[ballistic42]

I built a 12 tool ATC and am using a Clear Path stepper motor to turn the carousel. The motor is a CPM-SDSK-2321S-RLN. I canot figure out how to tune the motor in mach3. I can get the ATC to home but I want to center tool fork #1 in the front position and for some reason it is off. I know the resoulution1/800. From what I understand, one turn of the motor shaft there is 800 counts or pulses. The tool forks are 30 degrees apart. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated. I had the ATC working GREAT before with a stepper but now it is not!

Thanks,

Jeff

[ballistic42]

Ok got it figured out. I put 2.222 steps in the Mach3 motor tunning for the axis I am working with and adjusted the homing limits for the offset and works like a charm! By the way anyone who is looking at the ClearPath SDSK servo motors and has an axis with a RJ45 connector like the C32 breakout board, let me know if you want the pinouts.

[Jim Dawson]

Using the Clearpath MSP software you can set the steps per revolution. You want to set the steps per revolution at a multiple of 12, then set Mach3 to match.

[ballistic42]

Jim, I did not see that in the ClearPath MSP software, could you tell me where you saw this?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Jim Dawson]

Look at page 87 of the manual. On the other hand, it sounds like you have it working.

[ballistic42]

Jim I think that is only for the MCVC and the MCPV models but not on the SDSK models but I could be wrong.

[Jim Dawson]

That is for the SD drives, see page 85

Attached is the manual I'm using.

[ballistic42]

Ok that is different than the manual I have. My software I downloaded from Tecknic does not look like that. I will have to look deeper.

[ballistic42]

I see on page 85 how it talks about input resolution. I have mine set on 800 which I got from the clear path website. I did not get the 1/6400 resolution because i thought 1/800 would work just fine. Not sure how to change that but some how I came up with a number that is working and now I am scratching my head...lol. Actually I came up with that 2.2222 degrees of rotation for 1/800 or res. That is the number I put into Mach3 for the motor turning. Not sure that makes sense but it worked.

[Jim Dawson]

The really important thing is that it's working.

[ballistic42]

I know either I got real lucky or I had a method to my madness...lol. I just cant wait to have the carousel mounted and changing tools!

[arizonavideo]

You have to post a few pictures of that tool changer!!

[ballistic42]

I am trying to get it done but in the home stretch. I am waiting for the mill table enclosure to get back from the metal fab shop, it will be powder coated in a bright white. Here are some pics of the ATC. I am mounting it with its own stand which will be adjustable to the spindle of the G0704. I have tested the changer and it works great! The ATC shaft goes through a sealed bearing in the hub. All the weight of the ATC carousel hangs off the ATC enclosure not the motor. There is no way the carousel can come off during normal operation. I built this thing to withstand a crash...lol. The clear path motor works like a champ and has more than enough torque and speed to turn the disk. I was a little worried about the holding torque of the motor but when I push on the tool fork the motor resist and stays right where it is. I have used plastic bolts to hold the tool forks on the disk so that if there is a mishap they will snap and I hope avoid damage to the changer.

Jeff

[ballistic42]

I will add those are not Tormach ATC tool forks. I made those, they were laser cut. I will work on a door for the ATC once I have it all mounted up. The air nozzles work great for blowing off the tool after it is put back in the tray, its part of the M6START macro.

[ballistic42]

Ok Update. I have been busy getting all my wires ready to take on the ClearPath SDSK's. I purchased the CP SDSK for the X,Y,Z,C, and my ATC carousel axis. Took me a bit to figure out how to set up the ATC with the new CP motor and how to wire it up using the CnC4PC C32 board. I used the RJ45 cable, cut the end off and made my own connection useing a panel mount Molex connector to the CP motor. Let me tell you the Molex cripping tool is not cheap, but I bought it anyways as now I can wire what ever I want. The Power connector to the CP motor is also a molex connector. I used the panel mount molex connector for the power as well. I did not want the motor wires to be hard wired to the control box. With using the panel mount molex connectors I can unplug all the power and signal wires to the control box. I was a little worried if the CP SDSK motor would work for the ATC but let me tell you that little motor has a lot of holding torque! If the carousel moves it goes right back where it was, it wont forget where it was. I had it all working and it runs very smooth and quiet. Loaded the ATC up with tools and spins the carousel with ease. I had a new back panel laser cut to fit the new panel mount molex connectors. The panel is at the powder coaters getting done in a gloss black. I will put the panel together tommorow with new pics of the control box done and complete. The G0704 enclosure will be done in 3 weeks. The enclosure will be a bright white with LED lights in the top. This project has taken me a long time but had to learn all this stuff first.

[ballistic42]

I am also in the process of finishing a 6" rotary table as my C axis. I am making a small scale tombstone for milling out my AR lowers. With this I should be able to mill out 8 AR lowers at a time using the G0704. I will drill the tigger pins in all 8 first then mill the trigger pockets out. With the ATC and this rotary table should make quick work of getting them out the door. The rotary table I bought was like $200 shipped. I took it all apart and in looking at it, I figured a way to make it better and smoother. I am adding sealed contact bearings so that there is no metal to metal like before. I am using the CP SDSK motor to turn the rotary table. In the design I am going to use a locking pin to lock the table while milling out the Pockets. I will just use an electric operated solenoid that will be incorporated into the macro. I will post pics when done.

[atomarc]

You are certainly doing some very nice work..and the pictures are great. I can't wait to see your enclosure.

Stuart

[Jim Dawson]

Very Nice Work!

[ballistic42]

Thanks! Has taken me longer than I expected but there is this thing called a JOB that I have to goto to fund my addiction! I will be putting up finished pics of the control box tomorrow if I can get it all wired up in time. To be clear I am not making my enclosure myself as I do not have the tools to do that. I did however weld up the table. The actual end caps on the enclosure are going to be 14 gage steel. I know its over kill but the shop said they would rather not use anything else as they had a lot of the 14 gage. The enclosure panels are all bolt together. They are pressing 1/4-20 studs into the panels then I can just put the stainless nylon locknuts on to bolt the whole enclosure together. Here are a few pics of the chip tray drawer that will slide open to scoop out the chips. I have a coolant tank that will sit under the drawer so the coolant will just draing right back to tank.

[ballistic42]

I have a 18x24x3" piece of of granite that will sit on the two middle runners and then the G0704 mill base will have bolts that go all the way through and nut on the bottom side of the runners. I had the bottom of the mill base ground perfectly flat so that there is no rocking of the mill when sitting on the granite. When I bought my mill from Grizzly the base had lots of paint on the bottom and just looked like garbage. After having it surface ground, looks awesome. The other runner is where the 12 tool ATC is going to bolt up. I do not want the ATC bolted to the G0704 column as it is not strong enough for that. My welding is not good but the metal shop said they will clean it up and make it look awesome. By the way just because you can go out and buy a tig welder does not mean you will be able to weld with it right away, I am speaking from experience.