# Plotter pen does not work **URL:** \ **Category:** Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC\ **Created:** [October 31, 2022, 8:23am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866 "2022-10-31T08:23:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 8:23am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/1 "2022-10-31T08:23:49Z")
hi everyone, I have a plotter pen that does not want to work well, I have tried several grbl and only one makes me move the axes well except the Z axis which when pressed I only receive a small impulse from the X and Y cores. I do not know what to do. help ---
**Author:** ![markd833](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/markd833/32/1186928_2.png) [@markd833](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/markd833)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 8:38am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/5 "2022-10-31T08:38:23Z")
> [@sailorretired](#): > > I do not know what to do. help Which Arduino are you using - an UNO? Which motor drive board are you using? Can you provide a sketch/drawing of how you have wired up the motors etc. ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/6 "2022-11-01T17:40:18Z")
![20221101_182946](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/e/f/1/ef1564fe8b9b175eb5a4521e6a60957fa9fd9e4f.jpeg) ![Drawbot-Pen-Laser-Drawing-Robot-Machine-Lettering-Corexy-XY-plotter-Equipment-per-disegnare-scrittura-CNC-V3.jpg_Q90.jpg_](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/b/4/1/b419de58a7660034636d7f9704efaf617deab223.jpeg) my plotter is this [Assembly Manual DIY LY Drawbot Pen Drawing Robot Machine - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77PGN-uk0IA) ---
**Author:** ![markd833](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/markd833/32/1186928_2.png) [@markd833](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/markd833)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 7:38am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/8 "2022-11-05T07:38:46Z")
> [@sailorretired](#): > > I have tried several grbl I don't know if you mean different GRBL design files or if you are referring to various GRBL driver programs that you have loaded onto the UNO? > [@sailorretired](#): > > only one makes me move the axes well I assume you are referring to the X and Y axes? > [@sailorretired](#): > > except the Z axis which when pressed I only receive a small impulse from the X and Y cores. Can you describe this in a different way as I am unsure what you are trying to say. After a brief search, It seems that the Z axis (pen up & down) is controlled via a small RC servo. Did your plotter come with any test files? EDIT: you may get more help if you move your post to the Motors & CNC section of the forums. ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 8:46am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/9 "2022-11-05T08:46:00Z")
I have tried several grbl drivers and only one makes me move the X and Y axes correctly. the Z axis is controlled by a servo that does not move. ---
**Author:** ![jhaine](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/jhaine/32/707424_2.png) [@jhaine](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/jhaine)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:08pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/10 "2022-11-05T12:08:05Z")
To help us can you explain what you mean by a "grbl driver" please? Is that an instantiation of GRBL on a a board, and if so which version? Or is it a different board? Of do you mean a stepper driver? ---
**Author:** ![markd833](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/markd833/32/1186928_2.png) [@markd833](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/markd833)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 1:41pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/11 "2022-11-05T13:41:19Z")
> [@sailorretired](#): > > the Z axis is controlled by a servo that does not move. Did you connect up the servo correctly? I couldn't make out much from that "assembly" video when I viewed it on my tablet. Did you not get a paper manual with it? Do you need to "calibrate" the servo positions for pen up and pen down? ---
**Author:** ![wildbill](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/wildbill/32/1126438_2.png) [@wildbill](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/wildbill)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/12 "2022-11-05T13:50:05Z")
What is the servo wired to? That board looks like a shield for running four steppers - is it intended to run a servo too? ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/13 "2022-11-05T14:10:16Z")
I think it is connected well, have you seen the photo? ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/14 "2022-11-05T14:15:08Z")
this is the only one that moves the X and Y axes correctly [GitHub - arnabdasbwn/grbl-coreXY-servo: grbl 0.9i with Servo Motor support and CoreXY configuration Used For Crazy Engineer's Drawing Robot](https://github.com/arnabdasbwn/grbl-coreXY-servo) ---
**Author:** ![jhaine](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/jhaine/32/707424_2.png) [@jhaine](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/jhaine)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/15 "2022-11-05T14:57:56Z")
It's not obvious from either photo what the servo is connected to - please could you take a more relevant photo or otherwise explain? > [@sailorretired](#): > > except the Z axis which when pressed I only receive a small impulse from the X and Y cores. What does that mean exactly? ---
**Author:** ![markd833](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/markd833/32/1186928_2.png) [@markd833](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/markd833)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/16 "2022-11-05T15:56:05Z")
Here's a section of a still from the "assembly" video you provided from about 13:23. ![Image9](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/1/6/b/16b10fdb3f874a38097999b3189ec031511d2dad.jpeg) The red and black wires (power for the servo motor and electronics) look to be plugged onto the +5V and GND header pins. The white wire (servo PWM signal?) looks to be plugged into the Z endstop pin, which looks like it should appear on what is pin 11 of an UNO. That would seem compatible with the GRBL code you linked to in post #14. There's one paragraph near the start of the description that says: > Use the PIN D11 to drive the servo. Use the commands M03 Sxxx (xxx between 0 and 255) to rotate the servo between 0-180. The command M05 turn the servo to zero degrees. I'm not even a GRBL amateur so it's now at the limit of my experience. Hopefully somebody else can guide you further. I still think that there would be settings somewhere that define the servo position for what would be pen up and pen down. ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/17 "2022-11-05T16:17:07Z")
![ef1564fe8b9b175eb5a4521e6a60957fa9fd9e4f](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/8/5/4/854287133011e10a0470c3f4b41c6ad8196f2522.jpeg) the white wire is connected as in the photo while in the video of the assembly he said to mount it on Z + ---
**Author:** ![markd833](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/markd833/32/1186928_2.png) [@markd833](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/markd833)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/18 "2022-11-05T16:27:17Z")
If the white wire is on SpnEn (Spin Enable), then it looks like that is connected to pin D12 on the UNO. I would think you would need to modify the GRBL code on the UNO to account for this. Or you could put it back on Z+ and the GRBL code from your post #14 should work without any changes. Maybe a GRBL guru will jump in and provide you with a simple g-code file that simply raises and lowers the pen to verify your wiring - if that is how it works as we're now straying beyond my area of knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![TomGeorge](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/tomgeorge/32/215261_2.png) [@TomGeorge](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/TomGeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 1:19am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/19 "2022-11-06T01:19:34Z")
Hi, Write some code that **JUST** operates the servo. At this stage lets check that the servo hardware works. Let's get back to basics. > [@sailorretired](#): > > the white wire is connected as in the photo while in the video of the assembly he said to mount it on Z + So have you tried it on Z+, sounds logical, its Z axis. Tom.. ๐Ÿ˜ƒ ๐Ÿ‘ โ˜• ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ PS. Forget GRBL for the moment. ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/21 "2022-11-10T17:46:30Z")
i don't know how to write code ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น hope someone help me ---
**Author:** ![lastchancename](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/lastchancename/32/215426_2.png) [@lastchancename](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/lastchancename)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/22 "2022-11-10T21:31:59Z")
Whatโ€™s your power supply ? ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 10:53am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/23 "2022-11-12T10:53:09Z")
power supply 12V 2A ---
**Author:** ![sailorretired](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sailorretired/32/854411_2.png) [@sailorretired](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sailorretired)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/24 "2022-12-12T18:05:36Z")
[testing manual.pdf|attachmen [CDLC7 assembly manual uno cnc 6MM M5.pdf](https://forum.arduino.cc/uploads/short-url/qnnw14h84i7KsIu3Pr7No9fb72O.pdf) (5,3 MB) [testing manual.pdf](https://forum.arduino.cc/uploads/short-url/ja4XDxFybFcM2CJa7XXKcgWa0pA.pdf) (1,5 MB) t](upload://ja4XDxFybFcM2CJa7XXKcgWa0pA.pdf) (1,5 MB) hello all I'm looking for a grbl file to make this plotter work. I am attaching the model ---
**Author:** ![markd833](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/markd833/32/1186928_2.png) [@markd833](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/markd833)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866/25 "2022-12-12T19:10:47Z")
How far did you get when you followed the steps in the testing manual you just shared with us? [Next page](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/plotter-pen-does-not-work/1047866.md?page=2)