Any experience or software for Control Techniques FNC4? Wha do I replace it with?

[mitip]

i saw the CSMIO and was not sure which model. I assume you suggest that model as my older servos will be ananloge.
RE I/O there are limit switches, sensing air pressure for the spindle, power for the cooler. At present the spindle is connected to an extra axis, i assume to receive an analogue signal for the inverter driving the spindle. Can the CSMIO accept encoder input?

Mike

[uli12us]

That depends what you want to do.
If you want to reuse the existing drives, you need the IP/A, if you want to change it for modern drives you can buy the IP/M. I don't know the prices,
but you need 100quid for one drive.
The new drives can be controlled with step/dir. But you must connect the encoder lines directly to the drives. They need to have an differrential (maybe single-ended is enough) TTL output. If you have another signal, then maybe you can change it, with special electronics. Or you must change it with an encoder from HP/avago.

Your drives are capable of a bit more then 60V and 3Amps continuous/ 6 Amps Peak for 1 second. So you need a brushed DC/Motor drive with not less then these amounts.

The only drives I found for my machine are Leadshine DCS810 or american Geckos, which are doubled as expensive.

[Chaz]

i saw the CSMIO and was not sure which model. I assume you suggest that model as my older servos will be ananloge.
RE I/O there are limit switches, sensing air pressure for the spindle, power for the cooler. At present the spindle is connected to an extra axis, i assume to receive an analogue signal for the inverter driving the spindle. Can the CSMIO accept encoder input?

Mike

Yep. In fact, for the IP-A model, it needs it. Without encoder feedback directly into the CS Labs, you cannot provide the information it needs to know what the motor is doing. I am using the IP-A CS Labs unit on my Denford Triac

[dodgygeeza]

It will be cheaper to change the controller to the IP-A version, changing the motors and drivers will cost more than the new controller and will also need mechanical changes to the motor mounting flanges. After this you would then need to add a motion controller, because a standard breakout board will not handle the 24V I/O let alone the amount of I/O you will need.
This conversion will take time and this will cost more than the parts if you are paying someone else to retrofit it. Do you have the documentation on the machine? like the wiring or at least the installation manual for the controller and drivers?
before you go any further, you need to know if the existing motors and drivers are actually working? and you need to check if the encoders are incremental or absolute. If they are dodgy or absolute encoders, then changing the motors and drivers may be the way forward, but also changing the controller to an IP-S or M, but i would favour the S version.
I could do it, but i have about four other machines that i need to do first.

[uli12us]

You don't need to change the motors, changing the drivers is enough.
60V and 3/6Amps isn't really expensive.
The Gecko 320X or leadshine DCS810 each with 80V 20Apeak are more than capable for this.
But the encoder of the motors must have a TTL output, single ended is enough.

[Chaz]

You don't need to change the motors, changing the drivers is enough.
60V and 3/6Amps isn't really expensive.
The Gecko 320X or leadshine DCS810 each with 80V 20Apeak are more than capable for this.
But the encoder of the motors must have a TTL output, single ended is enough.

The machine runs with DC motors with tacho feedback to the motor itself. There is a separate 2000 PPR encoder on the output of the leadscrews for feedback. Do these drivers take feedback from that?

[Chaz]

These are the encoders being used:-

http://www.mct-ltd.co.uk/pdfs/counters/755.pdf

[dodgygeeza]

The Gecko and Leadshine drivers only accept feedback from encoders so unless you feed the encoder that is fitted to the ballscrew directly into the driver or fit them to the motor, then is will not work.
However, getting them tuned and working well is another matter and personally if i were to change them i would put ~AC servo motors on it.
Also Single ended output form an encoder is not ideal and differential is much better.

[uli12us]

It seems, you can use the encoders (eventually you must add a small resistor from Encoder to the input clamps of the Driver), but you must enter the right amount in the configuration pages. With the 2000PPR you can make 8000 steps per turn of your spindle. If you have a 4mm spindle, then you can have a maximal resolution of 0,0005mm.