[nlancaster]

wow, that is the bulkiest spindle connection I have ever seen.

AVE comes to mind on those pictures.

[wmgeorge]

wow, that is the bulkiest spindle connection I have ever seen.

AVE comes to mind on those pictures.

I just ran the heavy duty shielded VFD cable to a oil/water tight gasketed J box mounted directly to my moving Z carriage. Used a smaller cable from there to my OEM spindle connector. The motor is grounded with the clamp that holds the spindle (its all aluminum) and its grounded via a ground wire back to that J box and its connections. The spindle holder supplies over 18 sq inches of grounding surface to the motor frame. Simple and it works.

Added: Perhaps because I did not use a Chinese VFD has something to do with low noise and no issues. It cost me another $100 or so more to get my Hitachi, same one I used on my Emco 3 phase metal lathe without any issues.

[GME]

wow, that is the bulkiest spindle connection I have ever seen.

AVE comes to mind on those pictures.

Yeah, it's pretty big and ugly. Interestingly, it's similar in appearance to one of the Amphenol industrial connectors. Probably a knockoff.

Actually, it is described as a 20mm aviation connector.

I like the looks of the plastic ones a lot better, but don't like the fact they are plastic. Big & ugly, but it's all metal and works.

Gary

[GME]

I verified the steps per and measured the backlash on the Avid CNC Ballscrew Z axis. I found one thing strange. I went to the Avid site and used their XML file selector for Mach3 to find out the steps per they preloaded for the Z axis. It was 5080 ipm. I set Z at 5080 in Mach4 and used a dial indicator and Mach4's steps per wizard. Surprise! When I commanded a .75" move, i got exactly 50% of that, or .375". Huh??? Naturally, the wizard told me to double my steps per, so I did, 10160. Set up my dial indicator again and commanded .75". ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!!:banana:

Next, I set up my dial indicator again and moved Z downward until it depressed the indicator plunger about .75". I rezeroed the indicator and commanded a .5" upward move. The indicator read exactly .5" of movement. Any backlash shows up on direction changes. NO MEASURABLE BACKLASH!!!! :wee:

If anyone is wondering, I started with the Z axis, because it is the easiest to check and isn't dependent on a rack and pinion to set up. X is the next easiest, because I am only dealing with one stepper. Y will take much more time, because I am dealing with a Master & slave, and cannot Ref All Home until I loosen all of the gantry screws. If I tried to Ref All without loosening the gantry, either the gantry would either have to be dead on perfectly aligned, or referencing all would put it into a bind - maybe a very bad bind. I don't want any binds and the stress it would cause. Better to loosen the gantry, reference all, tighten the gantry back down and move on to getting Y mechanically square.

I'll post a photo of the the dial indicator setup for the Z axis when I'm next in shop. No magic to it, though. Just mount the indicator with the plunger facing up under a movable part of the axis and measure away.

I have to say that I'm really impressed with the quality of the Avid CNC Z axis. Well thought out. Little known fact: Avid CNC manufactures the Z and other parts in their manufacturing facility in California. I just learned it today in a conversation with the folks at Avid. I knew their main facility was located up the road from me in North Bend, WA, but I didn't know they had manufacturing facility. I just assumed they had companies building parts for them. I gather they are going to shoot some videos downstream showcasing their California facility.

Gary