Brian, what are the advantages of using these more expensive drives.
Why not just Gecko or Rutex drives?
The drive specs for the Tek 10's are practically identical to the less expensive
counterparts.  The gecko's are big enough to drive any Bridgeport knee
mill that was made, of course providing the servo is a proper match to
the Gecko. 

Scott

Not Brian I know, but have some experience of both Gecko G3x0 drives and the Tek10 drives.   The latter are much more spohisticated.  They have all 3 PID terms available for adjustment, alterable following error trip point, and differential encoder inputs.

The Gecko's I have used with some success right from the earliest ones, but put a high count encoder >500ppr and they can be almost impossible to keep out of a fault state!   The +- 128 count tip can be a little tight.   I last tried them with 2500 ppr encoders on my hardinge, it was impossible at near 80v.   The Tek10 drives have been easy to setup.

Rutex seem to have similar specs but I heard support can be hard to pin down, and I've heard of more than a few blowing up.

For the SEM motors on these older Brdgeports I do think the TEK20 is still not man enough with it's lower current rating.  Those motors can draw serious current.

Might be better off with TEK10's at full power (25A) with a lower voltage (slower) than loose to much torque at the 15A available on the TEK20's    I just noticed Teknix do not even list the TEK20's on their website now!

Wayne....

Well put!!!

Do the Tek drives have some sort of tuning software like the Rutex?
I am just having a bear of a time getting my Geckos to not fault.
I am running the 340's with a 1000 line (4000 count) encoder on brand
new Baldors.  I have the 340's set to divide by 5 so it is like having 800
total counts per rev.  This is producing 16000 counts per inch of travel
at my axis on my BP.   This seems like a reasonable number to me and
gives me about 120 IPM rapids.  When I disconnect the motors and let
them run under no load the damn drives STILL fault.  I just can't get these
drives to run without faulting.  My power supply is plenty sufficient, my wiring
is neat and proper, I checked everything in the barely sufficient Gecko manual.
They only fault when they near the upper 2/3's of their speed.
I can prevent them from faulting if I run the machine slow as a turtle, ie 60
IPM rapids and an acceleration value of about 1.
My initial impression was that these drives were great.  Not so sure I think
that anymore.

Scott

have you checked out the larken viper drives? 200v 20 amp.i used the rutex drives on the bridgeport because they were unsuitable for  an earlier project. things kept blowing mosfets,even  after derating the amperage by 75% lower than the maximum specs. with the larken drives they can be user repaired as the components are socketed.
i will be using these on my next project.

The problem is that you are running to high a resolution encoders for the G340's You would be better off with 500 line because that would allow for more following error (they only have +/-128 encoder counts). With the encoders that you have that is a VERY small amount! You could change the encoders or you could use the other servo amps. I have a guy that works with me that will be selling the Tek drives here in the states and could help you if you would like. (Send me a MP and I will get you his info). I am software and NOT hardware so i am not the one to talk to

Thanks
Brian

 

Hi, Archie

I have an R2E4, it's wired 440 volts now, need to re-do the x-former for 220.

If your servo boards and power supply are in good shape, I think there + - 10 volt control, there are several step-dir to +-10 volt boards out

there that will work.

If not ther Rutex makes some Hi-volt boards to replace your servo boards.

Hope this Helps, Chip

Has anyone used this method to retrofit (+/-10v card to nc 400). I retrofit a boss with servos. I reused the motos,power supply and bought new rutex drives. The machine runs nicely as long as no one make a programming error, if however that happens plan on buying a new rutex drive, mabey two, even at 75% of rated performance. This up until now was a nusance at a drive a year, but not pressing until I talked to the US rep (tom) and he let me know that the drive was no longer avaliable. I still have the NC 400 drives and I hear they are stable and hearty. So, is re-using them a good idea or even possible, or should I just bite the bullet and buy better drives from a more stable company. I am trying to get ahead of the problem looming one rapid the wrong way.


Thanks

Vince

Have you run it much yet? I tried the mounting of the control panel to the head also but ran into vibration troubles in the long run. At certain frequencys I would get random switch activations in the keyboad and some  switches. Moving to a remote arm cured that.   

 Looks very good .

(;-) TP

hi, did not have any problemswith vibrations.i have since sold this machine and the current owner is very pleased with its performance.i have another almost complete, sajo cnc vertical  mill,using larken viper drives.