[QuinnSjoblom]

You can use an RS-485 with any VFD that uses Modbus. The Huanyang plugin will not work with other VFD's, but Mach3 supports Modbus, which most VFD's also do.
The only reason the Mach3 Huanyang plugin exists is because the Huanyang uses a non standard Modbus implementation. If it worked like all other VFD's, then everyone would have been controlling it with standard Modbus.

Thanks Gerry, I was hoping you would chime in on the mach3 side of this problem. I'm not familiar with modbus so I wasn't sure exactly what the situation was there with other vfds. That's good news that mach3 will control any vfd with modbus capability, but here's the question, will it behave the same way as my current setup does with the HY plugin? Currently I can configure mach3 to control a step/dir spindle (my servo driven turning spindle) and mach3 will still send commands through the plugin to control my HY plugin simultaneously. For example If I command an sxxx m3, it will send out step/dir pulses through the specified port/pin for spindle, AND it will send the same command to my vfd at the same time. With a regular modbus spindle setup (not HY plugin), will I be able to also configure mach3 as step/dir spindle and get the same behavior like before?

[mactec54]

Thanks Gerry, I was hoping you would chime in on the mach3 side of this problem. I'm not familiar with modbus so I wasn't sure exactly what the situation was there with other vfds. That's good news that mach3 will control any vfd with modbus capability, but here's the question, will it behave the same way as my current setup does with the HY plugin? Currently I can configure mach3 to control a step/dir spindle (my servo driven turning spindle) and mach3 will still send commands through the plugin to control my HY plugin simultaneously. For example If I command an sxxx m3, it will send out step/dir pulses through the specified port/pin for spindle, AND it will send the same command to my vfd at the same time. With a regular modbus spindle setup (not HY plugin), will I be able to also configure mach3 as step/dir spindle and get the same behavior like before?

Should be no different with or how you can use the control I thought you new all this about Modbus so did not mention it before

[QuinnSjoblom]

Should be no different with or how you can use the control I thought you new all this about Modbus so did not mention it before

No, I'm not experienced using modbus. Wasn't sure if a custom plugin needed to be written for each vfd but it sounds like no. Still im not sure if mach3 will behave the same way allowing me to run a step/dir spindle at the same time as controlling another vfd through modbus.

[mactec54]

No, I'm not experienced using modbus. Wasn't sure if a custom plugin needed to be written for each vfd but it sounds like no. Still im not sure if mach3 will behave the same way allowing me to run a step/dir spindle at the same time as controlling another vfd through modbus.

Your step/dir spindle control is working just like an axes would so that won't change, you don't need Modbus to turn a VFD Drive On / Off and control the speed in Mach3

[QuinnSjoblom]

Your step/dir spindle control is working just like an axes would so that won't change, you don't need Modbus to turn a VFD Drive On / Off and control the speed in Mach3

Here's the issue though, in order to control my servo driven turning spindle, I have to configure mach3 as a step/dir spindle. I know that I can use analog +/- 10v and relay to control my milling spindle vfd, but to do so I have to configure mach3 to use analog spindle drive and it will no longer control my servo driven turning spindle with step/dir. The HY plugin allows for my odd dual spindle mill turn configuration to work since i can configure mach3 as step/dir spindle and the plugin for my vfd milling spindle remains functional simultaneously.

I looked a bit further into general modbus control of a vfd and don't think mach3 is gonna allow me to do that either and still leave the step/dir spindle functional. I think the only way that my unique setup can work with 2 different spindle control types is with a custom plugin like for the the HY so that it can run along side the main spindle control in mach3.

After thinking about this more, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna with the servo driven bt30 instead. It's gonna be more money, more work, more time, but it will be worth the added benefits. It also solves this dual spindle control software issue. Both the milling spindle and turning spindle will be servo driven with step/dir and same steps per unit so all I have to do is parallel the step/dir output to both servo drives and use relays to disable one or the other in macros as needed. All becomes very simple and controllable