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Author Topic: Help with setup & controler  (Read 9387 times)

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Offline ger21

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Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2012, 05:14:49 PM »
Yes, it is.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

Offline c30232

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Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2012, 05:29:44 PM »
ger21

Screenshot 2010 is well done and, in my opinion, very intuitive. Your zero feature would have saved me many frustrating hour while using the Wadkin.  Just enough of a problem to be irritating but not some much as to toss more money at it.  The cost feature ratio on cnc has certainly changed over the decade.

Offline c30232

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Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2012, 02:03:17 AM »
I am now able to twist the stepper.  The solution was, as you all noted, to place the TB6560 in the garbage can and replace it with a proper control.  I purchased a Gecko Drive G540 and power supply from “danmauch” via eBay.  I spent several days attempting to resolve the TB6560 with out success.  I have 2 hours invested in the Gecko including a drive to town to acquire resistors and soldering the connections.  I am sure I am not home free just yet, but the thing moves.   Thanks for the sage advice.

The stepper does seem a bit hot after just a few minutes of twisting with no load . . .145 F and climbing.  Any thoughts on that?  The Gecko is hovering at 108 F.  That’s just a 20 F rise from ambient. 
Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #13 on: December 01, 2012, 03:04:44 AM »
 Q.) How hot is too hot for a step motor?
A.) The maximum heat for most steppers is around 100ºC (212ºF), but it is generally never good
to have the motor heat go above 85ºC (185ºF).

Q.) How should I heatsink my drive?
There is not drive-specific heatsink for any Geckodrive, and there are a variety of ways to
heatsink your drive. What you should do is ensure that your heatsink has fins to increase surface
area, and have air flowing over it. A good heatsink to use is a standard CPU heatsink with some
heatsink compound in between the drive’s plate and the finned aluminum heatsink. The method
to determining if it is being cooled adequately is to feel the drive while it is running. If it is
uncomfortable to the touch, then the electronics are uncomfortable as well.

Offline ger21

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Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2012, 07:39:10 AM »

The stepper does seem a bit hot after just a few minutes of twisting with no load . . .145 F and climbing.  Any thoughts on that?  The Gecko is hovering at 108 F.  That’s just a 20 F rise from ambient. 

Getting maximum performance from steppers requires high voltage, which also causes hot motors. Make sure you have the proper size resistors, and have them wired correctly.

Gecko recommends having a fan blowing on the G540 to keep it cool.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

Offline Fastest1

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Help with setup & controler
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2012, 11:20:54 AM »
I have read of a few errors of loss of position due to an extremely hot environment for the G540. Definitely a fan and or heat sink.
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)
Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #16 on: December 01, 2012, 11:34:45 AM »
540 SPECIFICATIONS:
No heatsink needed below 40C ambient
Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2012, 07:26:54 PM »
this is your main problem."I purchased a TB6560 4 axis control/driver and 12V power supply off eBay" piece of crap.

Offline c30232

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Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2012, 08:15:41 PM »
The TB6560 is history.  Ger21 is correct, current is the issue regarding heat.  We reduced the current and heat was reduced accordingly.  We determined there was no error in connections or the resistor sizing.  The Gecko only saw a 20 F rise with the higher current and no rise with low current while the stepper saw a 90 F rise.  This is all for education.  When the final selections and assembly are made we will balance the current and ventilate the enclosures as required.  I assume too that the machine will act somewhat as a sink for the stepper.  The stepper did run noticeably better at the higher current . . . the truth is always in the middle.

Offline c30232

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Re: Help with setup & controler
« Reply #19 on: December 09, 2012, 11:22:35 PM »
Thanks for all of the help.  The table finally arrived and after some minor mods it is moving in a pleasing fashion.  The motors turned out to be 276 oz 2.8 amp

Mach seems straight forward and easy to use.  But I do have a few mysteries. The test pattern is parallel lines 15” long.  The Z movement is up 1” then down to zero.  Lazy Cam set a rapid out to 15” for each line which seemed good for a test pattern.  Feed is 60 IPM with rapid at 200 IPM.
 
1)  The Z while moving earthward 1 inch seems to pause or slow just before the end of cycle.  I am not persuaded it is ramping down.  It seems to pause and accelerate into position.  It also seems that X is starting its move at the same time Z pauses.  It is split second and hard to pinpoint.  It would likely go unnoticed if a torch or router was running.  However, there is a noticeable twitch on the DRO.

2)  At the start of cycle the X ramps slowly but only on occasion.  The rest of the time and throughout the run it accelerates quickly. 

The repeatability at the end of 100 lines was +- .001” on X & Y.  Z was better than ½ that. I have yet to determine if the move was actually 15”.   There does not appear to be any lost steps.