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IndustryArena Forum > Machine Controllers Software and Solutions > Mach Software (ArtSoft software) > Machines running Mach Software > “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    54

    “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?

    Been quite a while, so I don’t know the current state of the art, what is good to use, ...

    I’m looking for recommendations on how to do a 4 axis milling machine. Ok, really 5 axis if you were to do the spindle as an axis.

    I’d prefer to do full servo with AC servo drives, if I can afford it, but failing that, minimum tier would be closed loop high power steppers.

    1. Software? I have a Mach 3 license, but open to other software as long as it is performant and not very expensive.

    2. Affordable Full servo motion controllers for use with software above?
    Failing that, good 5+ axis stepper motion controller?
    Ethernet SmoothStepper still a good option?

    3. AC servo motors and drives with ALL cabling?
    Or, powerful closed loop steppers and drives?

    4. Breakout boards?

    5. Spindle encoder and other necessary components.
    Whatever else I forgot.

    Goal is for overall system cost to be low, but be a good, performant, poweful and accurate system.



    Anybody tried these “1721 oz-in” (I am always skeptical of their numbers) closed loop steppers?


    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F123955405290

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    54

    Re: “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?

    Suggestions for AC servo motor and drive kits that take step and direction input?

    Anyone running these?
    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F122117061315

    Who’s using AC servos as spindle motor?
    What about these?
    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F123240281063


    Anybody using Sanyo Denki AC servos and drives for step and direction input?
    Yaskawa servos & drives?
    I have access to a number, but I need cabling/connectors, which might be as expensive as just buy whole new Chinese AC servo kits.
    Got an inexpensive source for cables a

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    790

    Re: “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?

    Is this for the Sharp Mill you bought in another thread?

    You start designing the machine first, then size the motors to match what you need, and adjust the ballscrew lead and any belt or planetary gear reduction to give you the best acceleration while having some torque left over for cutting force. It's a little bit of back and forth. At least that's my take on it.

    It's hard to give any motor advice without knowing what machine it's going on

    Quote Originally Posted by rpseguin View Post
    Anybody tried these “1721 oz-in” (I am always skeptical of their numbers) closed loop steppers?

    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F123955405290
    I couldn't find a torque vs speed graph, one will exist somewhere if you want to look for it, but those steppers have an inductance of 6mH.

    IMO, that translates into extremely high torque at near zero RPM, but that torque will drop off fast as soon as the RPM's go up.

    If this is for the Sharp Mill, I'm guessing that there is already belt driven gear reduction (looks like that from your pics in another thread?) and a 5mm/rev leadscrew?

    All of this combined would translate into a very slow machine.

    A stepper motor with far lower holding torque but lower inductance would outperform this motor. A 400W servo, with the gearing that I assume you already have on your mill would vastly outperform this motor, at least in X and Y, no idea what's going on with your Z.

    Quote Originally Posted by rpseguin View Post
    Anybody using Sanyo Denki AC servos and drives for step and direction input?
    Yaskawa servos & drives?
    I have access to a number
    What do you have? I have a couple of 300W AC servos that I am trying to figure out myself. My thread is here:

    https://www.cnczone.com/forums/servo...-software.html

    Those Chinese servo kits you posted a link to..... DMM servos and drives probably wouldn't cost too much more. If you're going to buy all new stuff, I'd check them out.

    So does this machine currently have brushed DC servos? You don't want to reuse them?

    Quote Originally Posted by rpseguin View Post
    Goal is for overall system cost to be low, but be a good, performant, poweful and accurate system.
    Open loop steppers with linear encoders on your axis. I see surplus linear encoders on EBay all the time. That's another option.

    I found this video on Youtube. How much backlash do you have on your screws?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOhgM5uBF4

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    54

    Re: “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?

    Quote Originally Posted by NIC 77 View Post
    Is this for the Sharp Mill you bought in another thread?
    No. Sharp mill is running well.

    A friend has a Shizuoka.
    Bigger, box ways, ballscrews are currently direct driven.


    Quote Originally Posted by NIC 77 View Post
    You start designing the machine first, then size the motors to match what you need, and adjust the ballscrew lead and any belt or planetary gear reduction to give you the best acceleration while having some torque left over for cutting force. It's a little bit of back and forth. At least that's my take on it.
    Good idea for designing, but this already exists in the flesh and was designed by others a long time ago :-)


    Quote Originally Posted by NIC 77 View Post
    A stepper motor with far lower holding torque but lower inductance would outperform this motor. A 400W servo, with the gearing that I assume you already have on your mill would vastly outperform this motor, at least in X and Y, no idea what's going on with your Z.

    What do you have? I have a couple of 300W AC servos that I am trying to figure out myself. My thread is here:
    My friend has a good number of Sanyo Denki and Yaskawa AC servo motors and drives, ranging from 100W to 7.5KW. Lots of 200W, 400W


    Quote Originally Posted by NIC 77 View Post
    https://www.cnczone.com/forums/servo...-software.html

    Those Chinese servo kits you posted a link to..... DMM servos and drives probably wouldn't cost too much more. If you're going to buy all new stuff, I'd check them out.

    So does this machine currently have brushed DC servos? You don't want to reuse them?
    Sharp mill is working fine, brushed DC servos.


    Quote Originally Posted by NIC 77 View Post
    Open loop steppers with linear encoders on your axis. I see surplus linear encoders on EBay all the time. That's another option.

    I found this video on Youtube. How much backlash do you have on your screws?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOhgM5uBF4
    I’ll check it out.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    1516

    Re: “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?

    I'm going to try a Lichuan on my mill as a spindle drive replacing my stock 1.1kw on there now.
    Planning on a bigger motor pulley to bump spindle up from 3k to around 5.5k rpm.
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3305...archweb201603_

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    12

    Re: “Best” inexpensive route to 3 or 4 axis closed loop drives + motors setup?

    Hello,
    did you get the Lichuan motor and drive? how is it working out?
    I'm contemplating Lichuan for all 3 axes on a benchtop conversion.
    thanks.

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