Any USB/Ethernet controller suggestions?

[A_Camera]

That just shows how little you actually understand about the drives and the technology in them.
The DM542 is using technology that must now be well over 20 year old now, just like Gecko are still using in most of their stepper drives. The only real change to the designs has been to use modern components, but the basics of operation are still the same as 20 years ago. It's just smaller components are used.

AM drives, although officially obsolete within Europe (they were superseded by the EM series), are still an active product produced by Leadshine. They use far newer technology, and monitor how the motor is reacting to the voltage/current applied to it, which is how they implement anti-resonance, auto-tuning, and stall detection. DM/DQ drives do not have that technology in them, regardless of when they were made.

Please, don't use "DM/DQ" as if they were equal, they are not. The DQ are Leadshine copy products, the DM are original Leadshine products. There are also many DM models, some outdated, some not, some digital, some analogue. And not all DM products use 20 years old technology, and even the AM882 is about 10 years old... so it is pretty far from the latest and most modern.

Apparently you didn't read what was stated by Leadshine on their own web page, which I linked to.

Legacy leadshine stepper drives which may have been discontinued or will be discontinued. Those stepper drives are not suggested for new applications anymore. You can contact us if you still have the needs to use any of them.

AM882 is one on that list, the DM542 is NOT on that list.

Leadshine's DM series digital stepper drives are DSP-based innovative products adopting the latest stepper control technology. Those stepper motor drives feature anti-resonance, low-speed ripple smoothing, extra-low noise, and low motor heating, therefore they can offer excellent performance for stepper motor controls.

The DM542 is on that list.

DM in itself is not equal to obsolete technology and not all DM are outdated products. The DM542 is, at least according to Leadshine, not an outdated model yet. Yes, it will probably be replaced by the EM542S and will be obsolete. The EM-S series seems to be a match of the DM series, while the EM series replaced the AM series, higher current and voltage drivers.

BTW, what is "officially obsolete" is obsolete. At least according to me. I am not saying that the AM882 is not better than my DQ542MA, of course I'd expect it to be better for that price, but it is a huge overkill for 3A motors.

[m_c]

Please, don't use "DM/DQ" as if they were equal, they are not. The DQ are Leadshine copy products, the DM are original Leadshine products. There are also many DM models, some outdated, some not, some digital, some analogue. And not all DM products use 20 years old technology, and even the AM882 is about 10 years old... so it is pretty far from the latest and most modern.

I couldn't be bothered checking the lastest spec, but all I'll say on the matter, is you continually recommend the DQ542MA, which is a copy of old technology.
It's the same technology Gecko have used for 20 years, and the same technology which Leadshine originally copied for their Dx drives.

But the key detail is, the D whatever drives, don't monitor the motor. They simply alter how they're drive the motor using various levels of micro-step morphing to avoid resonance, and allow smoother motor control, but that seems to be the point you're trying to avoid recognising by arguing over what is or isn't obsolete.

[A_Camera]

I couldn't be bothered checking the lastest spec, but all I'll say on the matter, is you continually recommend the DQ542MA, which is a copy of old technology.
It's the same technology Gecko have used for 20 years, and the same technology which Leadshine originally copied for their Dx drives.

But the key detail is, the D whatever drives, don't monitor the motor. They simply alter how they're drive the motor using various levels of micro-step morphing to avoid resonance, and allow smoother motor control, but that seems to be the point you're trying to avoid recognising by arguing over what is or isn't obsolete.

Yes, the DQ are copies, never ever stated otherwise. Never the less, they are very well made and for people who don't want to spend a small fortune on drivers it is still very good and I will continue recommending them. I can't compare with the Gecko, I think some things are actually better in the DQ, but that's just from looking at the specs. Again, just because soemthing is old technology, or analogue, it does not mean it is bad technology and that it has not been improved over the years.

[A_Camera]

A_Camera : Sorry - completely off-topic but I can't PM you - that video intrigues me - how have you terminated the braid on the CY cable? on your control box (I looks like a copper ferrule, in which case could you point me where you bought them? - or is it simply copper tape?) - If you can PM me to keep this thread from straying too far off topic?

PM sent.

[A_Camera]

Alright, when it's talking about all the inputs it's talking about signals being generated going into the controller ie) limit switches, e-stop etc. Is this incorrect? Just because I don't really have a good understanding of the input capabilities, what should I be expecting in comparing the uc300eth, and the uc400eth. I see the uc300eth 5lpt has 36 outputs, 49 inputs, and the uc400eth doesn't.

Rephrase I don't know much about inputs, I personally don't think there's a need for so many. Therefore I'd probably go for the uc400eth but can someone maybe list off some other inputs (other than the 2 examples I mentioned) that people use?

Thanks
-Justin

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Personally I use two of the UC300ETH ports. Those ports give me a total of 10 inputs, which is enough for my needs. Using up many more inputs is not difficult, but of course it requires a lot of wires, so I ditched all my earlier ideas about adding a huge number of buttons and direct control. I have a control panel on my electronics and driver box, which is not the same as the PSU box, but most of the controls I do is through a USB numerical keypad, which I defined in UCCNC to handle everything I feel I need. If I ever see the need of even more buttons I'll buy a Modbus I/O unit and will use that, three wires only (2 + shield), instead of a thick cable, is all that's needed. UCCNC has excellent Modbus plugin built in, so in my opinion it is the best solution if many inputs are needed.

Of course, some inputs must be directly wired, but how many you need depends on your design. Some people prefer individual limit switches, I have all my limit switches connected in series to one input. Some people use home switches combined with limit switches, some want them to be separated, I don't use home switch at all. So, for me the 10 inputs are enough. I also don't use the analogue inputs and outputs since I use Modbus for the spindle control, and that's why I'd go for the UC400ETH if I'd start over. I also think it is a better design than the piggy back design of the UC300, though the UC300 has many features.

[Desertboy]

AM882's are being replaced with EM806's, you try and find an EM806 in China they just don't retail them in the Asian Market. The only difference I can see according to the manual is the EM806 has different firmware relating to the motors. Region specific for the US and EU markets as the motors relate to ones they offer here. Probably the same motor different part number.

EM806's for US and EU and AM882 for Asian markets at least for now seems to be the rule, the AM882 are £60, the EM806 are ~£100

I'll strip one of the AM882's and get pics would be interesting to see what's inside the EM806 and if it really is identical except for firmware.

AM882 and EM806 are solid state tech unless you're unlucky these things will last forever.

How much did you pay for your analog drivers? I paid £200 for 4 AM882's but 2 were 2nd hand it would be £240 for new.

[m_c]

AM882's are being replaced with EM806's, you try and find an EM806 in China they just don't retail them in the Asian Market. The only difference I can see according to the manual is the EM806 has different firmware relating to the motors. Region specific for the US and EU markets as the motors relate to ones they offer here. Probably the same motor different part number.

EM806's for US and EU and AM882 for Asian markets at least for now seems to be the rule, the AM882 are £60, the EM806 are ~£100

I'll strip one of the AM882's and get pics would be interesting to see what's inside the EM806 and if it really is identical except for firmware.

AM882 and EM806 are solid state tech unless you're unlucky these things will last forever.

How much did you pay for your analog drivers? I paid £200 for 4 AM882's but 2 were 2nd hand it would be £240 for new.

AM's are not CE/UL type approved as standard, whereas EM's are.
I'm guessing the original AM's failed the tests, so they had to redesign the hardware to pass the tests, and is why only one version of the AM was produced. Once they had the hardware able to pass the tests, they scaled it to create the other drives.
The fact AMs are still available, will be likely Leadshine had them designed, in production, and being sold, before final testing for approval.

Within Europe, it's illegal to sell a non-approved drive to an end user (aka consumer), which is why AMs are not sold by any official European seller. They can be sold to a system builder/integrator, as the onus for meeting the required approvals then falls on the system builder.

[Desertboy]

Or they repackaged it as EM806 with minor tweaks and different firmware whacked the price up £30 and sent that for approval.

My guess is they are almost identical and it was in their business interests to spin the EM806 into a different product rather than approve the AM882.

After all they can charge £40 more for the product in EU if they certified the AM882 they couldn't do that because of the Asian market. People would simply import them through other channels. This way they can force higher price for the same product. This was similar to regional lockout Nintendo and Sega used in the 80's and 90's so you can charge different prices in different markets for the same product.

Someone take an EM806 apart and lets get some photo's I'll do an AM882 and then we'll have more of a clue.

[m_c]

Or they repackaged it as EM806 with minor tweaks and different firmware whacked the price up £30 and sent that for approval.

My guess is they are almost identical and it was in their business interests to spin the EM806 into a different product rather than approve the AM882.

After all they can charge £40 more for the product in EU if they certified the AM882 they couldn't do that because of the Asian market. People would simply import them through other channels. This way they can force higher price for the same product. This was similar to regional lockout Nintendo and Sega used in the 80's and 90's so you can charge different prices in different markets for the same product.

Someone take an EM806 apart and lets get some photo's I'll do an AM882 and then we'll have more of a clue.

If that was really the case, then why are there no smaller AM drives?
Leadshine's home market is probably far larger than Europe and America combined, so you would expect them to give priority to their home market, and be where they had the most diverse range.

[Desertboy]

If that was really the case, then why are there no smaller AM drives?
Leadshine's home market is probably far larger than Europe and America combined, so you would expect them to give priority to their home market, and be where they had the most diverse range.

They just miniaturised the tech just like ps2 slim, Acorn Electron, C64s, etc. Same tech, smaller package, Maybe it is new tech but more likely a small revision on a new chip fab. They copy and pasted 80% the manual of the EM806 from the AM882 so if they couldn't justify paying for a new manual lol then how different can they really be.

http://www.leadshine.com/productdeta...EM&model=EM806

http://leadshine.com/productdetail.a...AM&model=AM882

They're appears to be 1 difference in features, password protection of settings which is a non issue for me and a simple firmware change it's hardly ground breaking lol.

They literally put it the manual/description into a (probably pirated lol) copy of word and did a copy and replace lol.