[fmfchop]

So I want to run LinuxCNC.

Right now the mill it running the Automation Technology controller found here: High-Torque Stepper Motor, Stepper Motor, Driver, Stepper Motor kit, DC Servo Motor, DC Servo Motor kit, Stepper Motor Power Supply, CNC Router, Spindle, and other Components. Stepper Motor | Stepper Motor Driver | CNC Router | Laser Machine | 3D Prin

As you can see, this is their 4 axis with ethernet and smooth stepper.

I can't use this with LinuxCNC.

So I'm trying to figure out what all I need to order to run LinuxCNC on here instead.

There was mention of running a 7I98H card on another forum: 7I92H picture

I have my computer all built up and have LinuxCNC installed and operating.

I want to get this thing running. I plan on going with a larger spindle motor and doing the servo swap on X Y Z eventually, but for now, just getting it running is paramount.

This is my first converted mill, so this stuff is new to me.

I have experience with running mills, but not building them.

Any advice appreciated (unless it's that I should just run Mach3. Then no thanks.)

[eman5oh]

If you are running steppers the 5i25with 7i76 cards are great combo, I am using it to run a Bridgeport BOSS mill with steppers and a vfd spindle.

[fmfchop]

If you are running steppers the 5i25with 7i76 cards are great combo, I am using it to run a Bridgeport BOSS mill with steppers and a vfd spindle.

Good info.

An A/C spindle motor with VFD is something planned for in the future as well as the servo swap on x y and z.

[fmfchop]

I should mention, the Tecnik Clearpath Servos for X Y and Z are the ones I'm talking about swapping to.

At this point, what would I want to keep from the previous system?

Do I need to completely omit this controller box and stuff?

[109jb]

That controller from Automation Tech has an ethernet tsmoothstepper, but it also has a G540 in it. You can just bypass the smoothstepper and run the G540 from the parallel port if you want to.

[eman5oh]

The clear path will run on step and direction signal, so the combo I mentioned will work for that. If you want to reuse most of what you have you could remove the smooth stepper and replace it with the 7i76 and leave the rest of your system the same. You will need the 5i25 or 6i25 card to go in you r computer and a cable to cable to connect the two. Mesa sells a what they call a plug and go kit that includes what you need. You could alterintivly go with the 7i76E and run it off an ehternet port, setup will be slighly harder but you will not need a card in the computer. I ran Mach for years and an loving linux cnc. I run gmoccapy as the graphical fron end.

[eman5oh]

I did not realize it was a G540, In that case just a 5i25 or 6i25 and a cable will work for interfacing straight to the G540. I believe there are even premade G540 config files for the MESA cards.

[pippin88]

You can start with just parallel port to G540. That is good enough for most situations.

Next step would be a 5i25 or 6i25 usually.

[fmfchop]

As it turns out I was misinformed. I took the cover off of the controller box today, and found that it IS NOT a gecko G540 system.

Here's what I actually have: High-Torque Stepper Motor, Stepper Motor, Driver, Stepper Motor kit, DC Servo Motor, DC Servo Motor kit, Stepper Motor Power Supply, CNC Router, Spindle, and other Components. Stepper Motor | Stepper Motor Driver | CNC Router | Laser Machine | 3D Prin

It's 2 KL5056D drivers for X and Y and a KL8070D driver for Z.

Also found that I have the smooth stepper ESS setup with a C25 terminal board, and a C41 PWM speed controller.



So, it's not a Gecko system.

Still have the same plans though.

-I want LinuxCNC
-I want to upgrade to a 2200W a/c with VFD
-I want to run the clearpath servos on X-Y and Z

So what should I keep/change? What do I need if I am bypassing the smoothstepper? I'm lost here. Sorry for the dumb questions guys.

[eman5oh]

The clear path motors do not need a driver so you will need a breakout board to interface them to the computer, either the lpt port or a mesa fpga card. You will need a breakout board and you could reuse the c41 board for the vfd control. Not sure on the power supply needs for the clear path motors, so you may need new power supply as well. If your computer has an lpt port and you get good latence number when you test linux cnc I would give that try first as the clear path motors are not going to be a sensitve to the step timing as a stepper would be.

[fmfchop]

Makes sense. As if now I'm running steppers, but will swap to the clearpaths in the future.

[109jb]

If you don't have the clearpath steppers and want to run your current steppers, then all you have to do is get a C10 BOB and wire it in to the drivers you currently have.

[fmfchop]

If you don't have the clearpath steppers and want to run your current steppers, then all you have to do is get a C10 BOB and wire it in to the drivers you currently have.

Yup. Found one and placed and order. I'm gonna pull this smooth stepper and the mated C25 board and sell them I think since I'll never need them.

[pippin88]

I prefer digital drivers to the G540. A simple BOB will get you started with LinuxCNC.

The next step would then be 5i25+7i76, or the 7i76E which is a combined 5i25 and 7i76 with Ethernet connection.

[fmfchop]

I prefer digital drivers to the G540. A simple BOB will get you started with LinuxCNC.

The next step would then be 5i25+7i76, or the 7i76E which is a combined 5i25 and 7i76 with Ethernet connection.

I've been reading up on the 7i76E. Definitely looks like a cool piece of gear.

[ninefinger]

Related question to this subject: do the Mesa cards "fix" or get around the issues of PC's with high latency? I've always assumed yes but never grasped how (is the step and direction timing handled on the cards?)

Mike

[109jb]

Related question to this subject: do the Mesa cards "fix" or get around the issues of PC's with high latency? I've always assumed yes but never grasped how (is the step and direction timing handled on the cards?)

Mike

It does not totally eliminate it, but makes it less of an issue. You still need to check latency even when using a Mesa card setup, but because it is hardware step generation the latency doesn't have to be anywhere near as good as it needs to be for software step generation

[fmfchop]

It does not totally eliminate it, but makes it less of an issue. You still need to check latency even when using a Mesa card setup, but because it is hardware step generation the latency doesn't have to be anywhere near as good as it needs to be for software step generation

More good info. This forum rules.

[lcvette]

If you plan on going servos down the road, I would just grab a 5i25/7i77 plug and go kit and use the 5i25 running to the c10, then when you get the servos drop the drivers, c10, pwm board and write in the 7i77 so you can utilize the encoder feedback which you won't be able to do with the 7i76. This way you get the huge savings of the plug and go kit and can run the 5i25 until you make the switch which gives you excellent speed from hardware stepping.

Sent from my QTAIR7 using Tapatalk

[109jb]

The ClearPath servos have built in drivers that take step and direction signals just like a stepper, so he doesn't need to feed the encoder signal back to the mesa board or controller if he doesn't want to. The essentially work just like a stepper.