Getting Help Page
We have numerous resources to help you get up and running with a SmoothStepper!
- Purchasing a SmoothStepper and other components
- Forums
- Online Resources
- Troubleshooting
- Types of Support Provided
- Support
- Online Support
- Contact Us
Purchasing a SmoothStepper and other components
You may purchase directly from Warp9 Tech Design.
You may purchase from our Distributors.
You may purchase from our Solution Partners who also sell complete systems.
Forums
Forums are a GREAT resource since they have large groups of experienced people in them plus most questions you will have have already been answered!
- Warp9 Tech Design has its own forum where we support our SmoothStepper hardware. This is our current form which we will be switching from shortly.
- Warp9 will also be launching its new community forum soon here.
- This is the official Mach support forum, which is a great way to resolve Mach3 or Mach4 specific issues.
- The CNC Zone forum is a great CNC machining related resource.
- The SheetCam forum is a great place to learn how to use SheetCam, which is a popular software program for generating GCode from CAD drawings.
Online Resources
Here is a link to CNC Cook Book which has a bunch of free training guides to all aspects of CNC. This is certainly worth a look.
Our Getting Started page walks you though a lot of information you need to know!
Our product specifications for the USB and Ethernet SmoothSteppers.
We have a YouTube channel, which has videos showing how to do a lot of the setup and configuration for the SmoothSteppers. The main YouTube page also has additional videos that are not included in the playlists.
Our YouTube playlists to guide you through:
Our Software and plugin downloads:
SCU (System Configuration Utility) for the ESS (Ethernet SmoothStepper)
Windows Driver for the USS (USB SmoothStepper)
Our documentation for the:
SCU (System Configuration Utility)
Our Frequently Asked Questions pages; there are 14 of them.
Troubleshooting
We have a Troubleshooting page here.
Types of Support Provided
This forum is meant to support the SmoothStepper's (ESS & USS) integration into Mach3 & Mach4, and to help people get their SmoothSteppers up and running.
In general we don't recommend specific BOBs or motor drivers, but we have a list of commonly used ones by our users.
In general we don't recommend specific CAD or CAM software, but we have a list of commonly used ones by our users.
In general we don't recommend a specific Distributor or Solution partner, but we do list the ones we work with.
The SmoothStepper and its plugins work with Mach3 (ESS & USS) and Mach4 (ESS only at the moment) and the SmoothSteppers are able to work with lua and VB scripts(pass data back and forth through Mach). However, the implementation and development of lua and VB scripting is beyond the scope of the support that we provide. It becomes very user and machine dependent, and there are too many variables to handle. We don't have the resources to help people with their individual scripting problems.
There may be others who can provide additional scripting help for you on the MachSupport forum. Also you may find the Programing in Lua book to be a good resource into learning lua in depth (which helps tremendously when writing scripts). However, you may also need to consider hiring someone who specializes in lua to help you with the development of your specific scripts.
Support
For support, please start with our online Forum. The questions you have were likely asked there already. In order to view and post in the forum, you will first need to Register.
If you are having problems PLEASE INCLUDE the following information in your post:
- If you are using an ESS or USS.
- If you are using Mach3 or Mach4, and which version.
- Which version of the SmoothStepper plugin you are using.
- Also please include your .XML profile if it is Mach3, or your .ini profile if it is Mach4
Please note, that you must have a valid copy of Windows. If your computer says that "This copy of Windows is not Genuine" it is very possible that Windows is interfering with communications between Mach and the SmoothStepper, and we will not provide support until you have a fully function windows installation.
This also goes for Mach, if you have a hacked or pirated license we will not provide support, since Mach3 will cripple functionality in strange ways with an invalid license. You may use an unlicensed or demo version, just realize that they will limit how much you can do.
Online Support
If we determine that a remote session is the best way to help fix your problem, we may ask to let us connect into your computer, so we can address the problem.
- Download the TeamViewer 11 software from this primary link or from this alternate download link. This TeamViewer 11 file will not install onto your computer - it will simply run from the downloaded file.
- Please use TeamViewer 11 since newer versions of TeamViewer are incompatible with our license. If you have a newer version of TeamViewer, all you need to do is close the newer version before you run the TeamViewer 11 file you downloaded above.
- Once you run TeamViewer11, it will give you an ID (9 or 10 digits) and Password (4 digits) that which will allow us to connect to your system. Please reply to the email we will send to you with the ID and Password.
- We will typically converse with you through notepad while we are on TeamViewer.
- We will have you run the spindle and move the motors yourself since you are present at your machine.
Remote support requires either a second Ethernet connection to the internet or a WiFi connection to the internet. If your computer has neither, a low cost USB to WiFi adapter (usually in the $10 to $20 range at Amazon) will allow for the connection to the internet that is required for online support.