Upgrading My Cnc Machine

Well there isn't much to learn really and what is to learn is also to be learnt about Mach3, the operating systems work the same on an operator side. The bugs list is because LinuxCNC is actively being developed, it is very stable. Anyway I am not here to try and convince you just thought I would throw out an option. The cost and quality cannot be matched as LinuxCNC is free and the Mesa cards are very well priced.
 
Had to work late tonight to fix someone else's mistake, but what the heck.

No need to be uptight because I don't want to use Linux right now. I guess I didn't put enough of those smiley things in my post to show I was having some fun.
Actually, I looked at Mesa's website for a bit and searched for a 4 axis motion controller and couldn't find anything similar. Are you sure we are on the same page with my Servo motion controller?
 
Sorry that it came across that way. The motion controller is LinuxCNC, it does all the heavy lifting and control. The Mesa cards only output the proper signal type to the drivers that you have, in this case analog servo drive. You would need two cards from Mesa that are listed below, the 5I25 is a PCI card that goes in the computer and the other is the analog interface, if it was just step orientated then you just need the 5I25. This is just an example, send Mesa an email and they will take care of you and get you the best configuration for your drive.

5I25-SP PCI Anything I/O – 34/ I/O bits LX9 Spartan6 FPGA Standard profile $89

AND

7I33 4 axis Analog servo amp interface for Anything I/O $69

OR

7I48 6 channel analog servo interface - quadrature encoder input $99

OR

7I77 6 axis analog servo interface - 48 isolated I/O for 25 pin Anything I/O $199
 
Okay, this is starting to sink in a bit through my thick skull. :)

So, correct me if I'm wrong so I can start to plan this process. This is referencing my pictures earlier in this thread.

In a one line perspective, 1st I would have a computer at the operator station- either a laptop or a flat screen mounted in a Nema 4 box with a mini computer (or any computer capable of running Win 7/8/10), then cable down from the computer to the large junction box on the back. Any wiring that originally went to the existing tape drive cabinet and controls would be removed along with the ice cube relays in the control cabinet. Next install a board or stand alone motion control unit in the junction box and use either expansion terminal strips or cable from the board to a breakout board for terminals. Connect from the terminals to the existing drivers, including the power connections and/or 24V power where necessary ( some boards seem to require a 24V source?)
Power it up and set up.

I will be bringing in a 240V source to a terminal board and separating the Servo power and head power there since the servo drives don't require 3 phase and my VFD is sized only slightly larger than the power motor. I think it pulls 5.8 amps @ 240V 3 phase (1 1/2 hp). On the primary side of the VFD, this should equate to about 7.5 amps incoming. If I bring in a 20 Amp 240V power cord with a neutral and ground to the terminal board, I still have almost 10 amps @240V to serve the other loads- Servo drivers, quill power, computer power, and other various solenoids for oiling, cooling, and other loads which are negligible. I can always bump this up to a 30 Amp feed if necessary but I won't know for sure until I have a chance to run it and put an amprobe on the circuits.

Am I missing anything here or am I on track? The loose ends always kill me on these type of projects ( and end up nickle and dimeing me to death). If I get this done soon enough, I can devote some time to machining this summer when I'm off work a bit and also one of my other many hobbies now that the weather is good-

Cobra done3.jpg

Thanks again for all the help guys, I hope there are others gaining something from all my newbie questions.
Bob
 
Okay, I have another question regarding this connection. The motion controllers or breakout boards have inputs for the encoders. At the present time, the encoders are connected to the drivers. Do I simply jumper them from the driver connection point to the breakout board/terminal add-on board and leave them both connected, or do I connect them directly to the breakout board and take them off the existing driver connection point? Hopefully, I can get a connection diagram with whatever used board I end up buying and this will be spelled out, but with my luck probably not.....

Bob
 
You pretty much have the basics down, and your power plan seems reasonable.

I have never seen encoders connected driver boards, they normally connect into the motion controller. The tachs connect to the driver boards. The encoders are normally 4 or 6 wires in the cable, the tachs should be 2 wire.
 
Sure glad you guys are helping me out here. After further investigation, the encoder cables are 5 and 6 conductor cables and were initially terminated in the operator cabinet. So, I guess I could install the motion controller and breakout board in the operator cabinet instead and run wiring down to the control cabinet to the drivers to make the connections? This may simply a few things and keep the control boards in a cleaner environment in the operator station j-box.

I'll have to figure out which wires in the encoder cables go to which function but at least everything is there to find.

Bob
 
Jim,
Sent you another email. Ready to start buying hardware and need your back up.... :)

Bob
 
So I bought a motion controller on ebay that should do the trick - GALIL DMC-2143 4-AXIS MOTION CONTROLLER, ICM-20105 INTERCONNECT OPTO I/O. Still not sure what I need as far as cables to connect it all to the drivers, encoders, etc.... except for the ethernet cable I need for the computer connection.
Now, I need to line up a computer and I would like to mount the computer and controls on an operator console. I've been searching for the right one for my purposes, but not quite finding what I want so far. Any ideas what you guys would use for a console with a flat screen flush mounted, necessary controls and room on the face to mount them, and where to find such an animal?

Coming along slowly,
Bob
 
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