Hi guys and especially Hood as you are maybe informed enough to help mi with this one.

Unfortunately, it has been the last several days that I have been trying to contact CS Labs via Email but getting the "Mail delivery failed" message, I don't know why. The problem should not be with my email as I successfully communicate with other people - send/receive.

Anyway, I am investigating the possibilities to use CS Labs for a more complex system - a machine with 2000 mm x 1000 mm strokes which would definite need two separate motors for the Y axis(or call it X, no problem).

From previous talks to the CS Labs team, I know that I need the biggest version CSMIO-S controller which supports the full range of functionality + the added one in terms of CS Labs plugin(e.g "Servo alarm stop").

Here is the comparison between the models:
http://www.cs-lab.eu/en/upload/fotki/csmio/Summary5small.JPG

Slave Axis is enabled for the CSMIO-S. I need the -S as my control drives are STEP/DIR. I don't have analogs.

I have several questions related to this:
1) is there anyone running a gantry machine with CSMIO? What are the overall impressions?
2) is there anything special to adjust rather than "Slave Axis to A" in Mach3?
3) How is homing performed - should I have two limit switches or only at one side?

That's for now, thanks

If using Servos then, if the drives are capable of analogue control (+/- 10v), I would recommend the IP-A rather than the IP-S.
The IP-A is slightly more tricky to get set up due to having to tune the axes in both drives and IP-A but the end result will outweigh that by far.

Regarding your questions
1.you would probably be best talking to mmoe as he has done a Shinx router which may be similar to the machine you are contemplating doing.
2. You assign the slave in the CSMIO plugin, I have never done it but it looks straightforward enough.
3. With the IP-A you can easily use the Index pulse from the encoder to give you very accurate homing, you will require a separate home switch for each axis and also limit switches (for safety, although not strictly required but recommended). What happens is you tell the machine to home, it moves until it sees the switch then backs off until the switch closes and then it seeks out the Index pulse of the encoder and stops and sets that as home position.
 You can do similar with the IP-S but how exactly will depend on your servo drives. If your servo drives have an open collector output for the Index pulse then it will be straightforward and similar to the IP-A. If however your drives just have line driver output for the Index then you will need to make up a wee circuit.
CS-Lab suggested to a friend how to make that circuit and I made one for him, and also one for my own use on the wee lathe that has the IP-S, it works great

To contact mmoe you can get his details here http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=36077

and you can also see his build on the CNCzone, here http://www.cnczone.com/forums/general-cnc-machine-related-electronics/182484-retrofitting-shinx-cnc-router-csmio-ip.html

Hood

Hello Hood!

Thanks for your reply.

I have good experience with the CSMIO-M controller for my first router and it turned out to be a very successful machine. I used the precise homing even with the -M version, however it was handled internally in the drives, rather than having the CSMIO responsible for it because precise homing is not supported in the -M version. I just meant I am aware of the capabilities.

Unfortunately, all my servo drives are STEP/DIR, so I can't benefit from the IP-A version. I will have to stick to the -S version. If only it had the encoder feedback for closed-loop, it would have been the ultimate controller.

My drives can be made to directly output the /Z signal via the NPN output transistor, so as assumed by you, it should be pretty straightforward.

I have seen mmoe's thread at CNCZone but now that you point to him, I will ask him about this.

In fact, after writing this post, I downloaded the IP-S manual only to find there is a dedicated section to Slaving Axes. There are several modes of operation and everything seems pretty easy, which is OK.

Thank you for your help.

Not a problem, the IP-S is still an excellent controller, you will love it
Hood