0. Start Here: PwnCNC Spindles & ATCs Overview

Start Here: PwnCNC Spindles & ATCs Overview

Welcome! Whether you purchased a Spindle Kit, a Spindle System, or an ATC System, this guide is designed to walk you from unboxing to confident operation. Before diving into wiring or parameters, it’s important to understand what you have and how this documentation is organized.

How to Use This Guide

The documentation is organized into logical sections:

B. Mechanical Install - Covers physical mounting of your spindle, proper clamp selection, alignment basics, and safe cable routing. This section ensures your motor is installed securel y and correctly before any electrical connections are made.

C. VFD & Power - This section covers how to safely deliver power from your wall outlet to the VFD, and from the VFD to your spindle motor. It explains voltage selection, dedicat ed circuits, grounding, shielding, protective components, and safe wiring practices.

D. Controller Integration - Details how to connect your spindle system to your CNC controller. Includes Masso guidance as the primary path, along with documentation for other common contro ller types using PWM or 0–10V analog control.

E. First Power On & Operation - This section walks you through safely powering up your spindle system for the first time and confirming everything behaves as expected. It covers manual testing , basic VFD operation, spindle warm-up, and running from G-code. The goal is to build confidence and verify correct setup before any material is cut.

F. ATC (Subsection) - Specific guidance for Automatic Tool Changer systems, including pneumatic enclosure setup, air requirements, safety interlocks, tool rack configuration, and fir st dry-run procedures.

G. Maintenance - This section covers routine care and long-term upkeep for your spindle or ATC system. It includes coolant management, air supply maintenance, collet care, bearing considerations, and general inspection practices. Proper maintenance extends spindle life, preserves accuracy, and prevents avoidable downtime.

H. Troubleshooting - Helps you interpret VFD errors, understand what the system is protecting, and determine when an issue is configuration-related versus hardware-related. Designed to reduce panic and guide structured diagnostics.

Start at the top and follow the path.

What We Sell

PwnCNC offers three primary spindle solutions:

1. Spindle Kits

A spindle motor and Delixi EM61 VFD with essential cables.
The VFD is not enclosed in our plug-and-play enclosure.

Best for:

Experienced users
Custom enclosures
DIY electrical setups

2. Spindle Systems

A spindle motor and the same Delixi EM61 VFD, but pre-installed inside our plug-and-play enclosure with pre-finished cables and safety integration.

Best for:

Clean installations
Faster setup
Users who want minimal electrical decision-making

3. ATC Systems

An industrial 4-pole spindle with automatic tool changing, paired with the same Delixi EM61 VFD plus a pneumatic control system.

ATC systems include:

Pneumatic enclosure for air-solenoid control
Safety interlocks
Tool rack planning considerations

What All Systems Have in Common

Regardless of which option you purchased:

All use the Delixi EM61 VFD
All can operate in manual (keypad) mode or automatic controller-controlled mode
All require proper power, grounding, and cable routing
All integrate with a wide variety of CNC controllers

The difference is not the core electronics.
The difference is how much integration work is done for you.

Masso vs Other Controllers

Many of our customers use Masso controllers, and our documentation reflects that.

However, our spindles are designed to work with:

GRBL and gSender
Mach3 / Mach4
Centroid Acorn
Onefinity Blackbox Controllers and Elite
BuildBotics
Shapeoko Controllers including their latest Warthog
Sienci Labs Longboard, SuperLongBoard, and AltMill
And many others

Where controller-specific instructions apply, we clearly label them.

A Quick Philosophy Note

Your VFD and spindle are not fragile hobby electronics. They are industrial components with built-in protection systems.

If something stops, it is usually protecting itself.

This documentation is written to help you understand not just what to do, but why it works.

Before You Proceed

If you have not yet:

Confirmed your AC-electrical circuit capacity
Verified your spindle mount size
Reviewed grounding requirements

Start there first.

If you're unsure which product you purchased, or which section applies to you, pause here and confirm before proceeding.