[TopCat]

This is my first post, so go easy on me. I am thinking about building a 5 axis router for work and play. I build R/C aircraft and would like to use a router to male fiberglass molds and cut aluminum landing gear parts. The machine will have a work area of x = 100” y = 60” and z = 24” with driven nuts on x and y. I am shooting for repeatability of .0005. The machine design and fabrication is not the problem although I am sure I will have questions along the way. Electronics are the weak link for me so here we go. I will more than likely use Mach 3 and 4 when it is available. Will the SureServo motor and drive package work with Mach 3? I am not sure about how the drive is wired. The diagram indicates that CN3 connects to the PC or PLC and that CN1 connects to the DirectLOGIC PLC.
What is the purpose of the DirectLOGIC PLC?
Do I need a breakout board?
How exactly does Mach send step/direction signals to the drive?
What else is needed to make the system run?
I have a lot more questions, but I will stop here for now.

Thanks in advance.

[NC Cams]

Mach sends step and direction via parallel port to the drive. Great for driving steppers, not so great/easy to drive servos.

When I asked if they could drive a servo motor, they indicated that they couldn't (my servo amp needs +/-10vdc for speed and direction command) without special programs and other details that they weren't in a position to support.

Might try AjaxCNC as I know they have servo support and I also think they can support steppers as well.

Money, time and an understanding of machine and electronics' integration is REAL handy when it comes to DIY CNC

8-))

[pstockley]

I looked at the sureservo setup and it can be configured to take step and direction commands so should work OK with Mach. You will still need a breakout board. The drive will need to be configured to accept step/dir and the docs show how to do this plus the input pins for step and direction.

The PLC they are talking about is used for custom process control apps. Mach is effectively the PLC in your application.

[veteq]

Hello NCcams,

To me you`re right.
Always there is the problem for me, i find a nice servo motor and drive package and they do take step and direction.
:banana: yes i`m happy, but when looking good at the specs it says it only takes 10v. (chair)
when i asked it on school to one off my teachers he said it cann be converted.
it was no problem he said, but he didn`t explained how. It`s a occasional teacher so i almost never see him.
Isn`t there nobody out here that cann help us and explain that convert system ( if it possible to make by the way/ or buy )

another point the drive spec say for the smallest driver it has a encoder function that cann handle 10,000 pulses per rev, for the motor i can`t find anything about wath kind of encoder there is on the motor. (is this also 10,000 pulses per rev.) and for the price the motor is listed ?

Than the third thing...............
The motor rated speed is 3000 rpm, so 50 revs per second, so 500,000 pulses per second............................................ .WOW
But mach 3 only puts out on the max. 45000 pulses per second and the pc is doing big overtimes. (right ???)

So there is mach 4 on the way and the g-rex (right)
Thus you have a pc with solidworks and solidcam,
put the g-code in mach 4, trough ethernet (wath is this ???? a simple cable??) to the g-rex
from the g-rex to the drives and motors above, to the hf mill.

So for less then 5000 dollars (without computer ) you have a REAL fast system????

Then with this nice forum and a lot off time and learning maybe i cann make it work as a rookie in cnc (opinion please )

But then there is the device from 5 to 10 volt for the step/direction would it be possible at 500,000 hz ??????????????????????

Questions, questions, questions.................aint life fine !!!

Would love some feedback ?!?!?!

Kind regards,

Roy Bakker
the Netherlands.

[pstockley]

It has a step multiplier that is user definable. This would overcome the PC pulse train limitation at the expense of resolution. Like NC stated the thing that eventually put me off was having to develop custom circuitry to boost the 5v TTL step and dir signals from the parallel port.

[ger21]

I think that .0005 is a little optimistic. As was mentioned, those drives say they take step and direction, so they should work with Mach3. It would be a lot less complicated to use Gecko or Rutex drives with DC servos. A lot cheaper, too.

[TopCat]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your input. I found SureServo after doing a search. At the time it seemed to be the perfect solution, but now I am not so sure. Am I correct in the assumption that SureServo requires 10v for step/direction and the parallel port only outputs 5v? So the problem is not with Mach or SureServo just the limiting design of the computer port. Will Grex address those issues (and more ).

Ger21:
I think you are right. It will be easier to use Gecko or Rutex. Is there a limit to what encoder I can use with Gecko? I read some where that Gecko’s work well with 500 count encoders or less but Rutex could use higher count encoders. I know I am being optimistic about a repeatability of .0005”. I have found that if I design for the maximum accuracy possible, I usually come some ware close.

Anybody know of a good source for DC servo motors?

Thanks again guy’s for all your help.

[ger21]

Drives that take ±10V are NOT step and direction, although some can accept both. Rutex makes a board that converts step and direction to ±10V. The G-Rex won't help here.

The limit of the encoder count is Mach3's max step rate, 45,000 steps per second. The G-Rex will let you use much higher count encoders.

Those servo's you linked to were BIG. You can get some smaller ones from www.homecnc.info

[veteq]

hello topcat,

i mailed the question off will it accept +5VDC step/direction and this is the answer off the technical service off sureservo
quote:

Roy,

The servo drive can interface with the +5VDC step and direction signals.
The input would be a line driver type as shown on page 3-15 (C4
configuration setup) of the user manual.


Thanks,

Bill Boatright
Technical Support Team
Your source for the most practical automation products, at the best
prices, shipped the same day.
PH: 1-800-633-0405
FX: 1-770-889-7879

[sdantonio]

Hi Topcat,

If your looking to build a machine with the highest accuracy possible, especially over long axies (you mentioned 100" for one of you axies) I would look at Joes 2006 machine (search for it here and you will find it). The double captive rail system appears very stable. That is, if you haven't started building yet.

[TopCat]

Sdantonio:
Thanks for the information. joe2000che’s machine looks great! I have not started building yet, still trying to straighten out the electronics. I am planning to use double support rail with ball bushing pillow blocks on each side of the router. The driven nut ball screw will be in the center under the table.

[GAWnCA]

Hi Guys,

Anybody know of a good source for DC servo motors?

Thanks again guy’s for all your help.

Try here: http://www.imsrv.com/