Machsupport Forum

Third party software and hardware support forums. => SmoothStepper USB => Topic started by: Anton on November 18, 2008, 01:10:41 PM

Title: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 18, 2008, 01:10:41 PM
Hi, all.

Today I have assembled  X and Y axes of my X2 mill with cncfusion ballscrew upgrade kit and after a first run I have measured a backlash in it.
Then a I tried to switch on a backlash compensation in Mach3, but nothing happens. Compensation, tested with G1 commands, does not work.
Of course I have restarted Mach3 after switching compensation on.
I'm using Mach3 3.042.018 and SS board Beta2_v015me.
Does it exactly a SS plugin issue or I'm doing something wrong in setting up Mach3?

Best regards,
Anton.
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Hood on November 18, 2008, 03:13:45 PM
The SS doesn't support backlash comp yet, think its next on the list to do but when I dont know.
Hood
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 19, 2008, 04:08:39 PM
What a pity...
So, a have to rollback to PP, but still waiting for a backlash comensation.

Anton.
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Hood on November 19, 2008, 04:11:23 PM
How big is the backlash, if its new balscrews it shouldnt be much even if they are just rolled.
Hood
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 19, 2008, 04:23:31 PM
Backlash is between 0.07 to 0.15 mm depending of the load.  :(
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Hood on November 19, 2008, 04:27:02 PM
That doesnt sound like backlash, more like flex in your bearing mounts or ballnut mounts. I dont think backlash would increase with pressure. If it is flex then dont really think backlash comp would help much.
Hood
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 19, 2008, 04:32:49 PM
Without a load at all, backlash in ballnut is near 0.07mm, so it is not a flextire. Other is a flexture of the ballnut mounts, so after a precision adjustment a have a final backlash on X-Y around of 0.07mm
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Hood on November 19, 2008, 04:35:57 PM
:( seems quite a lot for ballscrews, are they new?
Hood
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: RICH on November 19, 2008, 07:18:31 PM
What make model etc. ballscrews did you buy.
If you don't get a preloaded ballscrew nut then that kind of backlash with a rolled screw would not be out
line. You can use two cheaper nuts with mounting to a piece in between such that you can put a load on them
and take out the nut backlash. Not the ideal and that is what some people are selling out their for their cnc machines.
With that you may loose some axis travel.

So until the SS gets backlash implemented no joy ( your postinig is right above mine on the site ) .
Hopefully it will not be to much longer. I have been waiting for about 5 months now for it to be implemented.
RICH



 
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 20, 2008, 03:57:14 AM
What make model etc. ballscrews did you buy.
I have bought a cncfusion X2 ballscrew upgrade kit with Thompson screws, preloaded ballnuts and a zero backlash helical couplings. The screws themselves seems no be new.
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Sam on November 20, 2008, 08:22:53 PM
Quote
The screws themselves seems no be new

"to be"..... or "not to be"......THAT is the question.  ;D

Couldn't decipher what your actually trying to type.
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: RICH on November 20, 2008, 10:28:49 PM
Anton,
If the nut has no backlash and is rigidly mounted to the table, the coupling has no play,.......... then that leaves the bearing or bearings on either side of the table as the source of backlash. Can you add a little more preload to them?
RICH 
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 21, 2008, 03:51:21 AM
Quote
The screws themselves seems no be new
"to be"..... or "not to be"......THAT is the question.  ;D
Couldn't decipher what your actually trying to type.
Sorry, the screws themselves seems to be new, but a "preloaded" nuts gives this backlash.
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: woolexmail on November 21, 2008, 05:55:45 AM
Anton, lets start at the beginning here. A ball screw and nut used in a cnc application would 98% of the time be pre loaded. This means [basically] that there is negative clearance in the assembly. This preloads the balls between the nut and the screw shaft to a given value. When a radial or axial force exceeds the preload value, plastic deformation occurs. The result is backlash and a very unhappy ball screw. Otherwise your ball screws should have 0 backlash [to a point!].

If your ball screws have backlash then you have some issues to take up with the supplier [possibly wrong nuts]. Unless as pointed out by Rich, it was a system designed for preloading between two nuts in the first place. 
Title: Re: Backlash issues.
Post by: Anton on November 22, 2008, 04:00:00 PM
woolexmail, of course you are right. But you are spoken about ballscrews for big boys.  :) Because of lack of space in Chinese X2 minimill, Mike (Cncfusion) gets a usual cheap ballscrew with a single nut and "preloads" it by changing balls for bigger ones. Speaking correctly, there are not a true preloaded nuts, but a nuts with minimised backlash.

PS: Today I have downgraded to printer port, so, waiting for backlash compensation implementation in SS plugin.