Hi everyone,

I'm building a 5 axis (first starting with a 3 and upgrading it, actually) router/light milling machine. I've got an EthernetSmoothStepper with a C82 board from CNC4Pc controlling 4 integrated servo motors (StepperOnline iSVS7T) in closed-loop mode with a 1.5kw spindle driven by a chinese VFD. Everything will be driven by mach4.

I plan to build the electronics architecture for the full 5 axis (actually 6 axis because of the dual Y ballscrews, I guess) but wait on the BC head. Once I get the 3 axis all running and dialed-in, I'll finish the design and fab of the BC head, and go to 5 axis.

My question is: Are there best practices for where to distribute the electronics? For example, I've read that you don't want the VFD near the signal lines or even in the same enclosure if it can be helped (is this a good idea? saves me money on large expensive Din-Rail boxes, I guess).

I'll be running the whole system off of 220VAC, splitting off the AC power for the VFD/Spindle, then powering the ESS and other logic with 24V via a dedicated supply and including a third 48V supply to power the servos. One nice thing about the integrated servomotors is that I can run higher gauge power wire from the single 48v, 21A supply to a distribution box near the Z axis to power all of the servos on the gantry, and then use cat5 cables for the signals.

I plan to take advantage of the RJ45/Cat5 wiring scheme of the CNC4Pc boards and do differential signals from the controller board to the servos to further reduce interference (if it is a problem). There will be 4 servo signals in close proximity (after addition of the BC head), but I reasoned that since they are step/dir signals and run differentially, that there should be minimal crosstalk problems.

Is there something that I'm missing?
Thanks!
Brian