Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / The Bridgeport has Interlube

« on: October 20, 2021, 09:42:00 AM »

Hi freinds, This is a build that I have been working on and off now for many years, but I have had a big push and shove to get it finished and running.
Its a series 2 J head Bridgeport, running AC 750W servos on all axis and one for a 4Th A axis, I am using the original 1.5hp motor VFD controlled but have put an encoder directly driven of spindle for feedback for, positioning and RPM. This will be controlled by Mach3 and uses the VitelSystems interface.
All the Mechanical aspects on this mill are complete just wiring to go which brings me to my issue.
The mill is equiped with an interlube automatic way's oiler, the only thing I have no specs on it nor wiring digrams ect.
I am hoping somebody knows something about these units that can direct me on the correct way to wire this to the system. it was disconnected when purchased I am not even certain what  voltage/amps it requires to operate.
Thanks
Katoh

2

General Mach Discussion / Time based programming

« on: July 17, 2019, 03:30:41 AM »

G'Day All
I am trying to write a little program but it has a twist I want to make it time based.

This is basically what I want.

S75
M3 (on for 5 seconds)
M4 (on for 3 seconds)
M5
M30

Nothing to hard there but is there a time based code?

Thanks

3

General Mach Discussion / Using a Sevo as a Spindle and an Axis

« on: August 03, 2017, 03:52:44 AM »

G'Day Friends

On my lathe I have finally got an AC servo to be used as my spindle, big learning curve here and lots of little pitfalls but the majority have been solved, thanks to the help of our wonderful members out there.
What I am trying to do at the moment is use the servo as not only a spindle but a "C" Axis, this is not a complex thing and I have assigned all the correct settings in Mach3 to do this, If I call C to move 50deg it does so, as C is rotational drive across Z. Normal use is as spindle and you can easily call up from 0-2000rpm quite happily. This really is a good thing and works very well on the lathe, disposes all of the changing of pulleys and simply just gives absolute control.
Now my issue begins. The servo is controlled by Step/Dir for both Axis or Spindle, the only way I can make this work is to use the same pins for both and simply disable or enable the one I want to use, no great concern but things can be better. So I assigned 2 different pins for each . EG. Spindle use Step pin1 Dir Pin14 C axis uses Step pin16 Dir pin17 all off port 1. Then the cabling from pin1 and pin16 both feed Step pin on the AC Servo Drive as do Pin14 and Pin17 connect to Dir on the Servo Drive. When I do this neither work. If I disconnect one set, does not matter which one, then axis or spindle works fine. I thought that it might be back feeding into the other pins  so I put a diode on each cable to stop any back feed, but this did not work and with the diode in place I cannot get movement at all from either set. The diode is setup so the + side is to the Servo Drive the Negative side to Mach.

For those that have more knowledge in Electronics than me is this a waste of time to use the 4 pins or am I simply missing something simple?
Thanks for reding

4

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Adding a couple of buttons

« on: July 14, 2017, 09:26:01 PM »

Hi Friends

This may seem like a pretty simple question but I have forgotten how to do it.
I am using screen4 to edit the lathe screen I have added a C axis position  and zero button to the screens but need to add to anther 2 buttons, these buttons  control certain aspects of the servo motor I use as the spindle. One being "Alarm Off" the other is "Servo Disable". What I want is when the button is pressed it simply activates an output in ports in pins, that’s it! Just not certain how to do it.
Thanks

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 Lathe with ESS Smoothstepper

« on: June 27, 2017, 11:42:23 PM »

Hi Friends

I am seriously thinking to upgrade to mach4 for my lathe, at present I am running Mach3 with ESS Smoothstepper and all works Ok, but I have just changed my spindle from a VFD driven Motor to a Servo with feedback and was wanting a little more out the unit.
Before I spend the dollars on Mach4 I read that it was having a few problems like threading and backlash comp, If these are still an issue I’m better of staying with Mach3.

Does anyone know if all these bugs have been sorted out or not?
Thanks

6

General Mach Discussion / 1/2 speed spindle

« on: May 24, 2017, 04:05:43 AM »

Hi all
I just fitted up an AC servo as the spindle drive motor on a lathe, after a few exhausting days finally have something to show for the effort. All works well but has one issue that I am unable to resolve, anywhere from 0 to 1/2 its speed works like a charm but when asked to go higher the motor just will not respond, no spindle moment at all.
The lathe is controlled with a smoothstepper ESS, I have looked at the configuration and motor tuning but cannot see anything wrong.
The motor is rated 0-2500rpm anywhere from 0-1250 rpm is right on the money anything over just kills the spindle at 1260 programmed will get you 700rpm at 1270 300 and higher is 0.
In motor tuning I have the steps at 10,000 Speed at 2500 and acc at 40 Using Step/Dir as the output mode. Pulleys are et pulley1 0-2500 only one active. Smooth stepper spindle setting is at 500kHz.
If I try and use even different figures I still only end up with half that speed.
Any ideas?

7

General Mach Discussion / Unable To Get Servo Movement

« on: May 22, 2017, 03:32:00 AM »

Hi friends
Just lately I replaced my lathe spindle induction motor with an AC servo, I purchased a new motor and matching driver. I also went to Smoothstepper ESS rev 2 to replace the two parallel ports I was previously running.
I have configured the ESS with little difficulty and everything works as it should, X, and Z axis both move and inputs and outputs work just fine. Now for the spindle side of things, I have read the manual and double checked all, but can not get any response from the servo motor at all. I have read through some old posts in using a servo as a spindle and followed all the information from there but nothing will happen. Where am I going wrong.
My set-up in ports and pins is as follows  I am using Spindle step pin 1, direction pin 14 both port 1, and have tried both low and high. Motor tuning Steps is 10000, speed 2500
Acc 40. On the smoothstepper I have ticked use Step/Direction and frequency is 516Khz.
From port 1 I have a wire going from pin1(step) to pin 6(driver) pin14 to pin 7(driver) as per manual, I also have +12v to pin 18 and 19(driver), another +12v to pin 8(driver) The negative(neutral) to pin 21(driver) and get absolutely nothing!
Attached are the set-up pages from the driver manual, I have configured this based on pages 12 and 21
Maybe somebody can point in the right direction.

8

General Mach Discussion / Purposly Making a Weak Spot

« on: May 12, 2017, 07:41:46 PM »

Hi Friends

This is more a machine mechanical question then a Mach question.

On my lathe I have removed the induction motor VFD and Digispeed controlled and replaced it with an AC Servo. The Servo is 2Kw and drives
the spindle with a toothed belt on a 1:0.8 ratio. The induction motor drove a first a stepped V-belt pulley with a timing belt also but from the first pulley
to the spindle was V-belt driven. I have found if things go wrong for some overseen reason and the cutter suddenly ploughs itself into the work piece that
spindle would lock-up as the v-belt would always have a degree of slip in it. Certainly the job would be ruined but at least minimal damage to the lathe.

With the servo tooth belt driven to the spindle that degree of slip I had with the V-belt is gone, If things go astray I can see some major
damage being done to the lathe, I need to build in a shear point, weak joint to give way first. My thoughts are to machine a plastic keyway on either the
motor or spindle pulley or both to replace the metal one, If things jam up that point might give first.
What are your thoughts?

9

General Mach Discussion / Spindle Encoder Feedback, Motor or Cutter Spindle?

« on: December 08, 2016, 01:08:01 AM »

G'Day Friends

I am working on the Bridgeport conversion still , but getting closer by the day which has come to a point of getting spindle feedback back to Mach.
Reading lots of threads and examining different options has pointed me to the conclusion if I can get cutter spindle feedback not motor spindle is what I need or desire, but on a Series 2 J head mill thats a little harder than done. Others have used larger motors and a 1:1 timing belt and run the encoder from the motor, which is fine but it tends rendser the back-gearing useless  for feedback will be false.

I have now 90% completed a unit where I can run a 1000line encoder AB&Z +/- off the top of my draw-bar with no issues at all giving me direct Spindle feedback (hooray)

After a little more reading and conversing with others, most likely I upgrade to Mach4 over 3 on the mill, reading through the Mach4 instructions there is a provision for feedback on (pulleys and different gearing) with ratios on the spindle tab, or am I reading this wrong?

Motor is VFD controlled, it drives the cutter spindle with a toothed belt at 1:1, no problems there. But what happens when the back gearing is engaged for slow hard work and or rigid tapping?
If these parameters can be set in Mach will it do the for me with encoder driver directly from motor or am I still better of having the cutter spindle encoded.

Thanks
When I get this one sorted Ill Ask about the lathe, where I am replacing the Spindle motor with an AC servo, will have a slight mechanical advantage to spindle driven by toothed belt ratio 1:0.8
this will have not only have encoder feedback from the servo but also pulse timing from spindle, Configuring might be a headache!

10

General Mach Discussion / Spindle (AC Servo vs VFD)

« on: November 07, 2016, 06:04:03 AM »

G'Day friends
Its being a while since visiting or contributing, Work seems to have a hold of my life at present leaving this good stuff on the back-burner!

I am close to finishing my Bridgeport mill conversion but have come to crossroad, I am examining the use of using an AC servo as the spindle drive instead of using the original 1.5hp induction motor VFD controlled, What I am asking is what advantages and disadvantages is there on using one or the other. I am also looking into this for my lathe which please forgive me I must update my build thread as it works tremendously well, but can be better as we all know in the threading area.

One other thing I came across was VFD feedback by adding an encoder to the induction motor shaft, now this sounds very interesting and could solve the threading issues but again would it be better to simply use a AC servo and have total spindle control, Maybe?

I also had a thought of using the servo on the mill as a C rotational axis only in deg mode, and by machining a planetary head that fits the r8 collet, I could rotate the head around x or y and using one of those cheap light weight spindle motors you could make a six axis mill easily, but the programming and concept is really playing with head and making me turn to drink This might be a future topic, lets just start with servo or vfd as spindle?