[harakasana]

Hi, I recently purchased a used Taig milling machine with a circa 2004 Super-Tech controller. I have downloaded a trial version of Mach3 and have tried my best to get it configured but cannot get it to drive the machine. I have reviewed some snapshots of the Super-Tech website via "wayback machine" but have not found enough documentation to help me troubleshoot any further. I have a few questions:

Does anyone know whether or not this controller is compatible with Mach3?

Is there a simple way to test if the board actually works? Like, can I emulate the control software somehow to perform a jog command on one of the motors? Or maybe someone has a link to the SuperCam software that this machine originally came with.

Similarly, is there a simple way to test a stepper motor?

If all else fails, I plan on buying a Gecko 540 controller and trying to reuse the power supply I have.

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions!
Jon

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
that is not a controller that I'm familiar with....but why mess around with a controller and/or software that is twenty years old?
Even Mach3 is all but obsolete, no development work has been done on it for nine-ten years, so not withstanding that it still works and has a loyal fanbase
it is obsolete.

If you are committed to Mach then get Mach4.

I would research some of the up to date solutions including Mach4, UCCNC, LinuxCNC and Centroid Acorn.

You'll have a lot of fun with your wee Taig, but you'll get very frustrated by obsolete hardware and software. There are any number of pitfalls/learning curves with CNC WITHOUT plaguing yourself
with obsolete CNC software/controller.

Craig

[harakasana]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. Should I buy a controller that is compatible with the existing stepper motors (i was able to verify that they function) or buy a complete new package? I have no idea if they are prone to failure or are very durable. They are a model that is still being manufactured, so at least the technology is not completely obsolete and I could replace one if it fails.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
I think that any Step/Direction controller will interface to and correctly signal your existing stepper drives.

Are your stepper drivers just one large circuit board or are there separate drivers for each stepper? It was common for all the stepper drivers to be built on one board using TB6600 IC's.
They are unfortunately not very robust. If you have a large single board I'd recommend separate drivers. There are plenty to choose from and usually $30 or so each will get one very VERY much more
capable and robust.

The first thing is to choose your software, that will in large part determine the controller.

I use Mach4 and have done for ten years, and is light years ahead of Mach3. I use an Ethernet SmoothStepper ($225 by Warp9TD), and my own home made breakout board. Many ESS users are
choosing to use a MB3 ($196 by CNCRoom) as a breakout board. There are plenty of cheaper but none better. It has all 51 IO's (the max capacity of the ESS) developed, differential (high speed) motor outputs,
a sophisticated PWM-to-analogue output for a VFD/spindle etc. Despite the cost I'd still say its good value for money....you'll have it for years.

Avoid the cheap s****t Chinese controllers, they are just too much of a headache to be bothered with.

I spend over $1000USD in carbide tools every year, I have five servos worth about $500USD each and a spindle/VFD/monitor board/cooling pump worth $5000USD. The bottom line is that Mach4 ($200) plus an ESS ($225) and
an MB3 ($196) is miniscule is comparison to other CNC costs....and I have use of them for ten years and counting.

Craig

[awerby]

As I recall, the Supertech software was its own system for controlling CNC machines, and not compatible with anything else. Also, the motors it drove were servos, not steppers. If you look at them and notice an encoder on the back of each one with wires coming out of it, that would confirm it. The G540 only controls stepper motors, but if you got Mach3/4, a breakout board and some Gecko G320 drivers, that would probably work to drive your machine, assuming it's really got servos.

Or you could get a CNC system from Taig, with Mach3, stepper motors,and a control box.

[harakasana]

The machine definitely has stepper motors. The labels on them say so, and a part number lookup confirms. The controller board is also labeled as a bipolar stepper motor system.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
if it is one large board then I'd suggest getting separate drivers for the reasons I posted earlier.

This would be highly suitable. Note that it can handle up to 110VDC (equivalently 80VAC), and so will drive your steppers to their maximum potential. I would suggest a 80VDC linear power supply to match.
A good combination like that will last you for many years and be adequate for whatever upgrades you might wish to do later on.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27607174270...Bk9SR47H2ZzxZA

Craig

[harakasana]

The stepper motors appear to be rated for 65V, so I'm assuming I should get a 60v power supply so I don't burn them out.

I appreciate the tips, after doing some reading it makes sense to go with a usb or ethernet connected controller.

You mentioned avoiding cheap controllers, but what about the stepper drivers? The Gecko ones seem to be very expensive vs the ones from ebay that you shared.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

The stepper motors appear to be rated for 65V, so I'm assuming I should get a 60v power supply so I don't burn them out.

No, that is not correct. In practice the full voltage of the power supply is virtually never applied to the stepper, only at the very brief, few microseconds, at the moment of stepping.
Thereafter the driver using PWM reduces the voltage applied to the stepper down to just a few volts. It is the current rating that you must observe. Current causes heat, and excess heat will kill
a stepper. A driver will reduce the applied voltage to that necessary to maintain rated current but no more.

The need for a high voltage supply is for speed. At the moment of switching you want as high as possible voltage to 'drive' the coil to conduct its rated current and oppose its natural inductance.

So I would get as high a voltage supply as your drivers will stand. In recent years many of the top drivers were rated to about 80VDC, but noticeably that is increasing again to 110VDC or 80VAC.

Gecko have been in the market for many years and have a superb reputation for reliability, but also are expensive. There are plenty of Chinese made drivers which while not as good are very VERY much cheaper
and work well enough to be well regarded.

Most people get a switch mode power supply for their steppers, usually because of price, but they are a poor choice compared to linear supplies. For example:

https://www.antekinc.com/ps-10n80-10...-power-supply/

They have superb overload capacity which switch mode supplies lack. Remember if you choose well you'll have these drives and power supply for twenty years and even if expensive to start with
they'll prove their value over and over and over again.

Craig