I asked about the VFD because like the other drives I am skeptical of what works, so I want to know if it would be possible to just replace it wait any other VFD. There is already a rotary encoder run off of a belt to the spindle drive, and I assume that the large box hanging off of the motor is a tachometer or something to monitor spindle RPM. I'm just trying to determine the best way to figure out what does and doesn't work, I have 9 axis drives (5 on machines) , 3 spindle drives (1 on a machine), 6 X/Y motors (4 on machines), 3 Z motors (2 on machines) and 3 spindle motors (2 on machines), but the machines are in storage while I'm relocating.
Like you said earlier, a car battery should be able to turn the axis motor and verify it works easy enough, can I just use a regular 120v wall outlet to test the drive? It wont be the power the motor needs but I'm also not trying to turn it at 2000 RPM...
I am ordering the IP/A along with the ENC and an additional I/O module so I will be able to get spindle positioning working...somehow...
My machines are small (~20" square envelope) so a handheld pendant seems unnecessary, is there some other functionality that comes out of the MPG module? I also have seen wireless USB Mach3 pendants for $160 which is a lot cheaper than the CSMIO package so I feel like I must be missing something.
I like the idea of a brake, at work we have a servo on/off function that automatically triggers the brake (our Z axis mast is also something like 20,000lbs so its kind of necessary...) with a button, or any time we lose power, it would be nice to set it up like that so anytime the machine powers down the brake is automatically triggered, I could easily accomplish this with a relay right?