You and me both, I thought it was in the manual till I saw it there....
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You and me both, I thought it was in the manual till I saw it there....
Which motion controller you use doesn't matter. All you are doing is using a Output to turn the drive Enable signal on or off.Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
What matters is the Software Mach in this case has an enable output option for each axis which turns on or off when software is reset or E-stopped. You Assign this enable option to any output pin or pins you choose.
Often you'll just use 1 output and use this to trun a relay on or off which in turn sets all the enables on each drive.
Thanks Dean
So am I right in thinking that the default on these drives is enabled? unless instructed otherwise as in the manual for the DM it says these are not usually connected, I have seen many wiring diagrams now where they are and I fully intend to just a little confused as to why they would say not normally connected
basically will the drive still work if these are not connected I think is a simpler way of putting this!
Yes they will work fine if not connected. Yes and No to default being Enabled. To understand better how the Enable feature works some understanding of the feature will help.Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
The Drive signal inputs by Default are enabled and when you use the enable feature what your actually doing is turning them off.
One of the main reasons to use the enable feature is so the Motor stays powered up. The enable signal just disables the drive inputs
and leaves motor under holding torque.
This is fine for Say limit triggers for when other axis need holding Ie Z axis and when leaving machine for any length of time when Mach is not Re-set so motors or axis can't accidentaly moved. But Not when in E-stop situation when really power should be removed from the drives.
Dean thanks, I am putting a fully latched safety circuit on the machine just could not get a good grasp of how the enable worked so thanks for that!
So whilst getting along with the electronics circuits I am going to start to fashion some machine guards to protect both me from the machine screws (I have a tendancy to get too close to the machinery - through no fault of my own) and also to stop flying chips and debris getting into the screws.
Whilst at that I want to run some ally channel so I can have the E chain run along side the guards, what size chain do people generally use for the various bits of the machine?
I can see at the moment I am likely to have:
z axis - spindle main cable, z axis limit and home switch and water pipes for spindle, z axis motor cable
y axis - All the above plus the y axis motor, y axis limit and home switch
x axis - all the above plus the x axis motor wire, x axis limit and home switch
Any suggestions on size?
I can get hold of up to about 50 x 20 from a local supplier but its pretty pricey p/m
It's generally a good idea to separate power from signal cables but that would mean 2 lots of e-chain...
I'd agree with separating power from signals
My machine has echain down either side of the X axis carrying each type.
The machine before this one has some of them together and tripped out quite a lot. The new one is much better but the long Z home cable occasionally still causes a trip.
I must point out that the previous machine and the current machine both use cables direct from the BOB so they end up being long especially Z. How much of this can be improved / removed further by using relays etc I will soon find out because that will be of my electrical upgrade in progress.
Back to your question. I started with 50mm or so but these are quite bulky so latest machine has something like 20-25mm width and is much more compact whilst still taking the cables. Helped by splitting runs down each side as mentioned.
Right,
I am about a week away from getting the control box wired up so I am just ordering some parts last min.
The PSU I have ordered is http://www.airlinktransformers.com/c...nge/CM0625225/
I wanted to check if these parts are going to work ok with this coil.
Bridge Rec:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KBPC3502-B...item35e3aaabd5
Capacitor:http://uk.farnell.com/vishay-bc-comp...uctSubstitutes
I know Rapid do a cheaper one as do Farnell however they have indicated it probably won't be back in stock for a good 10 days which is too long for whats planned in the diary!
If I am a mile out please let me know :)
Those bits are fine. But as you know the cap is a bit (lot) expensive. ..Clive
Many thanks Clive
I am searching around in the hope of finding them a bit cheaper but at least i am on the right track!
Cheers
You might find it cheaper to get multiple smaller caps, I got 4 x 4700uF ones for a few pounds each, just means more connections to make...
Also... what sort / size cable do people generally use for wiring coming from the psu to the stepper drives and wiring the power elements of the estop circuits bearing in mind I am using the CSMIO from cslabs so its all 24v in relation to the motion controller except the mains in
Just trying to get an idea of whats best to order in bulk
You could use cat5 flexi cable or a screened cable for all the switches and limits, Estop etc. 1.5mm CY 4 core for the steppers (don't forget to ground to a star point at the driver end) and a bit of 2 core from the 24V power supply to the BOB.Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
You want Tri rated for general single wire runs for power to steppers, relays etc like this. http://www.csecables.com/acatalog/Tr...l#aTri_2d0_2d5Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
For signal cables you want Shielded CY cables or like Clive says you can use twisted pair Cat5 but only use inside control panel not running to limits etc on machine as it's not really flexible enough. I tend to use Cat5 in box as theres less wires and one cable will provide for 2 drives.
http://www.csecables.com/acatalog/CY-Cable.html
Bear in mind the Csmio doesn't provide voltage from the I/O you have to feed it 24V +/- to each I/O so you'll need plenty of connections on the 24V rail or do some jumpering. Suggest you get some Din rail terminals with Jumper bars to create one Multi connector.
Thanks Clive and Dean.
That tri rated cable what size am I am looking at for the stepper power feeds?
Well 0.5mm/2 would be ok on Max amp rating given most motors are rated around 4-5A but 0.75mm/2 will give plenty of safety margin if you'd prefer OTT. I think the Tri rated cable is safe to around 600Vdc so you no worries here.!!Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
Yes quite correct I should have said cat5 flexi as in the patch cable type. (although you can buy flexi by the roll). CliveQuote:
For signal cables you want Shielded CY cables or like Clive says you can use twisted pair Cat5 but only use inside control panel not running to limits etc on machine as it's not really flexible enough. I tend to use Cat5 in box as theres less wires and one cable will provide for 2 drives.
Aliexpress is your friend for cheap capacitors, and just about anything really:
http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?...t=10000uf+100v
You need to be wary of fakes - I got these as they were the cheapest at the time and they're fine. On the lower end of the tolerance but that's not a big deal for what we're doing.
[Tried to edit previous post to add this, but kept getting 'message too short' error]
This is how I've been using the capacitors:
http://www.mycncuk.com/attachment.ph...id=14850&stc=1
It keeps things reasonably neat.
I think if you go to '' GO Advanced '' you can over come the problem of '' message too short''
That's great thanks for all that, spent a small fortune on the control cabinets stuff today but it should all arrive in time. Went for 4 smaller caps in the end.
Today's stumbling block is the main belt for the x axis. Measured up and it needs to be 3000mm. I have spoken to a number of suppliers and none can do anything over 2500.
Would a welded polyurethane belt be ok? This looks like it might be the only way I can get one of these to work?
Any suggestions
How come 3000mm? Isn't your machine footprint 1200 x 900mm? My footprint is 1300 x 950mm and I'm using 2525mm long belt.
Can you not use one belt between the X axis ballscrews and then with a double pulley on one ballscrew just put a short belt to the stepper?
No the width of the machine now is around 1300 between x axis screws
The problem I have with that and the reason I wanted the one belt is mainly because if the long belt snaps the short one will still be driving one axis.
I'd have just slaved them otherwise :/
If your talking about buying a welded belt not knocking one up your self then yes they work fine. My old machine was 3200 with made up belt and never had any problems. In over 5yrs only had to change one belt after pulley fell off which was my own fault.Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
Yeah I have no intention of welding it myself :)
It's from a belting supplier, thanks for confirming that Dean.
Not a problem either just put a sensor on longer belt which is tied into E-stop so if it snaps machine stops.!! . . . . I did this with my machine just because I leave it unattended for long periods.Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
I've got a load of new old stock of screened 8, 6 and 4 core alarm cable if anyone needs any, it's worth about £15 a drum on the bay but I can't be asked with that, happy to help anyone out if they would like some.
Should be good for limits and so on?
.Me
right I have got the belt! well its ordered, cost a small fortune mind so I hope it won't break!
Yet another question. I am just fitting up the limit switches on the machine and then the homing.
I have the large industrial style limit switches with a roller that can be activated either cw/cww which I am going to have activated by a ramp rather than bumping into it. However the homing switches are proximity. how and where do people generally fit these?
This going to sound obvious when I say it.!! . . . . Where ever you want HOME to be.!!Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
Generally you'll position them so they follow Cartasian coordinates ie Bottom left corner and in front of the limits but they can be any where you like. They are really only used as a Fixed referance point to define MACHINE coordinate Zero which you then use to Reference WORK coordinates.
One problem with NOT putting them in corner is that depending on which side of the switch axis is parked it could miss the switch. This is why generally you put them in a corner and set controller up so it always HOMES negative or Positive so can't miss the switch.
It was more how they were positioned however I think I have figured the best solution(s) for this machine based on keeping them out of the way of the "crap" thats likely to be thrown up at them if mounted lower down.
Managed to get them all as travelling switches as I had hoped so should make for less wires everywhere.
It makes sense you would home at the front I suppose, I dont know why but I thought to start with if you were standing at the front it would be back of the machine left hand side, but I suppose thats due to the way my machine is positioned. Although it does still give good access to tool changing etc hmmm I will have a think.
Thanks though Dean
Depends really where you stand at the machine. Often routers are viewed from the side in which case viewing from the front it would be back left corner and long axis woul'd be X axis. Viewing from the side that would still be bottom left corner.!Quote:
Originally Posted by fvfdrums
If you stand in front of machine then you'd call across the gantry the X axis and long Axis would be Y. Again this would follow typical drawing coordinates.
But like I say doesn't have to be and some don't have it this way. I prefer so home is in bottom left corner and all moves in MACHINE coordiantes are positive. So Homing is always traveling towards negative.
Hi Paulo
I bet when you started this thread you didn't realise that the title '
On the horizon' would be so apt! First post is nearly 3 years old . . .
On a more helpful note you mention home location and tool changing - don't let one dictate the other as you can set a PARK position at any arbitrary point you want. Mach3 2010 screenset has this built in or you can add the feature to the standard screen if I remember correctly.
I don't even like people talking about front and side - I'm not sure which is which! I'm sure opinions differ... For me, the long axis is X and short, gantry, axis is Y. Already we have upset the north American community who tend to use the opposite convention. I stand facing the long side with the gantry home position to my left and which makes the LH corner nearest me the natural 0,0 place. Feels right as well as it matches the usual axis layout you would see in a graph. It also means that the spindle is close to hand for tool-changing when it's in the home position. But as long as you know how your CAD/CAM process maps to the bed of your machine, this is all a bit arbitrary and you can decide for yourself which axis is X and so on, and what's convenient for home switch positions.
Agreed and just to add to this 2010 screen set actually has a TC (tool change) position and a Park position. In practice you'll change tools anywhere you feel suits you best and it probably won't be in one set location.Quote:
Originally Posted by routercnc
Many don't realise you can actually jog away to any point to change tools so often you'll just jog closest location to you from work piece and change tool there. Running to the other end of even a medium size machine to change tools soon becomes tiresome, so nearer to the Work location the better.
This fits and brings nicely to placing work piece on the table.? Again on medium to large routers you'll often be cutting pieces much smaller than the table size and it's tempting to always locate in same place which is easy to reach.!! . . . This is not good for the machine as it tends to wear screws and rails etc in one place more than another so spread the work around the table. This is when you'll want to jog to closest location to workpiece rather than run to other end of machine for each tool change.
Easy really.! Side is when gantry is running side to side. Front is when Gantry is running away and towards you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Neale
If stood in front then you want the Axis which runs across the Gantry to be called (X Axis) and the Gantry moving away/towards you (Y axis) This way you retain the Cartaisian coordinate system with X0,Y0 in bottom left corner.
There is No right or Wrong only preference. Mostly based on where you stand or view.
That's why I find this whole front/side business confusing - should that have said when gantry is running front to back, that is, left to right? I call the long side of my machine the front because that is where I stand to use it. Doubt if it makes sense to anyone else, as it's because of the layout of my workshop. But I strongly agree that it's just a matter of preference, and what is absolutely vital is that x0,y0 is at the lh corner nearest you, so the bed looks just like the virtual sheet of paper you draw on in your CAD programme. If you don't, you are going to confuse yourself every time you try to set up a new piece of work. I've ended up with x0,y0 at the far right-hand corner of my 3D printer and I get mildly baffled every time I use it. I should just turn it through 180 deg, but I'm too lazy to shunt everything around to do it.Quote:
Originally Posted by JAZZCNC
Well it's down to how we typicly define a router I suppose.!! Look at any picture of a router, DIY or Industrial and 99% will show it looking length ways down the narrow view of machine directly facing the gantry. This facing the gantry would be classed as the Front and the Gantry would move away and towards you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Neale
If your stood facing the long side you'll be looking side ways down gantry length and it would indeed move left to right or side to side as I put it.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...a498f2ba77.jpg
One of many things that's arrived this week. Exceptionally well made and presented. If it operates even half as good as it looks (which I have no doubt it will) I'll be very happy!