KVR 3500 mill and Servos
Hi it's been a while since my last question, but here goes.
I have a Kingrich KVR3500 mill that I purchased new from Standaco about 4 years ago. I bought it with ball screws etc, setup for the Prototrak CNC system.
About 4 years ago I had discussions with Hood on this forum about the type of Mill to buy, and the control system.
Hood recommended a bed mill, but at the last minute I went ahead and ordered the KVR3500.
I took delivery and the very next day I had a car accident, suffering multiple injuries including a head injury that led to memory loss.
What I know now is limited to re-reading old posts, and looking at correspondence with the suppliers of various things, such as servo motors and drives etc.
Over the last few years I got the mill working using a GSK980mda CNC controller, GSK servos and drives etc. I had ordered all of these before the accident, but now that the CNC controller has developed a fault, I have decided to convert it to a software based CNC package, rather than deal with GSK's almost nonexistant support.
I have some experience using Mach3 and have a lathe that works well using an ESS and stepper motors.
I have also posted on the Linux-CNC forum asking for advice, but I think in hindsight that I'd be better off sticking with what I know best, which is Mach3.
The servo drivers on the mill are GSK DA98Bs and they accept Plus + - and Sign + - inputs. Plus is also variously called by GSK Puls and Pulse, so I think that Pulse is what they mean. Sign is probably direction?
Anyway I have a lot of trouble deciphering their chinglish manual.
I think what I need to do is convert the single ended step and direction signals from Mach, to the aforesaid plus and sign, as well as provide other signals, but I have been unsuccessful so far.
I have created a spreadsheet with my initial connections but needless to say it doesn't work. I have attached a copy of this spreadsheet to this pos.
I have also contacted GSK support, and what follows is their illuminating reply (not).
"The DA98B driver must be need the pulse and direction siganls And the driver don't have the a step and direction mode. The DA98A is using the pulse and direction.
So it is not match with the mach3 controller."
I have the manuals for the servo driver and the old cnc controller which I can attach if needed.
Lastly I would like to say thanks in advance for any help you can give me here, the mill has been a white elephant as I'm just not as capable as I was before the accident, and for the last few years I have spent far more time trying to get it to work than I ever have using it.
Cheers
Dave