Comparing motion controllers...

[Clive S]

Hear you... Ive just read about microstepping and torque and so on. It seems like the real benefit of microstepping is not so much improved accuracy as less noise and less wear as mentioned above... So, i will settle for the more common 1.8°motors and i will set the drivers to microstep.

Don't forget the low inductance

[JW1977]

Don't forget the low inductance

Right! Low-inductance, bi-polar... Theres a lot more to that but im getting there...

[JW1977]

So, to get back on track... There´s either the IP-M or the PoKeys57CNC right now.

Jazz had me pretty convinced about the IP-M until i read Boyans comments about the PoKeys57CNC...

[Clive S]

So, to get back on track... There´s either the IP-M or the PoKeys57CNC right now.

Jazz had me pretty convinced about the IP-M until i read Boyans comments about the PoKeys57CNC...

You will need one belt for the slaved axis with the IP-M If you want two motors slaved you will need http://www.zappautomation.co.uk/elec...-step-dir.html if I have linked correctly Jazz has had a lot of experience with all the CS lab stuff and it is tried and tested

[JW1977]

You will need one belt for the slaved axis with the IP-M If you want two motors slaved you will need http://www.zappautomation.co.uk/elec...-step-dir.html if I have linked correctly Jazz has had a lot of experience with all the CS lab stuff and it is tried and tested

No belts! The IP-M can do slaved axis but it doesnt support the gantry geometry correction...
As being mentioned in this thread that will have to be done in another way. A bit rough but well working apparently...

[Clive S]

No belts! The IP-M can do slaved axis but it doesnt support the gantry geometry correction...
As being mentioned in this thread that will have to be done in another way. A bit rough but well working apparently...

So you are going with the hard stops route!!

[komatias]

So, to get back on track... There´s either the IP-M or the PoKeys57CNC right now.

Jazz had me pretty convinced about the IP-M until i read Boyans comments about the PoKeys57CNC...

There is nothing wrong with the Ethernet Smoothstepper if you are going to buying a breakout board. The support is fine now, even though in the past it was sketchy. I know Jazz has his opinion on the generic breakout boards and he is justified. To be fair, we have seen countless conversions and builds use the standard 5 axis BOB's and work just fine. The latest incarnations of them will run on 12-24Vdc and even modulate 0-10V for combination with VFD's while being fully optoisolated. You do need to be careful with your cabling and grounding whatever controller/BOB you go for so it is all up to you which one you prefer.

Backlash compensation has been painted as a hack, however even the big boys do it (even when they use ground screws). That is the only way you can use C7 cheap ballscrews and not chase your tail wondering why your circles are not round. If you can afford the C5 with preload or zero backlash then yes you can forego backlash compensation.

[JW1977]

There is nothing wrong with the Ethernet Smoothstepper if you are going to buying a breakout board. The support is fine now, even though in the past it was sketchy. I know Jazz has his opinion on the generic breakout boards and he is justified. To be fair, we have seen countless conversions and builds use the standard 5 axis BOB's and work just fine. The latest incarnations of them will run on 12-24Vdc and even modulate 0-10V for combination with VFD's while being fully optoisolated. You do need to be careful with your cabling and grounding whatever controller/BOB you go for so it is all up to you which one you prefer.

Backlash compensation has been painted as a hack, however even the big boys do it (even when they use ground screws). That is the only way you can use C7 cheap ballscrews and not chase your tail wondering why your circles are not round. If you can afford the C5 with preload or zero backlash then yes you can forego backlash compensation.

Thats interesting! Even if ive bought C7 ballscrews from Chai this time i want to make the machine as accurate as i possibly can.
Im leaning towards the smoothstepper once again. Its got all the fatures, a pretty good rep and there is lots of knowledge out there from people using it.

[JAZZCNC]

So, to get back on track... There´s either the IP-M or the PoKeys57CNC right now.

Jazz had me pretty convinced about the IP-M until i read Boyans comments about the PoKeys57CNC...

How can Boyan or anyone comment when they've never used the IP-M or had any dealings with Cslabs. ?
The Pokeys is ok and for the money gives good value but it's not in the same league as the IP-M or Cslabs products. Also it does require a BOB because it's I/O are not protected. The I/O logic is still 5v and comes with all the potential noise issues low voltage can give. There's much more to Cslabs than just being in case.!

Cslabs are very good as a Company and at software, they always respond to any questions or problems. not always instantly but in general they come back to you quick enough. Which is more than lots of hardware manufacturers do. They do and have listened to requests for features that's exactly why the IP-M now does slaving, it didn't at when first released. So it's not fair for him to say such comments and condem the company just on some else comment.

I have no loyality to any manufacturer and trust me if the Pokeys was better than the IP-M or Cslabs products I'd be using it and telling you and everyone else to use it. That doesn't mean the pokeys isn't a good controller it's ok but it's not and I repeat it's NOT in the same league as the IP-M.

I spend a lot of time and money testing products I fit on machines and won't ever comment if I haven't used or tested them properly. But end of the day everyone as to make there own decison and work to different budgets. I just pass on my experience, if folks care not to listen then that's there choice.! . . . Personaly when someone with experience advises me I tend to listen.

[JW1977]

How can Boyan or anyone comment when they've never used the IP-M or had any dealings with Cslabs. ?
The Pokeys is ok and for the money gives good value but it's not in the same league as the IP-M or Cslabs products. Also it does require a BOB because it's I/O are not protected. The I/O logic is still 5v and comes with all the potential noise issues low voltage can give. There's much more to Cslabs than just being in case.!

Cslabs are very good as a Company and at software, they always respond to any questions or problems. not always instantly but in general they come back to you quick enough. Which is more than lots of hardware manufacturers do. They do and have listened to requests for features that's exactly why the IP-M now does slaving, it didn't at when first released. So it's not fair for him to say such comments and condem the company just on some else comment.

I have no loyality to any manufacturer and trust me if the Pokeys was better than the IP-M or Cslabs products I'd be using it and telling you and everyone else to use it. That doesn't mean the pokeys isn't a good controller it's ok but it's not and I repeat it's NOT in the same league as the IP-M.

I spend a lot of time and money testing products I fit on machines and won't ever comment if I haven't used or tested them properly. But end of the day everyone as to make there own decison and work to different budgets. I just pass on my experience, if folks care not to listen then that's there choice.! . . . Personaly when someone with experience advises me I tend to listen.

Well im all ears and i try to keep an open mind. I will make my decision based only upon the answers i will get from you here.
Btw i have send the people att CSLABS a mail now.
What do you say about the IP-M lacking electronic backlash compensation?