Geckodrives vs others

[Jonathan]

It depends really on what size machine you're intending to use them on? Once that's known I can advise properly, but if it's a small machine you're unlikely to see the benefits.

Edit: Also did you have a particular Geckodrive in mind?

[andy0202]

It depends really on what size machine you're intending to use them on? Once that's known I can advise properly, but if it's a small machine you're unlikely to see the benefits.

Edit: Also did you have a particular Geckodrive in mind?

Thanks for the reply.

It will have a table of approximately 3ft x 4ft so I am considering 4Nm steppers paired with the geckodrive G213V which seems like it has been protected against almost everything so should last.

Nema23 Stepper Motor 4Nm x 3

G213V Selectable Resolution Digital Stepper Drive

I have looked at some of the leadshine drivers. Do they perform the same morphing as the geckos?

Regards
Andy

[audioandy]

Hi Andy

Have a look at this

YouTube | RoboCNC.nl

Third one across top "Testing Leadshine Stepper Driver"

I cannot give you the direct Youtube link as I am at work and youtube is blocked !

Andy

[JAZZCNC]

Ok ounce upon a time I'd have said Gecko's can't be touched and still say they are top notch drives.! BUT the new lead shine digital drives are amazing and do everything the new geckos do with the added benefit they can be tuned in software and tweaked to perfection. I'm not talking the PM542/752 run the mill drives but the DM & AM range and the 542/752 can't touch the gecko's despite what John S say's (He's just a bitter & twisted old Git. .)

Don't be fooled by the Gecko 203V/213V unkillable label because I've just killed a 203V no problem.!! . . . .BUT here's the sweet bit with Gecko's and why it can and does pay to buy them even if they cost a bit more.! . . . The drive I've just killed is almost 3yrs old it was completely my fault why it died by mixing power polarity up after testing another company's drive. Quick email to gecko and it's being replaced/repaired free of charge and that's with me being completely honest and telling them it was my fault. . . . Can't say fairer than that after 2.5 +yrs . . . . (Oh and in nearly 3yrs they haven't missed a beat or step, sometimes working for 36hrs non stop!!)

John S is right thou that customs bend you over dry with stuff from the states so be prepared for the sting.!!

Me if got the money I'd go for the Leadshine AM882 digital's next would be Gecko's after that then If I had to and was in a rush then PM752's other wise I'd wait and save up for the Digitals.!!

[andy0202]

Me if got the money I'd go for the Leadshine AM882 digital's next would be Gecko's after that then If I had to and was in a rush then PM752's other wise I'd wait and save up for the Digitals.!!

Some great comments guys thanks for the replies.

It looks like the leadshine drives work out much cheaper too. For what its worth is it better to go for the 856 over the 556 (up to 80V)?

They also have these on the bay for around £60. Is there a fake drive market out there to be aware of or can I rest easy they will be ok?

Andy

[JAZZCNC]

Some great comments guys thanks for the replies.

It looks like the leadshine drives work out much cheaper too. For what its worth is it better to go for the 856 over the 556 (up to 80V)?

They also have these on the bay for around £60. Is there a fake drive market out there to be aware of or can I rest easy they will be ok?

Andy

Can only comment thru personal experience on the AM882 from Zapp
Zapp Automation Ltd - Stepper motors & Stepper Motor Drivers - Servo motors and Servo Motor Drivers - Ballscrews & linear motion products. : AM882 Digital driver with stall detect [AM882 Digital driver] - £98.40

80V and 8.2A so plenty of overhead for future expansion plus using lower powered motors the drive is no where near being taxed so life expectancy will be longer.

These drives are very very nice and if your thinking to slave motors then they have a very nice anti stall feature.?
Above 300rpm they attempt to avoid stalling but better than that for slaved motors is that if one of the motors does stall or lose position above the set tolerance level the drive can output a signal. Which if wired thru the E-stop system or into an input the control software monitors the slaved motors can be stopped almost instantly in a controlled manner so no damage or racking occurs.
Very very handy for slaved motors and works very much like a servo system would regards position loss. With steppers it's very rare for them to lose position or stall below 300rpm but above 300 and higher when torque is dropping then it's very common so this system is great improvement and nice safeguard for slaved Axis.

[Jonathan]

Definately get the 80V driver over 50V since the motor torque at high speed is roughly proportional to the applied voltage.

Can only comment thru personal experience on the AM882 from Zapp
Zapp Automation Ltd - Stepper motors & Stepper Motor Drivers - Servo motors and Servo Motor Drivers - Ballscrews & linear motion products. : AM882 Digital driver with stall detect [AM882 Digital driver] - £98.40

80V and 8.2A so plenty of overhead for future expansion plus using lower powered motors the drive is no where near being taxed so life expectancy will be longer.

Or if you're on a student budget:

New Leadshine AM882 Drive 80VDC 0.1A - 8.2 | eBay

Also I wouldn't bother with the 4Nm motors you mentioned since on your size machine they wont gain anything over the 3Nm motors from the same supplier, or Zapp. The 4Nm could even be worse.

Edit, missed this bit:

They also have these on the bay for around £60. Is there a fake drive market out there to be aware of or can I rest easy they will be ok?

I recall Gary at Zapp saying there are fakes of leadshine drivers around. That doesn't necessarily mean they're no good though, so I'd be happy to try them. However my machine works perfectly well on PM752s, so there's no need for me to change stepper drivers. When I change the drivers it wont be steppers on the other end...

[Mammoth 01]

Hi, Andy

I am in the process and new the the cnc world. The set up I have built is Mach 3 with a warp 9 Ess, PMDX 126 and leadshine AM882 drives. I am having problems getting Motors to move from Mach. I have everything hooked up correctly as far as I can see. I did not hook up the enable to +5 v to the drives, because the PMDX typical hook up didn't seem to call for it. I can make motors turn form the Leadshine pro tuner with no problem, so that tells me there is something wrong with Mach settings. I am at a loss at this point. Getting frustrated. Hopefully you or someone knows about this set up.

Thanks

Ben B.

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Ben,

Not enough info to help I'm afraid. Need to know exactly what is connected and what isn't and to which pins etc.

Best bet is to post Pics of the Motor outputs and Inputs and outputs in Ports n pin setup in mach3.
Also what inputs your using on the PMDX and what goes to which. Also how the Dip swithces are set on the PMDX.

It will be something simple like Active low or the PMDX not enabling it's motor outputs. Something daft like Possibly you haven't enabled the Charge pump or E-stop etc.

[Mammoth 01]

Hi jazz,

I'm back with some info. So here is what I have set up Mach 3 is running and communicating with Ess and PMDX 126. I have unhooked all Am882 drives except one on J2 of the PMDX. Using just one drive to be safe for testing.

(PMDX to Am882)

I have the +5vdc from J2 connected to PUL+ and DiR+ on AM882 (the +5v is jumper end at the driver with a short wire, as instructed by PMDX manual.

Pin 6 on PMDX is Wired to PUL- on Am882 pin 7 is wired to DIR- on Am882

alm and enable are left unhooked.

(Motors to Am882)

4 wire Wanti stepper motors 1090 oz 5.6A 85BYGH450D-008 (red wire=A+ green=A- yellow=B+ blue=B-

hooked to drivers accordingly

72VdC hooked to drives.

drive dip settings are as follows 1 on 2 on 3 off 4 off 5 on 6 on 7 on 8 off

Drives are active and blinking green led no faults.

i am able to move motor fine with Am882 test pulser in the pro tune when hooked up with my laptop.

(PMDX/ Mach settings and hook up)

pmdx is is set to normal mode with charge pump in dip settings.

ess is installed on PMDX with posts plugged in with two ribbon cables supplied by Ess warp 9.

Estop cir is hooked up and functioning properly on port 1 pin 10 Mach

charge pump is enabled in Mach port 1 pin 17

J2 which is showing as axis z in Mach has been enabled port 1 pins 6and 7.

have tried checking both active low on and off and get response from led signals next to pin 6 and 7. Also when I try to Jog the motor I am getting a step light flickering on the PMDX, showing a step signal.

I have tried different motor motor tune settings as well in Mach . The Am882 is set up for micro step 8 in the pro tune screen which they are saying that is equivelant to 1600.

So at this point let me know what else you need

thanks

Ben