Messages

251

General Mach Discussion / Re: Fried 2nd Computer (Newbie)

« on: June 06, 2008, 08:22:48 AM »

Hi,
 I always use a pci PPort card and never a opto isolated breakout board.
breakout boards can be more trouble than there worth as you have found out.
hope that helps.
  Comet

252

General Mach Discussion / Re: My first servo conversion, Tuning advice needed.

« on: June 06, 2008, 08:07:17 AM »

Cjmerlin,
   On your set up I would say that you really need the g340,because you require two many pulses.
I would be wary of using above 35k on you computer.
you can uprate your 320 by buying the encoder step divider board from gecko.
  I had a mill with a similar set up to yours except gearing 3;1 reduction and I had to use  2;1 encoder step reduction.
Beware of using  encoder step reductions of above 5:1 especially on high feed rates such as on a router.
Download the g340 manual for a better understanding.
otherwise your setup looks fine.
   Comet

253

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 and ATC's ?

« on: May 02, 2008, 07:35:30 AM »

hi,
  would it not be easiest to program a PIC to controll the changer? is it possible for mach to sendout a
tool change + toolnumber signal on a second parallel port and wait for a return signal from the changer before it proceeds? to save all this brains and modbus buisness.

254

General Mach Discussion / Re: beefing up a G320

« on: April 23, 2008, 01:46:37 PM »

Couldnt find anything there.I really would like to upgrade my anilam equiped mill to mach3 especially as I have a license!
The motors are rated at 200 volt not sure what there actually being fed with though I would guess 110v. They are 30 amp dc brushed.

255

General Mach Discussion / beefing up a G320

« on: April 19, 2008, 01:21:28 PM »

Hi,
  Is it possible,on the g320, to remove the power mosfets and replace them with remotely mounted 200 volt ones.
to run bigger motors? Assuming they are mosfets!
   Tony
   

256

General Mach Discussion / indexing

« on: April 13, 2008, 04:54:42 PM »

Hi,
  is it possible to set one of the inputs to act as the run or start switch when that pin is taken either high or low for say .5 second?
the reason being that I would like to use mach as an indexing head controller.
   Regards
   Tony

257

General Mach Discussion / anilam servo card

« on: April 10, 2008, 10:37:05 AM »

Guys,
   can anyone help,I have an anilam 1100m cnc controlled turet mill.
the Y servo (brushed DC) quivers slightly when staitonary,it stops if you place you hand on the wheel
to damp it.When the axis is fed it is quite noisey at any speed.The mechanics are fine.
  It is very reminisent of a gecko 320 with too much gain or under damped.
Can you adjust the damping on the card part no (3150009666)? I phoned Anilam but they would only send out an engineer which I simply cant afford,niether can I find any thing regards tuning on the internet.
  Could someone help before the problem gets worse?
   Regards
     Tony

258

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servo system

« on: February 09, 2008, 03:58:24 PM »

swarfboy,
  your question is a bit of a "how bigs a hole" one. but I would say that you would be looking at 120 watt motors
running at 2-4000 rpm geared to give you a maximum of 3-4000 mm per minute a 250 cpr encoder would be about right
with a g320. and thats with a good pentium running up to 45khtz.
   gecko's wont run brushless motors,you are looking at mega bucks for a brushless system.
remember you can fix encoders on to practicaly any dc pm motor to make a servo as long as they have a minimum of 12
poles they will run ok without cogging, I have modified a lot of "standard" motors successfully so I know it works.
In short you can build a servo system for really not much more than steppers.
  I think you will struggle to build a brushless system without digging very deep into your pockets!

259

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servo system

« on: February 09, 2008, 10:10:58 AM »

Hood,
  Perhaps I should have said "as good as needed for hobby aplication".Obviously there are
far better drives, I just think for the average user the simplicity of gecko's is hard to beat.

260

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servo system

« on: February 09, 2008, 09:37:30 AM »

Gecko 320 / 340 are as good as you can get. wiring is a doddle wire them common +5volt.
If you can wire a stepper system then there will be nothing here to worry you.
  I would say use 340's with encoders 500 counts (quad 2000) and you will be safe using 2x multiplier.
dont use 5x or 10x unless you are using them on a point to point system.
  Ie a drilling machine or pick and place.
Ive built a few systems using them and have never had a problem.
   Tony