[Ntl]

Have you tried just wiring one motor hlfb to determine if the issue is in fact caused by wiring them in series? Also have you gotten the machine to work with the controller with the hlfb disconnected? You might want to verify motion and that everything else is working properly minus the drive alarm, then circle back later to troubleshoot the problem. Just some suggestions if you want to try them.

Dan

[davida1234]

Also have you gotten the machine to work with the controller with the hlfb disconnected?

I don't need to disconnect HLFB. It is automatically serial looped
when I plug in all the connectors and it doesn't do anything anyway.

The machine by itself runs fine. Ran the break-in tool path with it.
That video was posted here.

I just don't want to run the machine without HLFB for test cuts as I will
push it as much as it will allow me to and I don't want a skewed gantry
and broken bits due to one servo faulting and the others keep running.

[GME]

According to what I read, both at another forum, and in the Clearpath manual.

- - - Updated - - -

And if he's at 4.97V, then he's actually below the minimum

Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about servos. Please forgive me for weighing in, especially if I sound down right silly.

I was just wondering whether using a power source larger than 5v might make a difference. Normally, when I can use a range of voltages, like with proximity sensors, I go higher than the minimum.

Gary

[davida1234]

Please forgive me for weighing in, especially if I sound down right silly.

I was just wondering whether using a power source larger than 5v might make a difference. Normally, when I can use a range of voltages, like with proximity sensors, I go higher than the minimum.

Gary, appreciate you weighing in. As my teacher told me, the silliest question is the one not asked.

It certainly might make a difference, I don't know.

ClearPath manual shows 5V - 24V, 1mA minimum, non-inductive.

The board supply voltage of the BoB is 5V, that's why I used 5V.

[Ntl]

Gary, appreciate you weighing in. As my teacher told me, the silliest question is the one not asked.

It certainly might make a difference, I don't know.

ClearPath manual shows 5V - 24V, 1mA minimum, non-inductive.

The board supply voltage of the BoB is 5V, that's why I used 5V.

So have you tried wiring just one of motors hlfb wires to see if it is in fact caused by wiring them in series as others have said?

Dan

[Ntl]

Also how are you checking to see if you can get the drive to fault out for there to be a hlfb signal? Are you stalling out the motor and it's not sending a signal? I'm just trying to figure out since I don't have those motors exactly what you are trying to do. It sounds like you are using it for a drive alarm correct? So if a drive faults it kills power to all the drives right?

[mactec54]

According to what I read, both at another forum, and in the Clearpath manual.

- - - Updated - - -

And if he's at 4.97V, then he's actually below the minimum

4v is the minimum supply voltage

[davida1234]

Its looks like the internal resistance of the contacts are the issue.

I really don't know. They state 0.25 voltage drop per servo.

[davida1234]

Are you stalling out the motor and it's not sending a signal? It sounds like you are using it for a drive alarm correct? So if a drive faults it kills power to all the drives right?

You are correct. I am putting rubber bumpers in the Z and let the servo drive into them. HLFB is supposed to change state and that signal is supposed to trigger a reset on UCCNC.

[davida1234]

So have you tried wiring just one of motors hlfb wires to see if it is in fact caused by wiring them in series as others have said?

It will be difficult to check each individual servo as everything is looped on the piggy-back PCB. I also don't know if a single servo would change state as they are meant to work in a serial connection.

[wmgeorge]

It will be difficult to check each individual servo as everything is looped on the piggy-back PCB. I also don't know if a single servo would change state as they are meant to work in a serial connection.

So I thought the folks over on the Acorn Forum had this all solved?

[ger21]

I also don't know if a single servo would change state as they are meant to work in a serial connection.

The manual makes no mention of having them daisy chained, and shows no examples of them daisy chained.
And it looks like most of the other options for the HLFB output would not work if daisy chained.

So yes, it should definitely work with a single motor.

Are those PCB boards from Clearpath?

[davida1234]

Are those PCB boards from Clearpath?

No, I was talking about my own piggy-back PCBs I
use to provide a plug'n'play connection for the BoB.

I posted that PCB layout couple of post before.

[davida1234]

So I thought the folks over on the Acorn Forum had this all solved?

I went through their forums. I don't think they solved anything
related to my setup. They have a few suggestions for other
conditions. All of them employ relays which I don't like.

[davida1234]

.

STATUS QUO FOR TEKNIC SERVO HIGH LEVEL FEED BACK (HLFB) ISSUE:

Upon their request, I sent various documentation to Teknic.
My PCB layout, connection and measuring points, servo
profiles, ClearPath software and UCCNC I/O settings.

There might be a workaround with relays but I find that solution
cumbersome and unintuitive. After all, they themselves show
HLFB connected directly to a BoB on their website.

I will wait for their response until I move any further with HLFB.

Thank you everybody for all your help.

[ger21]

After all, they themselves show HLFB connected directly to a BoB on their website.

Do they show multiple motors in series, or one? While reading about this, I see that PMDX does not recommend wiring them like this, as it's unreliable on a 5V system.



Try setting the HLFB output to "In-Range" instead of "Servo On", and see if that makes any difference. Again, check by measuring the voltage at the breakout board.

[davida1234]

Do they show multiple motors in series, or one?

I think they do. They even have a Neo7 video link on their website
showing that and they referred multiple times to that video.

https://youtu.be/Bb6QK_-I_CQ



Try setting the HLFB output to "In-Range" instead of "Servo On", and see if that makes any difference. Again, check by measuring the voltage at the breakout board.

Thank you for the suggestion, Ger. My inclination is to first wait for Teknic's response
before wasting any more time. Should be Monday or Tuesday. The Teknic engineer
working with me is very responsive. Maybe there is even a fault in one of the servos.

[mactec54]

So I thought the folks over on the Acorn Forum had this all solved?

He is not using Acorn

[ger21]

Since the signal at the breakout board is not changing, it's either:

1) The Motor doesn't actually fault.
2) The HLFB is not working, or the software is set incorrectly.
3) There's a short in your circuit boards.

Using In Range to check following error should guarantee that you get a signal, as I'm not sure what will actually trigger the "Servo On" signal.

[Ntl]

He is not using Acorn

Correct he's not but in the end it will be interesting if a plc or relay board is whats needed for it to work properly. We'll have to wait until next week to find out. Hopefully they can get it to work with out additional hardware.