Hi all, this is Sami with Avid CNC.
This walkthrough is a step-by-step guide for
installing your Mach4 CNC control software and configuring your PC for use with an Avid CNC machine or electronics system.
This video is meant to accompany our written instructions.
So, let's navigate to the new Avid CNC support site.
I'll also link directly to the Mach4 software setup guide in the description below.
We'll click on instructions and then scroll down to Mach4 software setup guide and user guide.
We'll proceed with Step 1 to download and install Mach4.
First, we'll download the installer
and then double-click on the installer to run.
When Windows gives us this pop-up, we'll select more info and then run anyway.
Then we'll click through and follow the prompts on the screen.
Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?
Click yes.
Now the installation is complete, and you can click finish.
Now we'll move on to Step 2.
Go ahead and plug in your ethernet cable directly
from your PC to the ethernet connection on your plug-and-play electronics control box.
Then you can power on your controller.
Step 3 is to configure the network settings and to run the ethernet smooth stepper SCU
or systems configuration utility.
This is the quickest and easiest method to perform the basic
configuration step to connect your computer with the smooth stepper and CNC electronics.
It's recommended for the only network connection to be the
ethernet cable from your plug-and-play electronics connected to your pc.
This will make it easier to identify the network the ethernet cable is connected to.
If you're using a laptop it's okay to use a wireless connection for
your ethernet internet access during this process.
If you're upgrading from Mach3, installing an update, or have
previously ran the SCU application it's not necessary to repeat this step.
Double-click the Avid CNC SCU application icon on your desktop to start up the SEO application.
This is installed when you run the Avid CNC Mach4 installer.
Click yes to allow the scu to make changes to your computer.
The application will modify your firewall settings to allow Mach4 through along with
changing network adapter settings so that it can talk to the ethernet smooth stepper of the ess.
Click the 'Start PC Configuration' button to configure network settings.
On the next screen you'll see a list of network adapters,
select the ethernet adapter that your ESS is connected to.
The name of your network adapter will likely differ from what's shown here.
After you've selected the correct ethernet network adapter click configure everything.
At the bottom of the screen you'll now see the detected ess.
If you see listening for smooth steppers an ess has not been found yet.
Make sure your plug-in play electronics control
box is powered on and connected to the ethernet cable to your PC.
If you see that your smooth stepper has successful pings incrementing that means that
the ess in your control box has been found and is actively communicating with the PC.
Click on ' I See Pings, Open Windows Performance Tuning' and continue to the next section in the
instructions. Right now we can move on to step 4 which is windows performance tuning.
The ethernet smooth stepper solves or greatly reduces most potential windows related
communication issues by providing a dedicated real-time dsp or digital signal processor
to handle the precise timing of step and directional signals to your CNC electronics.
Using the Windows performance tuning feature in the scu will help create
the most stable environment for Mach4 and further reduce the opportunity for other
processes to create delays or otherwise interfere with smooth and uninterrupted
communication from Mach4 to the smooth stepper.
If you've not already opened the Windows performance tuning in the previous section
double-click the Avid CNC su application icon
and click 'yes' to allow the seo to make changes to your computer.
Then click '3. Windows Performance Tuning'.
If this is your first time using Windows performance tuning it's
very important to read through the information shown on the first dialog.
Once you proceed, click 'Save Settings'.
After your settings have finished saving click review recommended actions.
You will now see a list of recommended actions that will optimize your PC
for use as a CNC controller. It's recommended to apply
all of the windows performance tuning actions.
Click 'Apply All Recommended Actions.'
If you want to selectively review and apply different
Windows performance tuning actions, then select the specific recommendation. Review the actions,
then choose to configure manually or apply actions regarding this
specific recommendation action only. Then confirm by clicking 'Apply'.
Many of these actions will require a full PC reset in order to take effect.
After you've completed these actions close the window and scu,
and restart your computer if necessary.
Step 5 reminds us of best practices for CNC operation.
Always turn off or disable all other networks like wi-fi when running a CNC program in Mach4.
With your PC now configured for use with Mach4 CNC
control software we can continue to the Mach4 configuration guide.
Follow the written instructions for a step-by-step guide for licensing your Mach4 CNC control software.
You can configure and run Mach4 in a demo mode prior to licensing the software.
Let's confirm that our plug-and-play electronics control box is powered on and connected to the PC.
Then open Mach4 using the Avid CNC shortcut on your desktop.
The first time you open Mach4 the configuration window will automatically open.
You can also find the Avid CNC configuration window by navigating to the top bar, configure,
and at the bottom of the list is the Avid CNC Mach4 configuration.
The general tab contains options to help set up Mach4 based on your machine's configuration.
For each item, choose the appropriate selection. These selections will vary
depending on your machine model.
When you click save, this will reconfigure Mach4 with your new settings. You can click cancel to
exit without reconfiguring Mach4 and any of the selections you've changed will not be saved.
These options include model, machine width, machine length. For custom length or width
select custom and enter the appropriate width or length dimensions of your machine in inches.
Click 'Ok' to save this custom value.
We also have z-axis travel option.
electronics I'll select the CRP800 which is the Avid CNC plug-and-play control system.
We'll select our motor type either Nema 23 or Nema 34.
The default shaft size of the Nema 23 motors is 3/8".
You'll only have the nema 23 1/4" inch shaft motors if you specifically order this option.
We'll select our cutting tool
We'll select or cutting tool that our machine has.
iIf you've selected a spindle or spindle /
plasma cutting tool you'll have the option to select the spindle you're using.
Now we can select the axes on our machine which have homing sensors
the current Avid CNC proximity sensor kit includes homing for x
y and z axes if your machine has an additional fourth axis select the appropriate option.
If you've selected the Avid CNC rotary axis option
you will have the option to specify the overall rotary length.
The advanced settings tab contains additional options for configuring Mach4.
Swap x and y axes
Enabling this option will swap the orientation of the x and y axes.
The table axis will be the x and the gantry axis will be the y.
Motor directions are changed to maintain righ-handed coordinate system.
Machine setup units
You can choose between metric or imperial dimensions for the machine setup units.
These are the units used for parameters such as motor tuning.
If you're using a custom fourth axis motor tuning
those values will use the machine setup units you've selected here.
Disable all limits.
Enabling this option will disable all limit switches.
Homing sensors will still be active.
We recommend you only use this option after consulting with the Avid CNC support team.
Custom minimum spindle speed if you're using an 8.7 horsepower Avid CNC spindle you have the If
you're using an 8.7 horsepower Avid CNC spindle you have the
option to set a custom minimum spindle speed.
The default minimum spindle speed for the 8.7 horsepower Avid CNC spindle is 1000 RPM.
It's only recommended to set a custom minimum speed if you have a very specific need for it.
Home x and y axis simultaneously.
This option is enabled by default and will home the x and y axes at the same time.
reducing the time required for a homing operation.
The machine revisions tab contains settings that apply for previous machine and electronics revisions.
At the bottom here we have the sensor configuration
Six cylindrical
This is the default sensor configuration for our
current standard Benchtop Pro and Benchtop standard machines.
Pro machines purchased prior to February 2019 also use this configuration.
We also have the three cube and two cylindrical option. This is the default sensor configuration
for our current Pro machines.
To learn more about proximity sensors check the description below for a video all about this topic.
The custom tab contains additional options to customize your Mach4 configuration.
Enable soft limits after the machine is homed.
This option is enabled by default and will enable soft limits after the machine is homed.
More information can be found about soft limits in the Mach4 user guide.
Use Custom Soft Limits
Enabling this option will allow you to specify your
own minimum and maximum soft limits for all axes.
Use Custom Home Settings
Enabling this option will allow you to specify your own settings
for home order, home offset, and home direction.
Advanced Logging
Enabling this option will output additional configuration
information that can be seen in Mach4's logging feature.
Disable Avid CNC Mach4 configuration
Enabling this option will prevent any configuration changes from being made when using the Avid CNC Mach4 configuration window.
When you check this box, you'll see all options disabled on the general,
advanced settings, and machine revisions tab.
Click save for this change to take effect.
Disable Cutting Method Selections
This option will disable the selection of cutting methods on the machine setup tab.
Ignore All Tool Changes.
Enabling this option will ignore all tool changes in your g-code program
If you have this option enabled and load a g-code program with more than one tool change command
you will see a warning notification. However, it's still recommended to only use this option
if you have a specific need for it.
The warnings tab allows the enabling or
disabling of some of the warning messages that can occur during the use of Mach4.
The about tab contains information that can be useful when talking with our support team.
If there are any errors in your configuration file or if your Mach4 install is using the
incorrect plugin versions you'll see additional messages displayed in the warning notes section.
The 'Package Profile' button is used to package the required files for our support team to assist
in advanced troubleshooting. If this is necessary they will provide additional instructions.
Finally, let's walk through how to install your Mach4 license file.
We'll open Mach4 and navigate to 'Help'
and 'About'
Click the 'Load License File Button'
We'll select the Mach4 license file that you downloaded when you acquired the Mach4 license.
You'll see a message window that your license file installed successfully.
You can now restart Mach4.
Great, now that you've installed, configured, and licensed Mach4 continue to the Mach4
user's guide for an overview of the Avid CNCMach4 screen.
Thanks y'all for watching, and we can't wait to see what you make. I'll see you in the shop!