Quick Circuit 5000

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Hi Every one
Does anyone have any info on this Item , I have found the Manufacturer’s website , and I would like to see if we can get this running,

So are we lucky enough to have the software for it and does anyone know its working state ?

Thanks
Crashman39

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I believe @devdsp and @projectgus have worked on the Quick Circuit a fair bit (without much success, AFAIK).

EDIT: here are some of the drivers that they reverse engineered: https://github.com/projectgus/amc2500/

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We are not lucky enough to have the program that turns circuit boards into the control language, but as @cmrn pointed out we managed to reverse engineer the ascii protocol with reasonable success (curves are still a bit of a mystery sometimes).

@projectgus was able to run off a reasonably simple arduino shield as a proof of concept for a dehumidifier controller using scripts in the repo that @cmrn posted.

I probably remember just enough about the QuickCircuit to be able to bootstrap your efforts with it.

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Ooherr, I got an email when I got @-mentioned. How civilised!

The comments I would have are probably mentioned in the README on the above-linked git repository (people with QuickCircuits and only demo software email me semi-regularly so I added some details there as a preemptive response). I would say I had success with the QuickCircuit, but not proportional to the effort put in (note the “I don’t recommend anyone do this” paragraph in the aforementioned README).

I also have a bad track record with CNC equipment, which is worth keeping in mind…

Happy to try and answer any further questions though. :smile:

Angus

PS The spindle shaft might be a little bit bent… hopefully not though :confused:

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Very nearly have our Quick Circuit 7000 running off a Sunbeam controller board (Polish-made variant of a Smoothieboard running Smoothieware). Finished getting all the connections made and tested on Saturday - just need to do an integrated test today and do some mechanical adjustments to the machine. I have the controller set up with a 37-pin D connector so the machine plugs straight into it.

CAMBAM will let you generate the engraving paths needed from gerber/excellon files. I will be relying on it as a part of the workflow for the process.

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This is good news, Andrew. Let us know if/when a demo would be possible.

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There is a chance I may be able to bring down the working controller this Saturday to plug into MHV’s router.

Last night I had milling activity but wrong cutter setup and snapped it. So I will be working through the physical machine setup/tool setup today.

I found a reference in the manual to them PWM’ing the solenoid. I’ll add an option to do that to the Smoothieware module I wrote for the purpose.

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Hello all, greetings from Michigan (in the states, across the pond).

I’m hacking a Quick Circuit 5000 currently. I have the AMC2500 controller but the thing’s rather clunky and I’d like to try my hand at driving the motors myself. Feeling around with a multimeter I figured out the X and Y axis motors. I’m pretty sure I know the solenoid too.

I mocked up a figure at the following link:
http://nateargetsinger.com/img/makeHackVoid/ 37pin_pinout-01.png

I needed to break up the link because “new users can’t post images”.

Cheers
Nate

P.S. Anybody found any schematics for this thing?

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Hi all,
I intend to have another go at getting this working.

My initial impression was that it was a very solid mill. The manufacturers website suggests I am dealing with a ‘Rolls Royce’ product. The replacement cost on this thing is astronomical.

Have had a look through the Python code by @projectgus and @devdsp. Nice work fellas! Very clear and concise.

At this stage my intention is to omit the AMC2500 controller and simply try to drive the mill table directly using an open source controller like GRBL or TinyG. Have searched hard for documentation on the DB-37 connector but had no luck.

The general strategy is to:

  1. map out the DB-37 pins
  2. connect AMC2500 to determine signal levels (i.e. PWM and servo drive signals)
  3. build new controller and tool chain

If any of you have anything more to add, please do.

Cheers,
Stephen

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Hi @sjdavies,

Yay! I’m glad it’s still kicking along at MHV.

A couple of other things I remember about it that might be useful:

  • Alastair D’Silva designed some drop-in replacement boards to sit in the DIP optocoupler sockets (IIRC) on the original AMC2500 controller board, to reuse the motor drivers with custom control logic. I don’t remember if that design got built & verified, but it could be worth chasing up if you want an option that doesn’t involve new motor drivers.
  • I remember the control board inside the AMC2500 being pretty clearly laid out (at least the motor side), so you might be able to buzz some of it out with a multimeter without even powering it up. Maybe.
  • Suggest spinning the spindle motor up to check it out, as an early step. I have a vague memory that the last time I cut something with it I drove the spindle into something (argh!) and maybe damaged the spindle bearing (sorry!) Hopefully I’m remembering it as worse than it was.

I look forward to lurking on the forum here and seeing your progress. :smiley:

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With Rene’s help made some good progress. Have mapped out the DB-37 pins.

See https://wiki.makehackvoid.com/howto:pcb_engraver

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Thanks Angus,
had looked at the Eagle files but hadn’t clicked that the intention was to hack into the controller.

Will attempt to measure the controller next week. Forgot the serial cable, d’oh!

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Been a while since I last updated this thread.

As the electronics Wednesday crew are aware I have been slowly chipping away at building a custom controller based around an Arduino Due running g2 (an improved GRBL).

Have got both axes moving and homing ok. Am waiting on parts so I can test the spindle out.

All things considered I should be making test cuts in the next fortnight.

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Superb!

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Awesome stephen
The controller board looks great

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Any updates on this project?

How about the 37 pin connector pinout?

John in Canada