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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Bridgeport Machines > Bridgeport Knee Mill Stepper to servo upgrade
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    26

    Bridgeport Knee Mill Stepper to servo upgrade

    I want to upgrade to servos and I was wondering what is the lowest torque I should avoid. I have been looking and all seem low to me.

    Or upgrading to a closed stepper would be just as good?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Stepper to servo upgrade

    0.75kW or 1kW servos would be my choice. Much better than closed loop steppers.
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    26
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    0.75kW or 1kW servos would be my choice. Much better than closed loop steppers.
    Thank you. What about torque?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    4375

    Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Stepper to servo upgrade

    Hi,
    I use 750W Delta B2 series servos. They are rated at 2.4Nm (cont), 7.1Nm (overload) at 3000rpm.

    https://www.fasttobuy.com/flange-80m...er_p28084.html

    When a stepper gets overloaded it misses steps or stalls, no ifs or buts. When a servo gets overloaded it just digs into its three to four-fold overload rating. It can only do this for
    brief periods but it results in a servo often appearing way more powerful than the numbers would suggest.

    Steppers have a great deal of torque....at low speed....but above a few hundred rpm they fade badly. Closed loop steppers are still steppers and a closed
    control loop changes the diminishing torque with speed not at all.

    If you are going to get steppers ensure they are low inductance, as that is what determines how quickly and badly the torque fades with speed.

    For 23/24 size 1mH -2mH, 1mH preferred and reject anything over 2mH.
    For 34 size 2mH-4mH, 2mH preferred and reject anything over 4mH.

    Closed loop stepper manufacturers would have you believe they are faster, more powerful, never miss a step.....all BS.If a stepper is marginally overload it will miss a step.
    A closed loop stepper drive will insert an extra step to catch up, but guess what, the extra step is just as likely to be missed as a regular step.

    Closed loop stepper can an do interpolate between steps in a way that open loop steppers cannot, and a closed loop stepper can determine if its lost too many steps
    and signal a 'following error' fault to your controller. You are paying dearly for these features.

    If you want genuine closed loop performance get decent AC servos, they'll eat any stepper ever made.

    Delta, a Taiwanese brand made in China, and DMM a Canadian brand made in China are both good quality, good support, good documentation and most importantly free set-up and tuning
    software at fair prices. There are cheaper Chinese brands but the documentation is poor, support questionable and no set up software. To be fair to them they do work and the prices are compelling, but
    if you've never set up servos before you'll want, even need, setup and tuning software. Avoid them like the plague.

    Craig

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Stepper to servo upgrade

    Quote Originally Posted by usajet View Post
    Thank you. What about torque?
    What Craig said
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    26

    Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Stepper to servo upgrade

    Quote Originally Posted by joeavaerage View Post
    Hi,
    I use 750W Delta B2 series servos. They are rated at 2.4Nm (cont), 7.1Nm (overload) at 3000rpm.

    https://www.fasttobuy.com/flange-80m...er_p28084.html

    When a stepper gets overloaded it misses steps or stalls, no ifs or buts. When a servo gets overloaded it just digs into its three to four-fold overload rating. It can only do this for
    brief periods but it results in a servo often appearing way more powerful than the numbers would suggest.

    Steppers have a great deal of torque....at low speed....but above a few hundred rpm they fade badly. Closed loop steppers are still steppers and a closed
    control loop changes the diminishing torque with speed not at all.

    If you are going to get steppers ensure they are low inductance, as that is what determines how quickly and badly the torque fades with speed.

    For 23/24 size 1mH -2mH, 1mH preferred and reject anything over 2mH.
    For 34 size 2mH-4mH, 2mH preferred and reject anything over 4mH.

    Closed loop stepper manufacturers would have you believe they are faster, more powerful, never miss a step.....all BS.If a stepper is marginally overload it will miss a step.
    A closed loop stepper drive will insert an extra step to catch up, but guess what, the extra step is just as likely to be missed as a regular step.

    Closed loop stepper can an do interpolate between steps in a way that open loop steppers cannot, and a closed loop stepper can determine if its lost too many steps
    and signal a 'following error' fault to your controller. You are paying dearly for these features.

    If you want genuine closed loop performance get decent AC servos, they'll eat any stepper ever made.

    Delta, a Taiwanese brand made in China, and DMM a Canadian brand made in China are both good quality, good support, good documentation and most importantly free set-up and tuning
    software at fair prices. There are cheaper Chinese brands but the documentation is poor, support questionable and no set up software. To be fair to them they do work and the prices are compelling, but
    if you've never set up servos before you'll want, even need, setup and tuning software. Avoid them like the plague.

    Craig
    Thank you

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