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Author Topic: Best way to run analog drives?  (Read 5796 times)

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Best way to run analog drives?
« on: May 07, 2008, 10:20:05 AM »
I what is the best way to drive an analog drive -+0-10 V?
Just talk to Skyco and they are not selling the pixies at this time.
What version of the Galil's work well?
Thanks

Offline jimpinder

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Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2008, 12:37:42 PM »
I am trying to make sense of your question.

Are you asking how to control a stepper motor, a spindle motor or what.

I would assume all Galils products work well.

If you are wanting a way to convert the PWM signal given out by Mach 3 to a 0 - 10 volt analogue signal, to control a driver for your spindle than you need a Digispeed (Australian) - these work very well.
Not me driving the engine - I'm better looking.
Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2008, 12:50:57 PM »
I am planing on running servo drives that accept 0-10V -+ signals.
I was going to use the pixies but I was told they are not selling them any longer.

There is several models of galil motion controlers and I was wondering whitch ones have proven mach3 plugins developed?
I would like to use the ethernet version if there is a mach3/quantum plug in.
Thanks

Offline Hood

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Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2008, 03:30:13 PM »
I think Rutex do a StepDir to analogue converter, also the top board from the Tek10 drives can do this. I have never used the Rutex or in fact know anyone who has one. I have partially tried out the Tek10 top board, when I say partially what I mean is it was in the early days of my Lathe retrofit, I got some AC motors with Analogue drives. As a test I hooked the analogue output of the top board off of a Tek10 drive to a meter and had an encoder mounted to the Tek10. As I moved the encoder the voltage in the drive increased, turned it the other way and the voltage increased in the negative direction. Obviously after turning so many counts the drive tripped out with an out of position error but it did show it was working correctly. Never got as far as actually hooking up the motor and analogue drive as some drives that accepted Step/Dir came along at the right price.
Hood
Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2008, 05:51:17 PM »
Thanks hood the TEK10 drives look pretty sweet, I think I will try them on my lathe retrofit, it has DC servos.
Do they sell just the top board? I didn't see it.

Offline Hood

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Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2008, 05:59:20 PM »
I am not sure if they will sell them on their own or not but there is no harm in mailing and asking. I had complete Tek10 drives but I was being slightly ambitious by trying to drive the huge DC servos I had, the drives lasted a few mins and looking back I am surprised they even lasted that long as although the continuous current of the motors was about 25 or 30Amps the peak was 220 :D If you do manage to get the top board seperately you will need to solder a wire over two of the pins to trick it into thinking the lower board is present.
Hood
Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2008, 06:16:23 PM »
What type of lathe were the servos on?
Mine is an HES I cant remember the amp rating but they are large servos.
They have tachs on them so would I just have to remove them and mount an encoder?
Thanks

Offline Hood

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Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2008, 06:26:32 PM »
This is the Lathe, its a Churchill Computurn 290, its a big beast, the saddle and cross slide with Turret and Toolpost weigh in around 800lbs, thats a 10ich chuck on it, should give you an idea of the size of the lathe.


and heres a video of it doing some work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En_osPX8TpU

Hood

Offline Hood

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Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2008, 06:30:58 PM »
About the Tachs, is it the resolvers you are meaning, may have tachs on the end but on the ones I have seen they usually either have encoders or Resolvers and the Tach is basically a set of brushes just behind the main brushes. In any case if its resolvers or a Tach then yes you will need to remove and fit an encoder, if it has a tach like I described you just remove the brushes, wouldnt really do much harm leaving them in place as long as they were not able to short to anything at the terminal end but you would just be adding carbon dust to the equation for no good reason :)
Hood
Re: Best way to run analog drives?
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2008, 06:49:22 PM »
Your lathe looks like it is running well.
You must be right about the resolver it says 2 phase on it?
An there are some other wires with the motor leads I was wondering about, That must be the tack?
Thanks