A question

[Gary]

The drivers are most likely analogue drivers and accept +/-10V for the velocity reference.
The linear scales are connected to the CNC controller, and the motors are most likely working open loop? with the cnc controller closing the position loop?
If this is the case, your options are as follows with the best option at one.

1) get a new cnc controller that will accept the scales and give +/-10V as a velocity reference.

2) Buy new servo drivers that can accept the linear scale and have the driver close the position loop, and connect to you PC with a smooth stepper and Mach 3

to be honest i would forget using a PC based solution and opt for the cnc controller.
If the existing motors and drivers work the CNC controller will be far cheaper to do, and will perform so much better.

Thanks Gary this system has proper servo amplifiers, motors are rated @150nm.But it has linear scale for position feed back to the control. The machine is made by rambaudi. The control has breathed its last breath spares are hard to come by so a new pc based control it has to be. Its the closed loop bit I need to who does what.

[bodgeitandscarper]

Hi Gary the controller fitted is no longer made By fidia so what your saying that mach3 will not support closed loop could I use something like a galil board with the drivers to work with mach customer has had a quote for heidenhain 12k. so If iam half that then Im in :dance:

[Gary]

There are plenty of controllers out there, you can get a 4 axis cnc controller with lots of I/O and inbuilt PLC for about £1500-£2000.
It does not need to be the same as the one allready in the machine.
You could also use a galil PCI card, but how much would that cost? then the cost of the PC, and does the galil card accept the linear scales? I am not familiar with gallil stuff, but i do know that there is a plugin for mach.

Hi Gary the controller fitted is no longer made By fidia so what your saying that mach3 will not support closed loop could I use something like a galil board with the drivers to work with mach customer has had a quote for heidenhain 12k. so If iam half that then Im in :dance:

[bodgeitandscarper]

Do you Have any such systems in mind I know that does not have to be the same system Just not 1 hundred perecent sure whats out there.

[Gary]

Email me the details of the scales and how many axis and also what the drivers are and i can send you some details.

Do you Have any such systems in mind I know that does not have to be the same system Just not 1 hundred perecent sure whats out there.