[Al_The_Man]

Pre-tinning i think is going to save my life haha. I was trying to solder 9, 26 gauge wires to a 9 pin serial connector (for the encoders). It was almost impossible to hold everything even with assistance and try to melt the solder on the wire without the plastic burning, solder going everywhere, etc. (although my solder is just to dang wide, need thinner).

If that is the solder that I caught sight of in the video it is no wonder, I use that size for plumbing!!:devious:
For D connectors you need .8mm max or maybe even .5mm.
Al.

[diyengineer]

If that is the solder that I caught sight of in the video it is no wonder, I use that size for plumbing!!:devious:
For D connectors you need .8mm max or maybe even .5mm.
Al.

haha! Ya its pretty solid! hahaha.

Tomorrow i will add that to the list of things to pick up. :P

[CNCMAN172]

DIYengineer,

You need to do yourself a favor and get a better soldering iron. I use a metcal but you don't need to go that high end. The tip on your soldering iron is way to BIG. When you ground it down to a point to make it smaller and easier to use you actual destroyed the special coating on the tip that allows the solder to tin easier.

The size of your solder is also way to big. Get the really thin 60/40 stuff from Radio Shack. The irons you get a radio shack will work but honestly they are not very good because you can not control the temperature it is just full on, but a 15-25W iron will work. The key to good joints is to heat the joint first before you touch the solder to the joint. It will then flow immediately when you touch the solder.

Also do you use LEADFREE solder on any of these electrical connections, the stuff I saw it the video looks like plumbing solder so if it is the LEADFREE stuff it must get hotter to flow and is very hard to do with an iron. When soldering the little connectors just use a vise to hold the connector and have all the leads pre-tinned and then push one wire at a time into the connector socket heat the joint and then touch the solder and it will work great.

You can find all kinds of soldering stations on ebay that will make doing all these connections go much easier.


Get yourself a Weller Soldering Station $50 These allow you to control the temperature of the tip. I have one of the older Blue units you can still find on ebay and it works great. I used it for years before I got a metcal station. If you get a Weller or Hakko or whatever get a variety of tips that work with the iron you get. This works great you change to a very fine tip when you work on tiny connectors and you will be surprised how much easier it goes when you have the right tool. We all know that for sure.

NEW Weller WLC100 Soldering Station Sodering Hobbyist! - eBay (item 220711975606 end time Dec-25-10 17:15:00 PST)

NEW Soldering Station Solder Iron 50 Watt Wholesale - eBay (item 280607473476 end time Dec-23-10 20:58:28 PST)



Russ

[Al_The_Man]

+2 on the Weller, they have quick change tips for different applications and come in different temp ratings.
Before I acquired a D pin crimper, when soldering I would tin the ends and also flow solder into the wire cup, then it is just a case of heating the cup and pushing the wire in, Voila.
If you want to get fancy short heat shrink over the pins makes for a neat job.
BTW, the .8mm makes for a good all around solder gauge.
Al.

[chimpera]

If you plan on doing surface mount in the future I highly recommend the 898D. Its a great unit and a great price. I picked mine up for 105 shipped.

[diyengineer]

Well i took everyones advice and holy crap!

Now im soldering like a pro! Bought a new skinny pointed tip for the soldering iron, the .032" 60/40 rosin core solder, a cat 5 crimper and cutter, along with a multi hand tool that can hold the stuff for me while i solder, has a magnify glass, iron holder, and sponge!

Now i'm soldering like a champion haha.

Major question. My drivers (viper 100's) utilize 6 of the 9 pins as shown below. My encoders (E6 us digital) have 10 wires! Now i can get rid of the Index+ and index -, that puts me at 8 wires. It looks like i have a extra 5V and ground that i need to get rid of, but which one do i get rid of? Does it matter?

Viper serial port
Pin #, spec:
1 +5 volts (purple)
2 Encoder B- (brown)
3 Encoder B+ (red)
4 Encoder A- (blue)
5 Encoder A+ (green)
6 Not in use.
7 Not in use.
8 Not in use.
9 Ground (black)

US DIGITAL ENCODER
Pin #, spec:
1 Ground
2 Ground
3 Index -
4 Index +
5 A-
6 A+
7 5VDC+
8 5VDC+
9 B-
10 B+

Picture attached showing custom DB9 to RJ45 for breakout board. May just use a female coupler and not use the RJ45 8 terminal break outs!

[CNCMAN172]

DIYengineer,

My guess without seeing the encoder physically is the two ground wires and the two 5V wires are tied together inside the encoder. They normally do this especially if the pins are across from each other as you seen in many connectors. Just take a multimeter set it to ohms and with the encoder unconnected and measure the resistance between the two ground legs and the two 5V legs. If they are near zero or direct shorts, then you can pick either and it will work fine. No issue at all.


US DIGITAL ENCODER
Pin #, spec:
1 Ground
2 Ground
3 Index -
4 Index +
5 A-
6 A+
7 5VDC+
8 5VDC+
9 B-
10 B+

Russ

[Al_The_Man]

This is done to up the gauge of the supply conductors, especially for long runs.
The encoder cable I use has two conductors of a larger gauge than the rest which solves this issue.
Al.

[diyengineer]

I will have to use my multimeter and see if they are linked together. =)

If they are in fact just connected, will it be safe to use only one 5V and one ground? Each encoder run is about 20'. Also should i use the recommended resistors when terminating? If they were required why not just build a resistor inside the unit, or a small variable one?

[Al_The_Man]

Personally I have never used resistors on Differential encoders, is this recommended by the drive or the encoder Manuf?
You probably have no choice in using one supply pair, so hopefully there will not be a problem.
The current in the supply pair is the sum of total current in the other pairs.
Not using the marker pulses may alleviate that to some extent.
Al.

[diyengineer]

Figured i might as well do this correct the first time, im pulling the power cables and making extension cords out of them for other random stuff. Tomorrow im calling up Anixter and ordering the shielded power cable. I figured its going to waste a lot of time wiring it all then ripping it down to re wire with the correct stuff. Seems like my new years completion date is busted! At this point it will be done when its done. haha. I'm just glad i can bring the new year in with a machine that is going to work then no machine at all!

" Do a job big or small, do it right or not at all."



Trying not to rush haha.

Encoders- The driver manual as well as the us digital both say to terminate the pairs of AA and BB with resistors.

[Al_The_Man]

In all the years I have used differential encoders I have never had to, in fact the RS485 differential transmit and receive are made to work as-is.

..."RS-485 is standard for sending serial data. It uses a pair of wires to send a differential signal over distances up to 4000 feet without a repeater. The differential signal makes it very robust, RS-485 is one of the most popular communications methods used in industrial applications where it’s noise immunity and long-distance capability are a perfect fit. RS-485 is capable of multi-drop communications – up to 32 nodes"
Al.

[InventIt]

The way you have your limit switches mounted - will your movement stop before the flag bottoms out in the sensor? Looks like you will only have a 1/2" or so to stop the gantry. It would be better to turn the sensor so the flag can pass through without colliding with the sensor.

[diyengineer]

The way you have your limit switches mounted - will your movement stop before the flag bottoms out in the sensor? Looks like you will only have a 1/2" or so to stop the gantry. It would be better to turn the sensor so the flag can pass through without colliding with the sensor.

The Z axis sensors are setup to pass through. The x and y axis are setup not to pass through because they are so close to my hard stop there is really no room to pass on through.

Once the machine runs i would like to machine new hard limit as well as home/limit brackets out of a more solid aluminum.

Say i click home ( located @ XYZ 0,0,0) can i control the speed at which it approaches the switch? I dont want it flying 100 miles per hour at the switch cause it wont be able to stop!

[diyengineer]

In all the years I have used differential encoders I have never had to, in fact the RS485 differential transmit and receive are made to work as-is.

..."RS-485 is standard for sending serial data. It uses a pair of wires to send a differential signal over distances up to 4000 feet without a repeater. The differential signal makes it very robust, RS-485 is one of the most popular communications methods used in industrial applications where it’s noise immunity and long-distance capability are a perfect fit. RS-485 is capable of multi-drop communications – up to 32 nodes"
Al.

Maybe you can make sense of this, i have no clue what they are talking about haha.

us digital:
"For differential versions: the internal differential line driver (26C31) can source and sink 20mA at TTL levels. The recommended receiver is industry standard 26C32. Maximum noise immunity is achieved when the differential receiver is terminated with a 110-ohm resistor in series with a .0047 microfarad capacitor placed across each differential pair. The capacitor simply conserves power; otherwise power consumption would increase by approximately 20mA per pair, or 60mA for 3 pairs."

Viper:
"Terminating long cables A differential encoder is recommended for any cable longer than 6 feet (2 meters). For
very long cables it is sometimes necessary to put a terminator resistor across the
differential pairs . The resistor value is usually 150 ohms (1/4 watt), A 0.05uF capacitor
may be put in series with the resistor to reduce power consumption. Maximum output is 250ma"

[Al_The_Man]

If you do go ahead then make sure you use the cap in series, otherwise you will increase the current in the dc supply, as mentioned, (see bottom line).
I have only ever seen the reference to placing a RC on differential lines on forums such as this, the characteristics of Differential transmission is it already has inherent noise rejection.
The only requirement that I can remember is the there should be minimal differential between the source common and the receiver common, i.e. minimal voltage drop.
Al.

[diyengineer]

I think the weakest link in this machine is the Long axis. It uses steel bar and bearings that ride directly on it. It ALSO incorporates the gear rack all into one package. What if a tooth breaks, corrosion destroys the bearing surface, or metal on metal contact just wear it down to much? I guess i could always get the bearing surfaces machine ground flat leaving nice new shiny surfaces unpitted. But if one of the teeth become broke, or multiple teeth become to damaged im pretty screwed.

I have thought of a few options none of which are a very easy/fun filled. But never the less it would net me a brand new gantry on a heavy duty table.

1. Install new linear supported rails onto existing rail beds, and modify them onto the original gantry with new drive mechanism. (Not fun, holy crap haha).

2. Install new supported rails onto existing bed, and make a brand new gantry from aluminum tube and bar stock, with new drive mechanism.

3. Install new supported rails on existing bed, and make a new 80/20 gantry, with new drive mechanism.

Just hoping for the best, but always plan for the worst. I wouldn't mind using the machine to build a new replacement gantry.

Any thoughts? Am i just worrying to much? hha

[Ark1]

Over the years I not only worked as an electrician but as a millwright in a rod and wire drawing mill. As racks go some times they wear, the pinion will take most of the wear. The real problem comes when something gets dropped on to the rack and the pinion mashes it and breaks off a tooth. Well the pinion will be toast and maybe the bearings took most of the hit. If you are lucky you change the pinion and weld or drill and tap the broken tooth back into the rack. Then grind to fit. If two or more teeth are gone you can sometimes get a short length of rack cut and add it to the end where the machine rarely travels. The rack is removed and cut with a saw to remove the bad section and all of it is pushed back together with mating cuts. Of course none of the holes line up and drilling and tapping will be the next adventure to accomplish. Most industries purchase a machine and run it. Then repair what they have to the cheapest way they can and when it isn't worth fixing they sell it and let the next guy worry about it. They made their money over the years and move on. The purchaser considers what is needed to make it work for him and pays a price accordingly. Currently you are there now. The controls are old and not worth trying to figure out or learn how to program. In the 90's the machines I worked on had DC drives, some with tubes! Others with an AC motor driving a DC generator for supply current. The stuff was old, but the iron was massive. Think of the kind of power to draw a 5/8" Steel rod through a scaping die to remove .004" all around the rod diameter and coil it on to a carrier. And this stuff is small compaired to what else is out there. Yet the purchaser of the used machine has a niche market that is difficult for the big guys to touch and that supplies products and jobs to a lot of us locally.

From the sounds of what you are going to be cutting I think you have some time left in what you have. The issue will be if you do have an order to fill and you loose a major componet, then the $$$ signs and the head scratchin begins.


Ark1

TonyK.

[diyengineer]

Over the years I not only worked as an electrician but as a millwright in a rod and wire drawing mill. As racks go some times they wear, the pinion will take most of the wear. The real problem comes when something gets dropped on to the rack and the pinion mashes it and breaks off a tooth. Well the pinion will be toast and maybe the bearings took most of the hit. If you are lucky you change the pinion and weld or drill and tap the broken tooth back into the rack. Then grind to fit. If two or more teeth are gone you can sometimes get a short length of rack cut and add it to the end where the machine rarely travels. The rack is removed and cut with a saw to remove the bad section and all of it is pushed back together with mating cuts. Of course none of the holes line up and drilling and tapping will be the next adventure to accomplish. Most industries purchase a machine and run it. Then repair what they have to the cheapest way they can and when it isn't worth fixing they sell it and let the next guy worry about it. They made their money over the years and move on. The purchaser considers what is needed to make it work for him and pays a price accordingly. Currently you are there now. The controls are old and not worth trying to figure out or learn how to program. In the 90's the machines I worked on had DC drives, some with tubes! Others with an AC motor driving a DC generator for supply current. The stuff was old, but the iron was massive. Think of the kind of power to draw a 5/8" Steel rod through a scaping die to remove .004" all around the rod diameter and coil it on to a carrier. And this stuff is small compaired to what else is out there. Yet the purchaser of the used machine has a niche market that is difficult for the big guys to touch and that supplies products and jobs to a lot of us locally.

From the sounds of what you are going to be cutting I think you have some time left in what you have. The issue will be if you do have an order to fill and you loose a major componet, then the $$$ signs and the head scratchin begins.


Ark1

TonyK.

That is really interesting! Yes i dont want to be dependent on the machine and have it fail in the middle of something big.
Once it runs, there will be lots of upgrades going into it!

[diyengineer]

Tonight i crimped a million RJ45 connections. All the encoder cables had to be cut to length, and crimped etc.

Then all the home and limit switches only came with 6' wires so i had to solder and extend a lot of the wires.

I need to order up the shielded cable. Its going to run me about $180 dollars. But that is fairly cheap for 75' of 14 gauge 3 wire, and then another 25' of 14 gauge 4 wire, all shielded. Anixter has really good deals compared to everyone else local and online.

Once the shielded Servo power, and shielded spindle cable arrive i will be on a roll!!! Made a little progress on the electronics box as well.

Stay tune.