Bridgeport Manual to CNC conversion...

[Davek0974]

Started modifying my conversion - I am powering the knee with a servo so i can send it tool length offsets, this will give me full Z travel with any length tool, hopefully.

Got the motor mount fitted today, hopefully get the limits and home switch fitted tomorrow:)

[Davek0974]

Got the limits and home switch fitted today, moving switches and fixed cams so I could do it all with two switches :)
Top switch is limit and bottom is home.



had to alter my plan of homing to top as with the vise fitted the bed will crash...



All the way down, a lot of cranking....



Wired the limit switch into the loop, just the home to take back to cabinet...

[Davek0974]

I'd forgotten how busy it was in the cabinet :)



The knee axis servo drive will have go on the right-side wall i think.

Hopefully get the drive temporarily fitted tomorrow and powered up the day after.

[Davek0974]

Ok, got it wired and powered up.

Little snag to start with, i'm a bit rusty here....

When you take Mach out of reset, the servo starts creeping without command, anyone give a pointer as to where i start digging??

It does not creep for long as you get an ePid fault.

Thanks :)

[m_c]

It sounds like the drive is enabled, but not under closed loop control, so it's creeping until a following error gets triggered.

The drive shouldn't be getting enabled until the servo loop is active, and able to control things.

[Davek0974]

Hmm, I followed the same wiring style as the other axes, the drives all enable together from one signal.

Is that the loop between the servo and controller?

Maybe check the connections in the servo cable, that was a pre-made one that came with the motor and controller.

[m_c]

Is the +/-10 connected correctly, and the drive configured to use the correct analogue input?
And is the CSMIO configured to use the correct channel?

[Davek0974]

AFIK yes, i'll double-check the setup tomorrow night.

I'm setting up as the C axis or channel 5 on the CSMIO.

I'll try disconnecting the -10/0/10v lines to see if creeps on its own.

Dave

[Davek0974]

Is the +/-10 connected correctly, and the drive configured to use the correct analogue input?
And is the CSMIO configured to use the correct channel?

Kudos to you - i had the encoder on C axis but analogue on A axis :)

Its running now, needs more tuning as it oscillates when it stops after homing.

Not sure what axis is best, the 2010 screen set seems to be set for XYZA but a good friend advised C axis was more aligned with the Z axis.

At least its alive :)

[Chaz]

Ok, got it wired and powered up.

Little snag to start with, i'm a bit rusty here....

When you take Mach out of reset, the servo starts creeping without command, anyone give a pointer as to where i start digging??

It does not creep for long as you get an ePid fault.

Thanks :)

Enable 'HV Enable' in Mach3 CS Labs plugin. Use the output to drive a relay that enables your drives.

If E Stop or limit is hit, HV Enable will go away and by default your drives will dead stop (remove enable from them). This is what I do on Thor and I have done on other conversions.