All axis fully under the control of Mach3 running through existing PKS Digiplan drivers.
I even got cocky and ran the Roadrunner sample Gcode.
Chuffed ...Richard!
Mach3 running unmodified Triac!!!
Moderators: Martin, Steve, Mr Magoo
Mach3 running unmodified Triac!!!
At last i've done it.
All axis fully under the control of Mach3 running through existing PKS Digiplan drivers.
I even got cocky and ran the Roadrunner sample Gcode.
Chuffed ...Richard!
All axis fully under the control of Mach3 running through existing PKS Digiplan drivers.
I even got cocky and ran the Roadrunner sample Gcode.
Chuffed ...Richard!
Hello Richard!
This sounds very promising.
Unfortunately only few information about the transformation.
Could you surrender a little more details?
How have you attached everything?
Which parts of the control were used further?
Does the spindle remain controllable?
How works the tool changer?
Best wishes
Enny
This sounds very promising.
Unfortunately only few information about the transformation.
Could you surrender a little more details?
How have you attached everything?
Which parts of the control were used further?
Does the spindle remain controllable?
How works the tool changer?
Best wishes
Enny
Hi Enny,
Check out my previous mails as this will tell you most of my experimentations.
At the moment I only have x,y,z motion but it was the first time I powered it up last night. As yet I don't even have the limits tied into mach3 which I will have to consider as a matter of priority.
Give me a few days and I will get back with further info.
...Richard
Check out my previous mails as this will tell you most of my experimentations.
At the moment I only have x,y,z motion but it was the first time I powered it up last night. As yet I don't even have the limits tied into mach3 which I will have to consider as a matter of priority.
Give me a few days and I will get back with further info.
...Richard
-
davidimurray
- CNC Expert
- Posts: 194
- Joined: Thu 24 Aug , 2006 9:45 am
Absolutely david. Many thanks again.
The circuit diagram you gave me was the basis of the modification but I needed to take a second ribbon cable back to the old motherboard as that's where the 12v (?) supply comes from to fire the drives.
The board looks a bit messy but it works.
I am not sure if the next job will be to try and fool the motherboard that I have moved to abs datum, or to completely rewire my limit switches and spindle control.
If I just fool the mother board I should then be able to power up the spindle and it will still throw out the main contactor if I get dangerously close to the machine travel limits.
All good fun!
...Richard
The circuit diagram you gave me was the basis of the modification but I needed to take a second ribbon cable back to the old motherboard as that's where the 12v (?) supply comes from to fire the drives.
The board looks a bit messy but it works.
I am not sure if the next job will be to try and fool the motherboard that I have moved to abs datum, or to completely rewire my limit switches and spindle control.
If I just fool the mother board I should then be able to power up the spindle and it will still throw out the main contactor if I get dangerously close to the machine travel limits.
All good fun!
...Richard
- Attachments
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- new board.jpg (106.24 KiB) Viewed 38297 times
Hi Richard
Any chance in being more specific about what you have done?
A circuit diagram of the interface board would be very useful, I was unable to find it in your previous forum discission. The photos look interesting and I would like to duplicate what you have done.
Also a clear indication of the exact points it is connected into the existing electronics would be useful.
Regards
Any chance in being more specific about what you have done?
A circuit diagram of the interface board would be very useful, I was unable to find it in your previous forum discission. The photos look interesting and I would like to duplicate what you have done.
Also a clear indication of the exact points it is connected into the existing electronics would be useful.
Regards
Hi All
I have now also succeeded in driving my Triac in X Y Z directly from my PC using Mach3 with no mods to the Triac.
I am now tackiling PWM speed control into the spindle motor inverter.
I am also now needing to link in the home switches. Does anyone know exactly where I can pick them up on the processor board. This will save me time doing diagnostics. Any details of the location of a full wiring diagram would also be extremly useful.
Regards
I have now also succeeded in driving my Triac in X Y Z directly from my PC using Mach3 with no mods to the Triac.
I am now tackiling PWM speed control into the spindle motor inverter.
I am also now needing to link in the home switches. Does anyone know exactly where I can pick them up on the processor board. This will save me time doing diagnostics. Any details of the location of a full wiring diagram would also be extremly useful.
Regards
I've just logged on to try answer your earlier email and it seems your understanding of electronics is far beyond mine HPdrifter. My experiments were based on the diagram that david provided and a bit of logical thought. Unfortunatley, i'm a Mechanical Engineer so I am pretty limited with all this electronic modification stuff, but coming from Yorkshire i'll do my damdest not to pay for some new drives when I have three perfectly good PKS-Digiplan units already.
As you can see from looking at my board all that I did was make a ribbon cable for all the feeds that were left after over after I had made the transistor switches. I did this because I had no idea how to make the computers 5v into a 12v signal needed by the drives. I can see from your board that you understand how this is done. I am glad of this as whilst mine works it still relies on hooking up to that big old motherboard.
This afternoon I have been looking at attempting to link in the limit switches and try get some sort of speed control going. The limit switches hopefully will be pretty easy as I can just build a new cable to match the connections on plug C02. I have found a plug/socket very similar at Farnell's; can anyone connfir this is the right thing
https://uk.farnell.com/jsp/Connectors/Mu ... ku=1188226
As far as the speed control goes, my motor is a Lenze DC controlled by a Lynx 08. Now here I do have problems as the Lynx requires 0-10v and I have no idea how to get this from the 5v of the Mach3 computer.
So I think we are now in role reversal mode Hpdrifter as I will be coming to you for advice!
One thing I have done, however, that I can recommend is to take out the complete electronics 'drawer' from the Triac and place it behind the machine on a table. All the cables reach and it makes working on it a lot easier.
Oh, any chance of a wiring diagram of that board you have built Hpdrifter so I can cut the apron strings (ribbon cable) to the motherboard
Thanks ...Richard
As you can see from looking at my board all that I did was make a ribbon cable for all the feeds that were left after over after I had made the transistor switches. I did this because I had no idea how to make the computers 5v into a 12v signal needed by the drives. I can see from your board that you understand how this is done. I am glad of this as whilst mine works it still relies on hooking up to that big old motherboard.
This afternoon I have been looking at attempting to link in the limit switches and try get some sort of speed control going. The limit switches hopefully will be pretty easy as I can just build a new cable to match the connections on plug C02. I have found a plug/socket very similar at Farnell's; can anyone connfir this is the right thing
https://uk.farnell.com/jsp/Connectors/Mu ... ku=1188226
As far as the speed control goes, my motor is a Lenze DC controlled by a Lynx 08. Now here I do have problems as the Lynx requires 0-10v and I have no idea how to get this from the 5v of the Mach3 computer.
So I think we are now in role reversal mode Hpdrifter as I will be coming to you for advice!
One thing I have done, however, that I can recommend is to take out the complete electronics 'drawer' from the Triac and place it behind the machine on a table. All the cables reach and it makes working on it a lot easier.
Oh, any chance of a wiring diagram of that board you have built Hpdrifter so I can cut the apron strings (ribbon cable) to the motherboard
Thanks ...Richard
Hi
The 0-10V from the PWM output by Mach3 is simple enough using an digital to analogue filter. I may get time to explain more fully later.
I also spent some time yesterday investigating the homing and limit switching. This is more complex than I anticipated mainly because the homing switches are inductive proximity switches and do not produce a crisp on/off, there is also too much noise to enable the NOR gates to switch without excessive bounce.
The 0-10V from the PWM output by Mach3 is simple enough using an digital to analogue filter. I may get time to explain more fully later.
I also spent some time yesterday investigating the homing and limit switching. This is more complex than I anticipated mainly because the homing switches are inductive proximity switches and do not produce a crisp on/off, there is also too much noise to enable the NOR gates to switch without excessive bounce.
Are you sure about them being proximity switches on the limit/home extents? My instruction manual does say proximity switches but I am sure at least my Z axis is a mechanical switch.Yesterday I deliberatley wound down the Z axis right onto the table (by hand) so I could see the top switch and it was a normal mechanical micro-switch. I haven't gained access to the X & Y swiches yet but I can see that they are actuated by what looks like a piece of keysteel with a ramp filed on it, which again would suggest a mechanical micro-switch. Of course, your machine may be a later model but it might be worth checking if you haven't already done so.
...Richard
...Richard
I have virtually completed my project today. I have my Triac running fully under the control of Mach3 without gutting any of the existing hardware.
The homing and soft limits is working fine as well as the PWM speed control of the main motor via a jaguar Inverter.
The 3 homing switches are inductive on my machine and the six limit switches are mechanical. I eventually opted to use the X+ Y+ Z+ limit switches by linking pins 12 & 14, 15 & 17, and connecting pins 11 & 18 on CO2 to the control board.
I connected speed control directly to the PL P plug after converting PWM to 0 to 10V.
Hope this helps.
The homing and soft limits is working fine as well as the PWM speed control of the main motor via a jaguar Inverter.
The 3 homing switches are inductive on my machine and the six limit switches are mechanical. I eventually opted to use the X+ Y+ Z+ limit switches by linking pins 12 & 14, 15 & 17, and connecting pins 11 & 18 on CO2 to the control board.
I connected speed control directly to the PL P plug after converting PWM to 0 to 10V.
Hope this helps.
Well you don't mess about do you Hpdrifter 
I guess you are just using the mechanical limit switches and not connecting the inductive homing switches and are just letting the mechanical switches look after everything.
I noticed when looking at my machine last night that the X axis mechanical switches have roller arms on them so will allow a degree of overtravel but the Y & Z axis have just a small pin facing in the direction of the oncoming slide. As these switches are only tiny little things, with I suppose a limited amount of free travel, are you confident that they will stop the machine before the slide bottoms out the pin? I am hoping you say that you have experimented and your machine is still in one piece!
If you have time I, like others on here I guess, would appreciate some guidance on how you converted the 0-5v speed control of Mach 3 to 0-10v for the inverter or, as in my case, DC controller.
Regards ...Richard
I guess you are just using the mechanical limit switches and not connecting the inductive homing switches and are just letting the mechanical switches look after everything.
I noticed when looking at my machine last night that the X axis mechanical switches have roller arms on them so will allow a degree of overtravel but the Y & Z axis have just a small pin facing in the direction of the oncoming slide. As these switches are only tiny little things, with I suppose a limited amount of free travel, are you confident that they will stop the machine before the slide bottoms out the pin? I am hoping you say that you have experimented and your machine is still in one piece!
If you have time I, like others on here I guess, would appreciate some guidance on how you converted the 0-5v speed control of Mach 3 to 0-10v for the inverter or, as in my case, DC controller.
Regards ...Richard
Yes, I have thoroughly tested the machine and everything is fine.
I can't beleive I did the whole thing for £4.80 + lots of time of course.
I machined my first components yesterday, it's excellent, the dwell time between blocks of code is completely eliminated. And the functionality of Mach3 is a revalation.
I am also a mechanical engineer and not an electronics whizz. This should help. MOSFETS unlike common transistors switch on voltage not current. Therefore if you switch it on and off with say 5V between the Gate & Source then you can output say 12V between Drain & Source. This solves one problem. I suggest you get a simple electronics project book from Maplin, it is all explained.
You feed the 5V PWM from Mach3 into the MOSFET (IRF 510's) this converts to 10V PWM, this output then goes through an RC filter to produce an analogue 0 to 10V. This is effectively a 4.7K resistor on the output and the a 10uF capacitor to ground. If you put a scope on the output you will see as you adjust Mach3 the voltage will change from 0 to 10V in sympathy.
Hope this helps.
I can't beleive I did the whole thing for £4.80 + lots of time of course.
I machined my first components yesterday, it's excellent, the dwell time between blocks of code is completely eliminated. And the functionality of Mach3 is a revalation.
I am also a mechanical engineer and not an electronics whizz. This should help. MOSFETS unlike common transistors switch on voltage not current. Therefore if you switch it on and off with say 5V between the Gate & Source then you can output say 12V between Drain & Source. This solves one problem. I suggest you get a simple electronics project book from Maplin, it is all explained.
You feed the 5V PWM from Mach3 into the MOSFET (IRF 510's) this converts to 10V PWM, this output then goes through an RC filter to produce an analogue 0 to 10V. This is effectively a 4.7K resistor on the output and the a 10uF capacitor to ground. If you put a scope on the output you will see as you adjust Mach3 the voltage will change from 0 to 10V in sympathy.
Hope this helps.