586,062 active members*
4,501 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Tormach Personal CNC Mill > PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot
Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1

    PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    We slapped a giant Clear Path Servo from Technik on the 4th axis of our PCNC770. All was well while under Mach3 control but with the path pilot upgrade I can't seem to make the deceleration work quite right with interpolated moves and it's causing our 4th axis work to come out twisted. See video for details. Anyone have any idea what parameters I need to tweak? I'm not familiar with LinuxCNC or PathPilot yet so this one has me stumped.

    https://youtu.be/d_MVdAq-EOk

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    644

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    Try setting P to 1000 and MAX_ERROR to 0.1

  3. #3

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    Quote Originally Posted by PCW_MESA View Post
    Try setting P to 1000 and MAX_ERROR to 0.1
    ok thanks just tried those numbers, no real change in cutting a test part. but the decell now causes an over shoot of about 5 degrees on a single rotation.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    644

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    Quote Originally Posted by charliebrumfield View Post
    ok thanks just tried those numbers, no real change in cutting a test part. but the decell now causes an over shoot of about 5 degrees on a single rotation.
    Strange, is this with a Tormach PC?

    You might try setting MAX_ERROR to 0 ( this is a special case that means no input error bounding on the PID )

    Also I noticed you acceleration settings are quite high (0 to full speed in about 16 ms) is this deliberate?

    Can you post your HAL and INI files?

    Also do you have any backlash compensation enabled?

  5. #5

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    Quote Originally Posted by PCW_MESA View Post
    Strange, is this with a Tormach PC?
    Yes we are using a tormach controller on both out 770 and 1100. (haven't set the 4th axis up on the 1100 with the new path pilot yet)

    Quote Originally Posted by PCW_MESA View Post
    You might try setting MAX_ERROR to 0 ( this is a special case that means no input error bounding on the PID )
    Did that with P = 50 and the decell works flawlessly now. still getting a twisted part though. so now i'm even more stumped.

    Quote Originally Posted by PCW_MESA View Post
    Also I noticed you acceleration settings are quite high (0 to full speed in about 16 ms) is this deliberate?
    Yes, we make very short moves, and need to get the a axis up to speed in a short amount of time. (we spin the a axis for the entire machining run) they are will with in the capabilities of the motor. just to be on the safe side I set the accel rates to stock tormach setting for part of a test run. the die was still coming out twisted. did no let the run finish though as it was going to take over an hour to run completely.

    Quote Originally Posted by PCW_MESA View Post
    Can you post your HAL and INI files?
    yes, just as soon as I figure out where I put those wifi things tormach sent over


    Quote Originally Posted by PCW_MESA View Post
    Also do you have any backlash compensation enabled?
    not to my knowledge. I set the physical backlash adjustment in the 4th axis as per tormach's specs and have not enabled and back lash comp in path pilot.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    644

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    Note that Tormachs linear axis accel values will be way too low for a rotary axis

    To scale them similarly (same time to full speed) you would set the
    rotary axis accel = rotary axis maxvel * linear axis accel / linear axis maxvel

    To determine if the problem is still stepgen following related, I would set the ferror limits much smaller
    say .01 degree for min_ferror and .1 for ferror to start, if you dont fault with a ferror then you know the
    stepgen is within 0.1 degree of its commanded position

    BTW I tried a sample config with your previous PID and accel/velocity setting and had no stepgen
    tracking issues so I'm still not sure whats going on here

    MAX_ACCEL=8000
    MAXVEL = 125
    P=1000
    FF1=0
    MAX_ERROR=.0005


    https://ibin.co/2jID5Q7uICfc.png

    Note that the error is always less than 0.0005 degrees so not really sure what going on here

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Posts
    41

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    I was looking into those clear path motors the other day and from what i gathered you can plug a usb into the clear path servo and set things like acceleration and deceleration. Their demo video showed the motors doing a self calibration routine too. So maybe you are having to different motor curves fighting against each other. These things look like great upgrade to the Tormach's


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  8. #8

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    love the clear path servos. I have 4 other machines running them. they are the ONLY motors to run. they really aren't expensive and they make your control boxes super clean and tiny as the drivers and encoders are built in to the motor itself.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Posts
    10

    Re: PCNC770 4th Axis with Clear Path Servo and PathPilot

    Hi Charle, I have no input for your 4th axis issue, but I am now super excited to hear of somebody bolting some Clearpath Servos onto their Tormach! I have the 770 also and would be pleased to know a little more about what this mod has done for you, experiences, model of Clearpath chosen, ect. Any interest in submitting more info???

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    10
    Quote Originally Posted by VegasRhino View Post
    Hi Charle, I have no input for your 4th axis issue, but I am now super excited to hear of somebody bolting some Clearpath Servos onto their Tormach! I have the 770 also and would be pleased to know a little more about what this mod has done for you, experiences, model of Clearpath chosen, ect. Any interest in submitting more info???
    I have a pcnc 1100
    I've been having driver issues. 2 dead in the last month
    I'm very interested in upgrading to the clear path servos.
    Anyone with any more advice about this please speak up.
    Thank you

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by charliebrumfield View Post
    love the clear path servos. I have 4 other machines running them. they are the ONLY motors to run. they really aren't expensive and they make your control boxes super clean and tiny as the drivers and encoders are built in to the motor itself.
    Hi Charlie
    I have a Chinese baileigh 2 x 2 plasma table that I Converted to warp9 ess smoothstepper
    Using mach3... The machine runs great but if I cut thick materials at low speeds the steppers are NOT happy ...they moan and growl..I have changed the micro steps in the controllers for months with now with NO results will the clear path servos do the trick ??? I put what I need in the cart at their website 3 servos and power supply and all needed cables ...it comes to 1300 or so not a problem....only if it will work...what are you thoughts ???
    Thanks Ralph

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-07-2014, 03:57 AM
  2. Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-05-2013, 11:26 PM
  3. New PCNC770
    By Don S in forum Tormach Personal CNC Mill
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 12-21-2012, 10:26 PM
  4. 4th axis rotary z clear question
    By mazakman1974 in forum HURCO
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 10-13-2012, 10:09 AM
  5. Another new PCNC770
    By Gerry Sweetland in forum Tormach Personal CNC Mill
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 04-15-2011, 03:02 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •