller seems to be dead. It is no longer causing axes to step, but can still be programmed, communicated-with, etc. (i.e. it doesn't know it's not stepping.)

Installation and configuration began last night. Last night and today controller was showing these LEDs:

Motor 2 (Y) never had Enable LED on and the axis was locked when not moving, but was moving correctly.

Shortly after it was showing this and axes weren't working:

Only axes 1+2+3 are configured, but axes 3+4+5 have illumination. I tried re-uploading the config and rebooting, but no joy.

It then became this:

Tried full erase, install-fs, install-wifi, but no change.

Before I had to run out, I tried moving X-axis to motor output #4 (see different I2SO assignments) but still no movement. It's dead. :(

GCode File

No response

Other Information

Side note: I wish this controller was available with modular ('disconnectable') connectors.

[MitchBradley]

Ouch. Based on all the lights being on, my initial suspicion is that the shift register chips died.

[daxliniere]

Yeah, I was pretty bummed.
I have some a basic SMD hot air station, is it worth trying to replace them?

[daxliniere]

The parts are cheap, but the handling fee makes it a bit crazy.
TSSOP package, right?
https://uk.farnell.com/nexperia/74ahct595pw-118/shift-register-8bit-sipo-siso/dp/2445165

[MitchBradley]

If you have a logic analyzer you could first do a test to see if they are getting an I2S signal. If not, the problem could be elsewhere.

The way to check with a LA is to tack wires onto the i2s gpios and look for clocks and data.

[MitchBradley]

If you have only a scope, you can look at them individually. bck/gpio.22 should have a fast clock in the 32 Mhz range. ws/gpio.17 is slower, in the 1 MHz range. data/gpio.21 has a waveform that depends on what is being sent to the chips, with a minimum pulse width of one full cycle of bck.

[MitchBradley]

If you are using a recent version of FluidNC, you can control the clock rate with min_pulse_us in the i2s section.

[bdring]

I can authorize Elecrow to replace it if needed.