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Author Topic: Rotary axis help  (Read 4952 times)

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Rotary axis help
« on: January 03, 2010, 07:52:12 PM »
I have configured A axis of my router as rotary axis.
This is make shift arrangement, I use separate XML for mill and Indexer. When using mill I disconnect rotary stepper and remove rotary arrangement from surface of router.
I am about to use this setting.
My question is if I disconnect rotary stepper while using mill, will it harm gecko in some way (heat/power draw/fuse blow), while gecko is still connected to power side in control box ? Or do I have to disconnect power also ?
Thanks.
 
 

Offline RICH

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Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2010, 10:12:21 PM »
NEVER .....NEVER  disconnect the cable from the dirve to the axis / motor when the drive is powered.



Turn off the power to the controller  ( the box which has the drives in it ) waite a few moments and then
you can disconnect the cable.

RICH

Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2010, 08:40:28 AM »
Thanks Rich,
 I won't disconnect when power is on but my question is - when using mill I have to remove rotary, with stepper (disconnect/ power off position) which is attached with rotary table then while indexer driver is still connected with power side in control box and no stepper connected and using mill xml, can I do that without damaging indexer drive ? There are separate outputs for indexer xml which are not used in mill xml.
Is there any power drawn or heat up issued with indexer drive when using mill ?

Offline RICH

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Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2010, 11:12:01 AM »
CNCEER,
Simplistic explaination:
You have, say 4 Gecko drives in the controller box. So when you turn the controller on the drives provide power to the stepper motors  that are hooked up. The motors see power and an electric field is created in the motor windings. Any power going to that motor is only trying to mantain the rotor in position. That power  / energy is doing some work so it creates heat ( the stepper gets warm).  The more current ... the more heat that will be generated. The current is limited by the drive via a resistor. So if you don't have a lot of current, the  motor can be on and sit there all day and be perfectly happy.  If you look at the Gecko information on your particular drive, it probably has a jumper that will allow for "auto current reduction" when the motor is stopped / not turning / no pulses being sent to the motor. So when running it gets a high current and when stopped the current is reduced.

So if you just move the indexer out of the way, leave it on, the motor may be perfecty happy with the reduced
current to it.

Look your  Gecko drive info  about disabling the drive. For example, if you provide a switch on terminal 7 ( Gecko 201's ) you can disable the drive ( which will take the motor / winding current way down / almost zero ).
So you can just use the switch to disable a drive.

No matter what though,  don't remove the cable from the motor when the controller is on. Don't short the wires going to the motors. Simply put ...........Just leave the darn cable from the drive to the motor connected when there is power to the controller. Don't screw around wih the cable going to the motors unless you know what you are doing. Let me reinforce again ............you may blow the drive and then you have to spend money to replace it.

There is plenty of info on the Gecko site that you should read and will give a better / more specific info than my reply.

RICH
BTW......DON'T DISCONNECT THE CABLE TO THE MOTORS WHEN THE CONTROLLER HAS POWER TO IT  ;)
Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2010, 09:41:51 PM »
Thanks Rich,

I read and reread the gecko manual but didn't find the solution. So posted.
I FEEL much better now.
Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2010, 07:23:59 PM »
RICH

Suppose I disable Indexer in MACH input, does it still draw current ? Maybe in small amount.
My concern is that I use Indexer once a week while mill runs whole week, so its no use Indexer sitting idle for a long time.

Offline RICH

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Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2010, 09:10:01 PM »
Would keep Mach from sending pulses to the drive. The drive is still powered from the controller power supply.
What Gecko drive do you have?
RICH
Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2010, 08:20:37 AM »

G203V

Offline RICH

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Re: Rotary axis help
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2010, 10:24:15 AM »
The G203V is a more advanced drive than the G201's which i am using. Geckos literature says that it can survive
"accidental "motor disconnects. I can't speak for Gecko, so you should ask them directly this question:

Will the G203V survive deliberate disconnection of the cable at any time and condition?

I can't not tell you to do something or wire some thing in some manner with absolute assurance  that you will not blow a drive, other than, if the drive has no power going to it you can disconnect the cable.

Call them, as i found them realy great to deal with, and Mauries is a fantastic guy.

From one who has blown a Gecko drive in the past,  ;)
RICH