[Hackberry jake]

I will be assembling a cnc router shortly. I have two large drive screws for x that will take two 906oz motors and g213v drivers. I have two 381 oz motors for y and z which will be driven by a g540 with hopes of adding a 4th axis in the future. My question is; should I run the parrallel port cable to the g540 and use its I/o's to run the two 7amp drives? Which I don't think I will have enough i/o's with limit switches as well. Or should I split a parrallel port cable and run only what is needed to the g540 and the remainder to a c10 then to the big drives? Or run the parrallel port cable to the c10 and from there to the g540. I think the c10 beefs up the signal and I don't know if that's what the g540 wants. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Crevice Reamer]

Hi Jake.

You cannot run a G 540 from a C10. C10 has no DB25 output. The G 540 will expect a parallel cable input. Perhaps with a C1 you could do it.

Ok, You have given no details, so I will have to assume that you know what you are doing in sizing those motors and actually NEED two 906 motors. Most applications would have N23 381s driving everything except maybe a N34 on the Z if it is really heavy.

Your future 4th axis would actually be a fifth axis electronics-wise. Mach3 will let you slave two motors together for one axis, but electronics will want one motor one driver.

If the 906 motors are Keling 906s, then the G 540 is capable of driving all of the motors by itself, albeit detuning the 906 oz motor torque down to 520 oz. This might be a good way to start, and worry about interface BOB and other drivers when time comes for 4th axis.

CR.

[ger21]

Get another parallel port, and plug the G540 into one, and the BOB with the G203's into the other.

[Hackberry jake]

The screws are 1.5" acme thread with 4 turns per inch and 4' long. I picked these up free and it's my way of "cheaping out" of buying linear guides and ball screws. They already have bearing blocks mounted on both ends with a machined 15/16 side for driving them. I am going to try these first and if it isn't satisfactory I will use the screws and drivers on a sawmill modification to adjust the height of the bandsaw head. Known as setworks to saw millers. I will then cough up what it takes to do linear guides and ballscrews.

[Hackberry jake]

The morphing of the 213 sounded like it might be of use in my situation. Maybe 3' isn't enough travel to get into morph speed and it would just be wasted money. Ger21, the inside of computers scare the snot out of me. Of course cnc did too before I came here. I guess the research will start on adding a parrallel port. Maybe I should run everything off the g540 to make sure the computer I am using will work before getting in too deep. I was afraid that was going to be the reccomendation. Thanks for you guys and your input! Pun intended

[Crevice Reamer]

The morphing of the 213 sounded like it might be of use in my situation.

G 540 also morphs to top speed.

Maybe I should run everything off the g540 to make sure the computer I am using will work before getting in too deep.

Good plan. I'll be interested to see if anything improves when adding separate drives.

A second Parallel port is a good idea! I guess I've stopped thinking of that because it used to be so tough to find one that would function with G 540. It should be fine for interface to C10.

CR.

[Hackberry jake]

I've done more reading. (sound it out jake). If I daisy chain all my limit switches I could get away with just using one input right? Could I use two more of the accessory inputs on the g540 as x step and x direction? Star wire them to the inputs on the larger drives? I am actually hoping that 3.5 amps on the 906 oz motors will get the job done but still stewing and pondering about what if it won't. Because who really wants to spend another $300 on unneeded drives?

[Crevice Reamer]

I've done more reading. (sound it out jake). If I daisy chain all my limit switches I could get away with just using one input right? Could I use two more of the accessory inputs on the g540 as x step and x direction? Star wire them to the inputs on the larger drives? I am actually hoping that 3.5 amps on the 906 oz motors will get the job done but still stewing and pondering about what if it won't. Because who really wants to spend another $300 on unneeded drives?

You'd have to ask Mariss at Gecko to be sure, but I don't think so.

The G540 inputs are direct to open collector transistor. Great for sensing.

The two outputs make or break a ground connection from up to 50V. The 906 has been performing well with G 540s for almost 3 years now. Don't worry about it.

CR.