[tiffyted]

I purchased one of these boards from ebay recently. After much head scratching and cursing I now have it working under PC control with Mach3 via the DB25 copnnector and under manual control via the DB15 connector
using a NE555 astable. I still have to work out the pins of the DB9 for the limits.

My confusion is with regards to the power specification of these boards.

The specs for the TA8435 gives a max output voltage of 40v recommended to maximum 26.4v, but the board is specified as 24v. Presumably because the chip manufacturer recommends this as typical.

However, I also have a commercial 4 axis controller built by Heiz which uses the TA8435 controller and that uses a 32v 8A supply. It also claims to drive the motors at 2.5A. The controller is part of a portal mill that is fitted with 3A motors.

If using a 32v supply will not harm the chips it is a lot easier to purchase and construct a 32v 8A supply, than a 24v supply. Dual output 12v 100VA toriod transformers are a lot easier to find. The increased voltage will also increase the motors torque

I have the circuit for the controller and it shows a 0.39 ohm sense resistor. Apart from that the control circuit looks pretty much the same as the chinese board.

Has anybody used higher voltages i.e. 32 volt with these boards, anyone with a better understanding of why the manufacturer of the chip state a max of 40v, but only recommends 26.4 as a maximum?

I notice the chinese board has LM7805 and LM7812 voltage regulators on board and maybe that is the reason for the max supply voltage. I have been using an old 19v laptop supply to test the setup and the regulators do get very hot without additional cooling.

The Heiz controller uses LM2575-5 and LM2575-12 regulators which are switcher regulators with a max of 45v wheras the LM7805 has a max of 35v

Anyone with better knowledge of electronics have any comments or reasoning as to would the higher voltage cause damage to the board.

[robohobby]

Hi there...

I have received my 4axis TA8435 chinese board (sans manual) today and am keen to set it up. I got a mate to translate the 5axis manual from chinese so I had at least some idea of where to start. The 5 axis board pictured in the manual looks pretty much identical to my 4 axis board...

I have some Minebea 23LM-C304-51V steppers which I only feel comfortable putting 1A through (have no data on the motors - just a 3ohm coil resistance to go on, and the fact they likely came out of HP printers). They are pretty chunky Nema23 mount motors, so 1A should be a safe bet to start with.

I looked at the TA8435 datasheet and identified the current sense resistors as the large 0.5ohm ones (2 in series per channel), so I guess that's a Rnf of 1 ohm. I don't know what reference voltage is used on these boards, so I don't know how much current the board is set up to supply.

Does anyone know what resistor I should be using for 1A (or what Vref is so I can work it out myself)? I have fried a few components lately jumping in too early and don't want to stuff this up...

Also, has anyone worked out the DB9 limit/stop switch connector pins these use? For that matter, how would one work this out? Presumably the limit switches are not passing through to the parallel port (although I could be wrong - I am new at this), so I guess it would be to run a motor then try to find the limit switch(es) which turn it off. I should be able to find the +5V with the multimeter I guess...

Any help would be most greatfully received.

Regards...

[tiffyted]

Hi your board is likely the same as mine which has the following connections to the DB9

DB9
pin 1 connects to PP port pin 10 active low when grounded
pin 2 connects to PP port pin 11 active low when grounded
pin 3 connects to PP port pin 12 active low when grounded
pin 4 connects to PP port pin 13 active low when grounded
Pin 5 not connected
Pins 6 to 9 are connected to ground

If you are using MACH software you can test this as follows:

NB.You should have the parallel port set for EPP, otherwise you may not get all the motors to run or the inputs to trigger.

With MACH running
1. Select config - ports and pins - input signals
2. Set the port number to the signal i.e x home port 1
3. you must select Apply to set the port.
4.Select Automated setup of inputs.
The screen will change to the automated setup screen.
6. Select the signal, in this case x home
7.Select Autoset
8. Ground DB9 pin 1 via the limit switch, or connect pin 9 to pin 1

You should receive a message showing PP port pin 10 set as x home.
Set the remainder of the input signals in the same way.

Hope this helps
*****

I have received my 4axis TA8435 chinese board (sans manual) today and am keen to set it up. I got a mate to translate the 5axis manual from chinese so I had at least some idea of where to start. The 5 axis board pictured in the manual looks pretty much identical to my 4 axis board...

I have some Minebea 23LM-C304-51V steppers which I only feel comfortable putting 1A through (have no data on the motors - just a 3ohm coil resistance to go on, and the fact they likely came out of HP printers). They are pretty chunky Nema23 mount motors, so 1A should be a safe bet to start with.

I looked at the TA8435 datasheet and identified the current sense resistors as the large 0.5ohm ones (2 in series per channel), so I guess that's a Rnf of 1 ohm. I don't know what reference voltage is used on these boards, so I don't know how much current the board is set up to supply.

Does anyone know what resistor I should be using for 1A (or what Vref is so I can work it out myself)? I have fried a few components lately jumping in too early and don't want to stuff this up...

Also, has anyone worked out the DB9 limit/stop switch connector pins these use? For that matter, how would one work this out? Presumably the limit switches are not passing through to the parallel port (although I could be wrong - I am new at this), so I guess it would be to run a motor then try to find the limit switch(es) which turn it off. I should be able to find the +5V with the multimeter I guess...

Any help would be most greatfully received.

Regards...[/QUOTE]

[mandiares]

Hi fellows,

This is my experience with this board. In Brazil voltage line is 115-127V but this wiring diagram runs smooth.

Best Results ever,

Mandiares

[robohobby]

Many thanks mandiares and tiffyted (and all the other posters here on other topics which have helped along the way) - I have got it all hooked up and it is working a treat (once I rebuilt a PC barebones XP so mach would not skip steps). Have attached some pics. The next one I make will be metal for sure.

I don't think I will bother hooking up a manual control to the DB15 as I suppose using that would cause mach's DROs to get out of synch with the machine.

Got my USB joystick configured in Mach3 to jog X and Y axes. I wish I could set the Z axis to be jogged by the 4 way POV switch on top of the joystick though - it is tedious having to fiddle with the mouse to jog Z after the ease of using the joystick for X and Y.

I have 12 buttons, a 8 way POV switch and a throttle slider on that joystick I would love to hook into Mach functions. Having put a few hours in driving the unit now I know what buttons I would hook up. The throttle slider would be a great one to hook up to FRO, or maybe even slow jog rate %. Pity the joystick plugin is so limited in functionality. I can feel a dive into Mach plugin construction coming on ;-)

Regarding the original current limiting resistor query: In the end I just hooked up the motors to the card and monitored their temperature... They stayed reasonably cool even after an hour or so cutting, so I guess I could put even more current through them, but as they are driving my rig without any problems as is I will not bother. Unfortunately my DMM with the 10A current measurement range joined my pile of broken electrical bits and bobs recently so I cannot check what current is actually going through the motors, not that it really matters now anyhow.

Cheers, and thanks again to all...

robohobby.

[robohobby]

Hi All...

Just a couple of updates... I have just obtained another chinese 5 axis TA8435 card for my second machine, and wonder of wonders, it came with a mini-CD with the board manual IN ENGLISH!!!

I will it attach it here for all others who might be interested in this crucial doco.

Also, I would not use manidares' schematic (see post below) to connect my spindle to the card! Manidares suggests that the active wire of the AC can be run through the card via the GND and M+. DO NOT DO THAT!!!! I did and "POP" - goodbye relay...

Now I have a manual in english, it clearly states to only put a spindle compatible with the voltage of the card (i.e. 12-24V DC). Silly me thinking the relay output would just be exposed to the world for you to put whatever voltage you see fit through (up to the rating of the relay - i.e. 250V 5A for me). No wonder it fried... I must say I am pretty impressed the rest of the board didn't go up too... good thing I had it grounded when I connected the spindle.

So - long story short - if you want to put an AC spindle onto the chinese cards (and you just want on/off, not reverse), just connect a 12/24V relay to the card's spindle Gnd and M+ terminals, and put the AC active line through the relay. I built my relay into a double powerpoint box and attached it to my spindle and dust extractor. Will go test it this afternoon if wife permits ;-)

Regards,

Robohobby

[mandiares]

Hi,

I really sad with yours results when try to use spindle relay on chinese board.

I'm not a luck man. Wiring like showed in diagram I find to on/off 110V 7310 Porter Cable Router by m3/m5 commands on Mach3.

We are waiting for welcome "English Manual".

I sorry if things not happens of better way.

Regards

Mandiares

[mandiares]

Another example of a typical relay board wiring

http://www.probotix.com/manuals/RBX-1_manual.pdf

[randw]

I have a 4 axis Ebay TA8435 driver board with Mach3 Mill (v2.63) software running on 12 volts. Connected are 3 x NEMA 17H185H-04a MOTORS as X,Y & Z axis.

Software setup is:

Motor outputs
Axis Step pin Dir pin Port
X 2 14 1/1
Y 1 4 1/1
Z 3 7 1/1
A 5 8 1/1
B 6 9 1/1

Output Signals
Signal Port Pin Number Active low
Enable1 1 17 x
Enable2 1 17 x
Enable3 1 17 x
Enable4 1 17 x

Output #1 1 16 x



When I load and run "Roadrunner" only the Y axis motor runs and then only in one direction.

When I run Diagnostics and the Servo Generator Axis X Hz 1000 Reverse 2 secs, the Y axis motor runs but only in one direction.

What am I doing wrong ??

[mandiares]

Hi,

First of all, we need to know if these motors are uni or bipolar.

How many wires are made ?

Did you make series or parallel wiring ?

If possible attach motor data sheet.

E.T. - Should be important test line (continuity) between board bornes and motors.

[randw]

Hi Mandiares,

The motors are bipolar (4 wire) .

Each motor was tranposed into position Y with the same result.

The board is connected parallel (25 pin).

Wired as per the circuit diagram you published but configured from the part manual supplied with the device.

I am going to try the pin configuration suggested in your circuit diagram ( without the spindle connection).

[robohobby]

Hi All...

I am having another go at attaching the english manual... When I tried to zip it last time my PC crashed...

Don't worry about it Mandiares... I am just happy I didn't fry the entire card - I now have a 5 axis card as well and will not make the same mistake twice

Cheers,

robohobby

[randw]

Hi All,

Many thanks to Mandiares and the TA8435 wiring diagram and to Robohobby's English manual I now have all three axis working. The information originally supplied was way off.

I can now move on to the next stage of my project which is trying to automate my wife quilting frame.

I think this forum is going to come in very handy.


regards

RandW

[robohobby]

You're most welcome RandW...

Having been in the same situation myself just a few short weeks ago, I really appreciate the great help obtained from everyone at cnczone to get my machine going and am pleased to help others do the same.

The joy of watching a home built CNC machine do exactly what you asked it to for the first time is memorable to say the very least.

I hadn't thought of CNC quilting - I just did a quick google and found the myQBOT.com site and fiendish plans are hatching in my head even as I write this ;-)

Cheers,

Robohobby

[mandiares]

You are welcome ever. I'm feel better when can help people likes me; that just started in the wonderful cnc world.:rainfro:

[dilbert0815]

You are welcome ever. I'm feel better when can help people likes me; that just started in the wonderful cnc world.:rainfro:

And you now get it on B&W.
They do NOT recommend to connect the spindle relay directly to mains.
Risk is not just to pop the relay like robohobby.
It's also danderous to your helth as the board layout is NOT safe for use with mains voltage.
So you can electrocute yourself.

So those of you wanting to switch their normal mains powered spindle better use an additional external relay stage fit for mains applications ...
( ... as we want to see you safe and sound back within this forum soon)

A cheaper relay stage may be to use industial relays like this: http://www.findernet.com/comuni/pdf/S4CEN.pdf
24V -> 240VAC versions are sold here in europe for about 6..10€.
And it's just two wires in and two out. So rather trivial wiring.
Driver side: 24V(V+) -> Relay+; Relay- -> MO(P23); M_GND(P24) -> GND(V-)
Mains side: just connect to the relay output like a standard switch (no direction).

Peter

P.S. I think I've seen this table before and my 5 axis controller from Mr. Wannabuy definitely deviates in a few pins. In the text spindle is told to be pin 1.
So do a carefull test with each axis before doing anything for real.

[gsattler]

Try the excellent Contour Designs ShuttleXpress with the corresponding Mach3 plugin available on their website for easy X, Y and Z axis control with fine adjustment and rapids positioning available. I don't work for Contour, but use the USB pendant on both my Mach3 machines.