Messages

3901

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 05, 2018, 06:20:04 AM »

Hi Hood,

If the former then you can set up 4 inputs to the Indexing drives to give you up to 64 predefined positions, it is what I do on the turret of my lathe.
Now for that to work it would have to be possible to disable the spindle in Mach3 and for the CSMIO to be happy with that, not sure if it can be done.

There are some interesting questions bound up in that. Micks CSMIO is an analogue controller, to use the indexing feature would require that the CSMIO
stand out of the way and allow the drive to close the loop and move to the required index position. Quite frankly I don't know.

I have an ESS which is a step/direction controller and can be forced to stand aside while the drive completes some autonomous function.

Additionally I now use Mach4 which allows me much easier means of programming indexing operations verses free running spindle operations.

I would have to recommend just getting the spindle going in free running mode, which is still the most commonly used mode, would be adequate
to start with. THEN try puzzle out some way to introduce index ops.

Craig

3902

General Mach Discussion / Re: help with mach3

« on: August 05, 2018, 05:26:55 AM »

Hi,
well that makes near neighbors.

Craig

3903

General Mach Discussion / Re: help with mach3

« on: August 05, 2018, 05:16:21 AM »

Hi,
I'm Kiwi....I live in Akaroa....the aerial view of my home is part of my signature.

The UC100 is good but it is limited to one 'ports worth' of IO, that is 12 outputs and 5 inputs. That's enough for a really simple
machine but you will run out of inputs if you want any extra features like probes and separate home switches.

The Ethernet SmoothStepper has three ports for 51 inputs and outputs, the PoKeys 57CNC has 57 inputs and outputs and the UC300
has 5 ports for 85 input and outputs. These devices cost a bit more, about $150 to $200US. I personally think they are worthwhile
because of the extra things you can do with your machine.

Currently $1NZ buy 77cents US.
$120US=$156NZ
$150US=$195NZ
$200US=$260NZ

Craig

3904

General Mach Discussion / Re: help with mach3

« on: August 05, 2018, 04:52:22 AM »

Hi,
Windows 10 (64 bit) does not support Mach's parallel port driver. Nor will any conventional USB-to-parallel converter work.

If you wish to continue to use a parallel port then the PC will have to be Windows 7 or earlier, like XP, and 32 bit.

If you want to use Windows 10 then you will need an external motion controller like a SmoothStepper or a UC300.
A UC100 is another popular choice. It plugs in to your PC USB port and has a DB25 parallel port plug on the other end.
You might say its a USB to parallel adapter, its not. It has an FPGA IC inside it and it generates the pulse streams, a job
that used to be done by Machs parallel port driver right inside the PC's CPU. That makes it way too clever to be called an adapter.
Genuine UC100's cost $120US Don't get ripped by the Chinese look-a-likes on EBay or Amazon. Go Direct to CNCDrive or
their nominated distributor. If you try to buy cheap you will get ripped every time.

Craig

3905

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 05, 2018, 04:29:13 AM »

Hi Hood,
kool, fascinating bit of history. It shouldn't surprise me that they were developed over a period of years. I mean it would be a tall
order for a manufacturer to come out with a new design that good right from the get go.

The history goes that I was looking for a servo for a mill spindle motor where I wanted torque at low speed for steel and stainless.
I got this 2.65kW unit I've talked about and thereafter decided to build a drive for it. Of course its taken ages and then I saw the Allen
Bradley 1.8kW servo and drive turn up on the NZ auction site and I bought it.

This is the first modern AC servo and drive I've ever had any experience with and simply it blew my mind as to how good and flexilble it is.
As a result of the experience I reallise now that I could use a DSD-030 drive to power my original purchase as you have recommended.
Really the pressure is off trying to complete my home built drive, I already have the Allen Bradley servo converted into a spindle and doing
sterling work for me.

I wish to persevere with making my own drive. I have had to learn to program a Texas Instruments TMS320F2069M micro controller
in C and C++ and complete with all the hardware peripherals it contains, the latest and greatest PFC devices, isolated gate drives and the
list goes on. I have always thought that the success of a hobby should be measured by what you have to learn in its pursuit. If that is indeed
the measure then making my own drive is very worthwhile.

Just exactly what a 2098-DSD-030 can or cannot manage I am at least sure it will power a servo that if Mick chooses to use as a lathe spindle he
will be very happy with. If he wants more grunt either get three phase power or go for some sort of extreme single phase solution, likely to cost
more than getting a three phase connection to his shop.

Craig

3906

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 05, 2018, 03:23:48 AM »

Hi Hood,
I know the feeling, I have an MPL-A430H which according to this table requires 12A whereas the 2098-DSD-020 I actually have driving it is capable
of only 10A. In use truly how often do you come even close to maxing your servo and drive?

I find that if I require maximum torque (output current) its usually at very much less than maximum speed.  Given that the drive can be likened to
a buck regulator where the total out output current exceeds the DC Link current in the manner of a DC transformer that really I very seldom come
anywhere close to maxing the drive.

I can only conclude that the drives are generously specified and can accommodate a mild overload without blowing up. It comports well with my
perception of the quality and performance of the drive.

I some while back bought a refurbished 2.65kW servo, that is 14A at 180Vrms. It was manufactured in '95 and is fitted with an 8 pole resolver.
Trying to find a drive for it proved impossible, or least within my budget. I decided to make one, electronics being my thing and control engineering
being my training.

To get 14A rms per phase is going to require 28A rms input from the supply. I'll not get away with using such a device in the village I live, the power supply
degradation is likely to cause a complaint and thereafter the power company will track me down. I will have to therefore make a boost type PFC (powerfactor correction)
circuit. It will require a 10 second overload of 70A. You can be assured I've given the matter of input current distortion and output current, continuous and
overload, considerable thought in the process of designing my drive.

The 2098-DSD series will still being made in 2012 and thus were sold as compatible with the MPL series servos which started manufacture in the early 2000's.

Craig

3907

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 04, 2018, 08:10:37 PM »

Hi,
found this....seems to suggest that the DSD-030 may struggle to power servos in excess of 2.2kW, recalling the DSD-030 has
a rated continuous output current of 15A.

Have noted also that the high power MPL-A4********* and MPL-A5********* are very thin on the ground on EBay whereas the smaller MPL-A3********* are dime a dozen.

Craig

3908

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 04, 2018, 07:13:45 PM »

Hi Hood,
you're right again, I didn't realize that!

I really got to get some of these suckers before they all disappear. I bought a house a while back and that has shot my CNC budget to hell!

Craig

3909

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 problems

« on: August 04, 2018, 07:05:51 PM »

Hi Chelsey,
its not all doom and gloom.....Mach3 still works as well as it always did PROVIDED you keep it away from a PC which
gets Microsoft updates.

As you know Microsoft does not support XP anymore and consequently there are no updates for it....and for Mach users that is a good thing.
You can of course use Windows 7 but Microsoft do update that. You'll have to keep the PC off the internet or otherwise disable Windows updates.

The Windows 7 updates which are causing you grief affect the parallel port driver only. If you use an external motion controller like a SmoothStepper
then your installation would run fine. I understand that you don't want to spend any money but maybe its just too damn bad. I for a long time
persevered with the parallel port before I bought a SmoothStepper. I am delighted with it...it has bought so many advantages that I didn't realize
I was missing. A SmoothStepper is about $190US, if you are an Aussie then there a guy in Melbourne selling them, and how much is that relative to the
total cost of your CNC installation?. I've spent about $10,000 making my mill, $190US to get it to go right.....no brainer for me!

Craig

3910

General Mach Discussion / Re: CS Labs CSMIO/P-A

« on: August 04, 2018, 06:48:58 PM »

Hi,

I found a cheapie:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-Bradley-2098-DSD-030-Ser-B-Ultra-3000-Servo-Drive/123195136805?hash=item1caf009b25%3Ag%3AzmoAAOSwKX9apbWe&_sacat=0&_nkw=2098-dsd-030&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.X2098-dsd-030.TRS0

They range from as low as this up to about $2000 for new (old stock).

Another matter to be aware of with these drives (all the DSD-0X0's) is that they don't have a built in switch for a braking resistor.
There is a separate device that hooks to the DSD-0x0 terminals which when the DCLink voltage spikes due too deceleration switches in the braking resistor within it.
The devices come under great stress and blow up easily. They are not especially complicated, I'd make my own...electronics is my thing and I work in
the industry where I wouldn't even have to buy the components....they come over my bench as surplus all the time.

Craig