1 Attachment(s)
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
I do like making things difficult for myself, but when it comes to the firmware I become a control freak. If it doesn't do what I want it to do then I want to reprogram it down the USB rather than fudge it. Nothing quite so reassuring as having all the source code :whistling:
Stepper drivers, phase controller and pendant connect with RJ45 patch cords to keep everything neat and tidy, lots of buttons and well buffered I/O for everything I could think of.
The limit switch and tool touch inputs are designed so I can short them to ground via an LED and get a visual check at the far end of the wire. Three FET's to drive the suds pump, quill lock and something I haven't thought of yet. A socket for one of Gary's jog encoder do-berries, a main motor kill switch to keep me safe while setting up, fuses on board and an input to tell me if 12V goes away. If the 5 volt fuse goes then it's goodnight Vienna so no way to monitor that.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
There's my Christmas entertainment arrived in the nick of time, not bad for 35 Euro's :yahoo:
I've only found one blooper so far, a 6 pin opto isolator with the wrong pinout. Luckily RS had a 4 pin part that fixed it :rolleyes:
Think I'll put everything down before I mount the processor, that way I can check it's connections, make sure I'm not overloading it anywhere.
The three little boards on the right convert Kinco stepper drivers to RJ45 with all the wiring neatly out of sight, should look great if I got the measurements right :whistling:
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Nice!
I hadn't thought of using RJ45s for signals - neat idea, and shielding already built in... What current and voltage are they good up to?
I was planning to use Dsub connectors, but that would look a bit 1980s... RJ45's are much more "naugties"! I suppose the only tricky bit (if you're panel mounting rather than PCB mounting) is the crimping....
Anyway, good idea.... Food for thought... :)
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
I hope the rj45 are not being used for current carrying as they are not propper connections just insulation displacement connection for signal etc.
Even the punch down connectors are not that good for current much better to get solder or screw types.
peter
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tom
I hadn't thought of using RJ45s for signals - neat idea, and shielding already built in... What current and voltage are they good up to?
Not a lot, I do occasionally take liberties and they haven't let me down yet :naughty:
With this board I do feed 5 volts out on an RJ45 to drive the pendant. A bunch of pull ups and a GAL22V10. It was either a logic array or only 7 buttons. I want a lot of buttons.
One component is worth a mention, a lucky find, RS part number 249-050
The board was getting cluttered with clamp diodes, the DALC208 has 8 low capacitance diodes in a dinky 6 pin smt pack. You feed it power, ground and 4 inputs that may need clamping. A real space saver, I used 6 of them :beer:
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ptjw7uk
...they are not propper connections just insulation displacement connection...
As an ex(retired) AMP guy :rolleyes: ...
Perhaps you would like to re-phrase this statement :nope:
They are perfectly "proper" for the job they are designed for :clap:
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Possible but I have spent hours trying to find the one that wasn't done proper, even had trouble with the puch down ones.
There again in the past I have known screw down terminals to cut through the wire.
Best ones I remember were the old round plessy ones as long as you had all the tools they were easy!
peter
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Everything tested okay barring a couple of missing components so I fitted the cpu.
I couldn't find a 180R resistor to drive the opto isolator, one resistor pack and RS came up no stock on the USB socket, had to fudge a right angle component in to a vertical. :whistling:
Nothing there that will stop it stepping so I can get on with the firmware.
It protrudes through a cut out in the mill stand door, so on the back it has 5 push buttons, a speed control pot and a socket for the pendant. Everything else comes out the front inside the plinth.
The switches will be three press on/press off for main motor, suds and quill lock, a pause button and and an 'everyone off'.
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
A quick progress report..
Slight mis-wiring on the USB and I didn't notice I needed a 1 Meg resistor across the crystal before it would spark up.
Whatever, the computer now makes the dee-dum USB noise when I plug/unplug the controller and a test program can read inputs and write outputs under XP.
Probably doesn't sound like much but from here on it's only typing. Fortunately I've got my big brother doing that bit for me :naughty:
Robin
2 Attachment(s)
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
I cut some metal and it came out a bit naff, see before and after pic, arrow points to the problem bit.
Two changes, I wrote my own dxf to G-code software taking control of the tool path. Bubba, over on CNC zone, told me the Warco column pinch bolts were naff.
I've been measuring the new part and dimensionally it is slightly undersize, somewhere between -0.00 and -0.05mm
Theoretically with a bit of compensation I could get the tolerance down to .025 mm if I always used this tool and this collet :dance:
Bubba suggested I changed the bolts. I looked at them and found they had worn badly. When I thought I was doing them up tight I was actually trying to swage a new thread. I fitted overlength M16's with spacers and anti-seize compound. I can now use a ring spanner rather than the awkward Warco offering and it seems to like it.
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Any further news?
I have the smaller Machine Mart one made redundant 6 years ago, very accurate.
Was rather intrigued by the lead screws, i broke mine 9 years ago and close on £200 and 6 months delivery from MM.
I always left a ratchet and socket at the back for the two nuts.
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
I did inset 18" of 10mm square gauge plate along the back of the bed to set things square against and it is proving incredibly useful.
It was a very tight fit, had to tap it in with a hammer, half expectied the back of the table to split off but I seem to have got away with it.
Haven't done the splashguards and pneumatic spindle lock yet.
Next I want to wire up the 1 micron tool locator. Hopefully this will let me set the tool position exactly where I left it the day before and autoset the height following a tool change.
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Hi Robin,
I have read this thread (more than once) on the work you carried out converting your Warco Major to CNC.
I too have the same machine and I am contemplating doing the same thing. (but I am new to the CNC field, but do have some local backup on seting up using Mach3 etc)
I do have a couple of questions for you that are specifc to this conversion, if you would be so kind.
Was the overall expendature and effort worth it, in terms of the usefullness of the machine when finished?
I am perticularly interested in the Z axis arangement you came up with. How is that working out for you now?
Which motors and controllers did you finally go with and on what voltage do you run them. Do still you consider them to be the correct choice?
With hindsight, is their any aspect of the project you would change and why?
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
swarf-boy
I do have a couple of questions for you that are specifc to this conversion, if you would be so kind.
Overall expendature and effort worth it? For me, yes. I had already CNC'd it without the benefit of CNC and as a budget job I got what I paid for. If you want to get the tolerances down, and keep them down, I think preloading nuts and screws is a good idea. The mill has 2 problems when you try to cut better than .001". The column flexes, the quill is sloppy. Grease the quill, try to keep the head wound right down when milling. Value for money? I did it because I became obsessive about seeing a couple of zero's after the decimal point on my calipers, value for money depends on how freaky you are.
The 'Z axis arangement' works well. Setting up a mill is a time consuming business, so putting in two 8mm screws to lock the Z is not exactly onerous.
Motors and controllers? I used 3.5Nm NEMA34's and Garys 240 volt drivers that come straight off the mains with no seperate PSU. The motors were rated 3A wired in series, the lowest setting on the drivers was 3.18A RMS, 4.5A peak. They seem unstallable, snapped a 12mm end mill like it wasn't there when I had a whoopsy. Not sure how fast they go, my computer can't keep up. I'm quarter stepping at 200 steps to the mm. They run a bit hot but it doesn't seem to worry them.
Anything I would change? Yes, I would mount the Y axis nut 12mm towards the front so I could have gotten the tool centre in line with the front of the bed when I cut it flat. The bolt heads collide at the back. Also a few annoying clearance errors. The Z axis digi scale top interferes with one of the bolts holding the cheeks in place, had to miss the bolt out. The Z axis handle comes very close to the Z stepper conduit clamp. I was slightly concerned that the heat from the X axis motor might be getting on to the lead screw but it doesn't seem to get above blood heat so probably okay.
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Hi Robin,
Thanks for the swift reply.
That is all very usfull info.
May I just stretch you a little more on a few points.
Do you have any suggestions on how to "stiffen" up the column
Which motors exactly did you use ( part numbers would be extremely usefull) and were did you get them from?
What is the voltage at the motors?
Thanks
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Gary was no stock on the motors at the time so I got them from ArcEuro. I think they are the same motors wherever you go.
I never measured the actual voltage at the motors, I soldered and shrink wrapped everything before I plugged it in. Not sure I want to measure it at the driver end either, I am a bit nervous about exploding voltmeters. I used fat wires with fat insulation, had to cut part of the wire core away before it would go in the driver connector. Overkill perhaps, but I don't expect much in the way of losses even on the long run to the Z so probably around 200VDC.
The drivers aren't cheap but as they plug straight in to the mains you save on the PSU, also you can be fairly sure you won't have to replace everything later due to a lack of volts at the motors like I did.
Not sure you can stiffen the column. I thought about concrete but the movements are so small, thermite? Also I can't be sure the flex is actually in the column, may be the whole thing bending, may be where the column joins the base where I shimmed it to cut square. It is practically impossible to measure.
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
I have read the whole build and it brought back memory's as i have a similar mill, i hope Robin does not mind me adding some info of how i tackled the problems.
My biggest issue was the Z axis namely the play of the quill in the headstock. I also made three failed attempts at cnc'ing the Z
My own quill had just over .1mm slack which is abysmal, i had a quote to hard chrome the quill and grind it to size of £300 and thought there must be a better way.
I cut through the front of the headstock with an angle grinder also at the top of the headstock to allow the quill bore to become flexible in diameter.
So now the quill was too tight, so i have adjusting screws that allow me to open the bore for the quill this allow me to get a beautiful fit of the quill in the headstock tight enough that there is no play but free enough that there are no issues with lost steps.
To CNC the Z i based my design on a Bridgeport mill (Getting the Nut As Close To The Quill As Possible) which i have also, by machining a slot in the quill i have mounted a custom housing that takes the ball nut it is made in steel and by using two strips of steel in the headstock i can take all the wobble out of the quill.
In fact i have the quill rotated 180 degrees in the bore as that was where it seemed to slide as easy as possible so now the the teeth for the gear are at the front.
It has two steel cheeks attached to the headstock and looks very similar to Robin's in that respect.
I do not suffer from flex in the column and my belief it that the flex in Robin's machine in fact comes from the poor fit of the quill.
Although clamping the quill will minimise problems it will not eliminate it completely.
Phil
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
M250cnc
I cut through the front of the headstock with an angle grinder also at the top of the headstock to allow the quill bore to become flexible in diameter.
Hi Phil
This really does beg a picture :smile: :smile: :smile:
Robin
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Hi Phil,
Robin is correct. I would love to see a more indepth view of this too. (PLEASE).
Re: Warco Major CNC build log
Ohh Phil , that looks realy interesting.
Can't wait for you to start other thread.
What do you recon, Robin.
