Messages

51

SmoothStepper USB / Re: SS and spindle motor control

« on: September 07, 2009, 04:34:58 AM »

Hello everyone,

I need some advice on Spindle Control!

I am hesitating wether to use PWM or STEP/DIR output for spindle control.
I will have to make 0-10V output from either of them, so interfacing circuit will be needed, if I make one, the circuit itself will be no problem.

BUT: From SS or from MACH point of view I have no idea...
Which one would you choose, is there a clear advantage of one over the other? (more problem free operation, less bugs, more stable output, whatsoever) differences, pros contras

For additional info, the Freq. converter of the spindle has PID control availability, so MACH only needs to give control signal, no need for speed feedback inside MACH. If I feedback to MACH index signal, it will be only for DRO and maybe Synch for threading... (if this feature will work one day)

52

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Does the SS have PWM outputs?

« on: September 07, 2009, 01:57:56 AM »

For PWM spindle speed anyway does someone know what Base Freq values can be set reasonably for the SS???

I need in fact 0-10V control, but for low PWM freq. as 10Hz, I`d need at least a 3rd order filter and some more components to have a relatively good spindle speed response on the command values...

Or someone has practical experience with this? E.g. RC filter components selection, adjustment...
(PWM freq, spindle speed adjustment, linearity, etc...)

53

SmoothStepper USB / Re: PWM output for spindle

« on: September 07, 2009, 01:47:18 AM »

For PWM spindle speed anyway does someone know what Base Freq values can be set reasonably for the SS???
I need in fact 0-10V control, but for low PWM freq. as 10Hz, I`d need at least a 3rd order filter and some more components to have a relatively good spindle speed response on the command values...

54

SmoothStepper USB / Re: PWM output for spindle

« on: September 07, 2009, 01:45:17 AM »

Hello Sergey, I`d have some questions:

For Spindle Speed Control, are you using the upper-left section of that schematics?
Does it give a linear output signal?
How do you set up MACH for this? Step/DIR spindle control? (and what frequencies/speeds)
For DIR I assume a separate relay can be used which is not drawn in the scematics, right?

I have made such board, for a basis have taken this scheme: http://cncrouter.ru/images/lathe.gif
+ two relays for inclusion of a spindle and change of a direction of rotation.

55

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Welcome to SmoothStepper forum.

« on: September 06, 2009, 01:44:54 PM »

Thanks, Hood!

I was setting up a machine with SS and I found a strange thing:
E-stop was assigned, but not connected so E-stop input of MACH was continously active... I pressed RESET on the MACH screen several times (as I did not see this E-stop active issue) and  Mach+SS froze.
Out of curiosity, I repeated this, and whenever I click multiple times on RESET (not fast, just 1 click per second) the system halts... is it normal, or a bug?

56

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Welcome to SmoothStepper forum.

« on: September 04, 2009, 02:52:50 AM »

Earlier someone wrote the quotation below... Is it still the case? Or with SS there is no use of icreasing kernel speed anyway?
"FYI - I have just installed a SS on one of our systems, and the Mach kernel speed does have to be set to 25KHz.  Otherwise, the DRO does not display the correct speed. "

57

SmoothStepper USB / Re: smooth stepper port 2 pin assignment

« on: September 03, 2009, 04:42:29 AM »

On the SS website an old documentation is available only...

Can someone tell me the PINOUT for the SS board?
I mean if I set PIN x on mach, which PIN on the SS connector will be affected.

On the docu. one of the connectors is numbered but to me it looks odd, those connectors usually use PIN1 on the opposite side (at least with floppy drives as I recall...)

So what I need is a consistent chart for PIN numbering on the SS board, and MACH pin numbering...

Anyone can help???
****
OK, Not an issue anymore, As I made a few measurements it seems pinout is as written on SS manual... Problem solved from my side.

58

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Does the SS have PWM outputs?

« on: April 25, 2009, 04:55:00 PM »

Thanks Rempo! I am aware of it, and I was writing about spindle control itself.

If I use a spindle controller that needs 10V Analog for speed control, then what connection is recommended?
(In case later I want to use tapping when it becomes available... here I suppose that tapping / threading is solved by synchronizing feed to the spindle speed+rotation dir.)

1. I use e.g. a MODBUS device with PWM output, and a pwm-analog converter circuit, and feedback spindle index / encoder pulse to the SS
2. I use another step/dir output of the SS, and use a freq-analog converter circuit, and feedback spindle index / encoder pulse to the SS
3. SS already has PWM out? (some kHz)

59

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Which BOB for the smooth stepper

« on: April 25, 2009, 04:32:38 AM »

Why would anyone be upset because of your opinion / advice?

Ok, So as I am in the EU, I do not have much chance to see such BOB... Since you have them, I would like to ask you (or anyone who has such device) to post a picture of the board// I just want to see the layout, on the web I have not found any good pictures... I checked the user`s manual, too, but it is not clear e.g. where are the LED-s, etcetc...

60

Modbus / Re: Mach modbus inteface info?

« on: April 24, 2009, 03:51:02 PM »

I have a question from my side:

If I want to build a ModBUS device, what MODBUS data types are to be supported?
e.g. there is a simple source code that I could use, but it supports 3 and 16 (read registers, write multiple registers)

In fact I would not like to use "coils" for discrete inputs, but rather use a register for multiple inputs / outputs.
With this I could save lots of MODBUS bandwidth, but of course the MODBUS plugin has to be able to support this...

Any hints regarding this?