I'm looking at repowering a 1999 5 axis Thermwood router and wondered if anyone had any experience with the Mach 4 kingstar combo with such an application. I currently have 3 machines running Mach 4 (1X 3 axis and 1X 4axis), 2 with Hicon Integra motion controllers which have been good.

Hi,
Mach4 and Kingstar is an Ethercat solution. It does not require a motion control board but will require Ethercat capable
servos/servo drives and possibly an Ethercat capable node like a PLC for probes, pump controls etc.

I think that research into the cost and availability of the servos/servo drives and PLC will prove to be more expensive
than motion control board solutions.

Craig

Thanks, Craig
The EtherCAT is what I was interested in. I'm considering Yaskawa drives and motors but understand the choice will increase substantially in the new year when a few lower-cost suppliers are introducing their EtherCAT models. I just wondered if anyone has used the Kingstar software and documented their experience?

Hi,
the video banner of the NFS forum is of a Matsurra VMC operating, what may not be obvious is that it is operating under Ethercat.
I'm guessing that it is smruph's machine and while he has not said a lot about it I guess from the tone of his posts that he was favourably
impressed.

Yaskawa have long been a market leader in Ethercat. Have a look closely at what Ethtercat nodes are available for probing, pumps and various
ancillary gear. I suspect that you'll be looking at Beckhoff, and Beckhoff ain't cheap!

Craig

Craig, you were close!    However, that is not my Matsuura, but one just like it at the shop in Maine.  And yes, it is running on KingStar EtherCAT.  We are pretty excited about having an EtherCAT solution and it is working very well.  That machine has an EtherCAT spindle drive (TDE MACNO) but the spindle can be controlled with analog outputs as well.  It is using Yaskawa Sigma 7 servo drives with ABS encoders and an Omron I/O "brick"  None of that was cheap!  Probing is handled on the servo modules as the servo drives have a bit of I/O on them for such uses.  ABS encoders means no homing required!  It is a slick setup.

You don't have to run EVERYTHING on the machine with EtherCAT.  You can use I/O to run just about anything in the traditional manner.  So the main EtherCAT devices would be the servo drives and some I/O modules.  The spindle can optionally be controlled via EtherCAT, but as I said, an analog control method is also provided with plans to accept encoder input (via an encoder input I/O module) for rigid tapping/threading capability (not there yet but coming soon). 

Maybe we can do a video of the Matsuura showing it's control cabinets and running it through some paces.  I do love those old Matsuura machines.  Good iron.  Super rigid.  They are old school machines with box ways and 5K spindles so they are not really setup for the high speed machining stuff.  But you can use a hog cutter end mill and remove amazing amounts of material per pass.  That is IF you can clamp the part well enough. 

BTW, I also have some Leadshine EtherCAT stepper drives that are fixing to run my desktop test machine.  Talk about OVERKILL!!!  EtherCAT running NEMA 17s.  LOL!

Steve

I should probably add that a good PC is required.  With a good quality Ethernet card as well.  IntervalZero/KingStar has a list of tested hardware.

Steve

Thanks for the replies, good information. I'm looking at all options at the moment, Yaskawa, Kollmorgen, Beckoff and may consider some lower-cost options like DMM.

The way I understand it KingStar is not going to be available to just anyone. Only high volume.