Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: comet on February 08, 2018, 05:35:23 AM
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Hi,
I would like to connect the 0-10v input on my spindle inverter input, via my uc300's analog connector.
The manual says you can but is sketchy at best as to how you do that, and nothing on how you set it up within mach3?
Also it has again the ability to set speed/feed override within the analog connector but fails to mention what value pots to use?
Help would be appreciated as I have found its a bit of a lottery as to whether cnc-drives answer there emails or not !!
Cheers
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Go to the Cncdrive forum for help with this.
Balazs is very active there.
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Thats not what ive found, besides which there should be easily available documentation for a product, you should not have to rely on a forum to get setup information.
I like cncdrive products they are excellent,ive used them for 10 years now but there customer service is dreadfull.
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I've found it to be exactly the opposite. Their support has been excellent, even before I ever bought their products.
According to the UC300 manual, you go to Plugin Control, and UC300 In/Out Monitor. On the analog tab, check the Spindle speed - PWM box, and then Mach 3's PWM will control the analog out on the UC300.
I'm assuming that all you need to do is enable PWM control in Mach3, and it should work.
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"I'm assuming that all you need to do is enable PWM control in Mach3, and it should work."
Exactly proves my point,you should not have to assume anything with equipment that could potentially cause harm or damage.
Besides which My inverter, like most takes a 0/10volt input, there is a drop down box in the plugin control to set that ,along with other options, but how do you set mach to work under that setting.
As I said I dont want to be "playing around with it" untill I happen to fall upon it, or waiting in hope that some one on a forum can give me that answer, this information should be clear and concise.
And again what pots on the feed over ride? a or b type? carbon or wire wound? and most importantly what value?
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Thats not what ive found, besides which there should be easily available documentation for a product, you should not have to rely on a forum to get setup information.
I like cncdrive products they are excellent,ive used them for 10 years now but there customer service is dreadfull.
OK, no one can force you to ask the question on the Cncdrive forum, so I guess you'll just have to hope the Mach3 forum can be relied on to a greater extent.
I have had times in the past when it took 3 times to get an answer to my question, and there have been times when my question did not get answered at all. But overall, for the price I can't really complain, and if you are to look at the history of Balazs answering questions the last few months, you'll see he's quite active. And many of his replies are quite detailed. Many products have a much higher price and the main thing you are paying for is support.
I'd state your suggestions for improved documentation, on the Cncdrive forum too. If some other members chip in and agree with your suggestions, maybe Balazs will give it some priority over all the other things that are going on. I believe they are quite busy behind the scenes working on future features.
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Hi comet,
Exactly proves my point,you should not have to assume anything with equipment that could potentially cause harm or damage.
I understand your concern but you have elected to go with Mach3, a DIY CNC software program and a UC300 hardware motion controller of VERY VERY modest price
and taken on the role of 'Machine Integrator' whether you actually intended on doing so or not. The risks and benefits of doing so are yours alone.
There are alternatives.......Fanuc and Siemens make state of the art controllers and software, just be prepared to pay $20,000 AND annual fees.
Craig
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OK all ,
I shall be registering on the cnc forum now, so lets see what happens.
Can I just say again, that I think cncdrive products are second to non in there price bracket. I have used there products for 10 years on and off, never had a quality or functionality issue.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone, however machdrives in Australia are producing some competitive drives now and I have found their customer service and documentation faultless.
Maybe cncdrive need to sharpen their pencil in that department?
Tony
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Hi,
machdrives have parallel port breakout boards and DCservo amps. Do you use or need either?
Craig
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I am looking at their big servo drives for retrofitting larger machines I have just received one for evaluating, the only real downside I can see as of yet ,is that they don't accept differential encoders.
machdrives programing software is far more in depth, meaning cncdrives are quicker/easier to set up, but again the machdrives documentation is superior.
Machdrives are however a little cheaper to purchase from the uk, and you can purchase them via ebay, they do take a lot longer to arrive.
I wouldn't use a bob as such, I always use cncdrives uc300 motion controllers which are worth every penny, even more so when I've got my questions answered.
The great thing about cncdrives is they do a completely integrated system, including servo over voltage brake units, which are essential on systems using 160 volt servos !!
Machdrives make neither a motion controller nor a brake, although they are considering both of those as future projects.
It is as we say 6 of one half a dozen of the other, both have their place, I am about to load my machdrives servo drive into a larger bed mill which is running happily on dg4s180's to give it a full soak test and evaluation.
Tony
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Hi,
I priced some DC servos for a customer, spares for his aging plasma table and I was shocked at the price and for 100-200w servos at that!
Have you seriously looked at the prices of AC servos and drives. I don't think I would be going for the cheapest Chinese stuff but Delta is a very good
brand and a good compromise between price and quality.
If I'm not mistaken they'll make DC servos look like yesteryears expensive tech.
Craig
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Craig, yes on a recent large Wadkin router,
I looked at a system from zapp automation, but the complete system with new motors cost £2800 plus vat (more than the machine was worth).
There was nothing wrong with the sew DC servos fitted to the wadkin, as it had come out of a school and for all intents and purposes never used.
So to retrofit it with cncdrives equipment cost £600, much more acceptable to the customer!
There are still a lot of PMDC system, IE anilam bosch machines out there which is where I pick up work.
I shall at some time look at the ac systems especially if the donor machine has knackered motors.
Horses for courses I guess.
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Hi,
yes if the existing motors are good then new drives would certainly be the way to go.
I had not played with a decent AC servo until fairly recently when I bought a secondhand 1.8kW Allen Bradley servo and drive.
It wipes the floor with any DC servo I've come across. The tuning software has a database of electrical, thermal and physical characteristics
and even magnetic characteristics including saturation and hysteresis. All manner of control modes, pulse, analogue, all manner of modes torque, velocity
and position, indexing both speed and position, incorporates its own limit switches, able to program any number of digital and/or analogue performance
indicator outputs, programmable following error and the list goes on. I'm still learning about what they can do.
Many of the Eruopean and American brands are very expensive, as I say Delta (Tiawainese/Chinese) is a good compromise. About $1000US for a 1.5kW servo and
drive with a 20 bit absolute encoder. Makes mincemeat of DC servos.
Craig
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Ah yes but that would be a nightmare for me!!
I'm a mechanical engineer with fair electronics skills but practically zero software ability or understanding, I would get tied up in knots trying to set that lot up!
Tony
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well I have received all the answers to my questions on the cncdrives forum within 2 hours, they were answered by cncdrives themselves so I'm happy with that !!
I guess its all about using the correct communication channels.
Tony
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Hi Tony,
you sell yourself short...
I'm a mechanical engineer with fair electronics skills but practically zero software ability or understanding, I would get tied up in knots trying to set that lot up!
The software that accompanies these late model devices makes it considerably easier than you might imagine and certainly much easier that setting up and tuning
a PID loop.
Craig
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Go to the Cncdrive forum for help with this.
Balazs is very active there.
Their answer will be: "We don't use Mach3"...