Novamill, first time in cnc (Mach conversion)

[angel-tech]

Hi everyone new to the forum and yes this is my first adventure into cnc, and i'm raring to go.

I've bought myself a Novamill which has dos software, and as i'm totally new to cnc is it worth upgrading to a windows based software package like mach3 or similar, or simply staying with the dos package?

I've spoken to the guys at Denford, and they have said i will need an upgrade to my board to use the Denford windows based software, if i went with Mach3 what would i need to change, and what sort of cost would be involved to do this.

[Denford Admin]

In theory, you shouldn't have to change any hardware - it should be possible to attach Mach3 to the axis step and direction pins on the Baldor base-board
Depending on the spindle drive, you may need an isolated interface from the Mach3 spindle command to the drive, unless you wired it up manually with a potentiometer.
Same with the feed pot - I'm not familiar with how Mach caters for analogue or digital IO and am guessing much of it depends on the Mach interface board you get.

So, what I mean is, what you already have will work ok - you just need to work out how to interface it all to Mach - have a look through for others who have done similar stuff - I'm sure they'll be happy to advise:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1763&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1823&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1664&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1108&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1506&hilit=mach+novamill

[angel-tech]

In theory, you shouldn't have to change any hardware - it should be possible to attach Mach3 to the axis step and direction pins on the Baldor base-boardDepending on the spindle drive, you may need an isolated interface from the Mach3 spindle command to the drive, unless you wired it up manually with a potentiometer.
Same with the feed pot - I'm not familiar with how Mach caters for analogue or digital IO and am guessing much of it depends on the Mach interface board you get.

So, what I mean is, what you already have will work ok - you just need to work out how to interface it all to Mach - have a look through for others who have done similar stuff - I'm sure they'll be happy to advise:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1763&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1823&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1664&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1108&hilit=triac+mach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1506&hilit=mach+novamill

Are the axis and step points east to find? I assume you would have to isolate the signal fron the baldor board and simply feed the new signals in.

[angel-tech]

i may take the whole controller out and replace with a bob and new driver boards.

Been having a play around today, and everything is working well under dos/fanuc, with one strange exception. The motor only spins clockwise, whichever button i press, cw or ccw.?

This gcode stuff reminds me of the old bbc days, hours of programming for an insignificant return, windows based software is a must.

[Denford Admin]

I assume you would have to isolate the signal fron the baldor board and simply feed the new signals in.

The baldor top card could be removed and the step/dir pins connected to directly onto the 90 (?) way connector.

BTW, You should still be able to create long CAM generated programs and use the DOS software - I believe the DOS software was only limited on program size for editing and there was a way to have it run bigger programs from disk:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1084&hilit=dos+large+program

Q. I want to edit and simulate a CNC program bigger than 64 KB. What should I do?
A. The DOS offline software can only process data in block sizes of 64KB or less. When you load a program file larger than 64KB, a message will display to indicate that the total file size is too large. Press the [RESET] (or qwerty keyboard equivalent) button to remove this message. The screen background colour will change to purple. The program filename will be displayed in the top right-hand corner of the screen, as usual. The software will now automatically run in 'drip-feed' mode. This means that when you try to edit or simulate the file, the software will load the file into its' memory in separate but consecutive 64KB blocks, until the whole of the program file has been edited or simulated.

[Denford Admin]

Are the axis and step points east to find?

This should help:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2264

[angel-tech]

Well a few days later and with the great info supplied by you guys, i have mach 3 controlling my novamill, many thanks.
For the princely sum of £13.80 (breakout board), and a few connectors salvaged from an old photocopier (a good source for steppers), i have control.
There were a few hiccups along the way, mainly port settings different from the breakout board, but everything seems ok. The next step is to connect the limit switches and look at the spindle drive.

Again guys, thanks.


One question though as there is only one limit switch on each axis, i assume the original software limits the travel away from the limit switch to a specific distance on each axis. Is this correct?

[Martin]

The Novamill does not have any limit switches fitted to it. The switches fitted will be the Datum switches. From the datum points we then use software limits on all 3 axis.

The travels are as below on a standard Novamill.
X = +225 mm
Y = -150 mm
Z = -115 mm

[angel-tech]

yes, that's sort of what i meant. , my lack of terminology is showing.

They feel like microswitches and by the look of it they are nc to ground, switching to open circuit on activation. My job for today is to wire them up and successfully home the machine.

It looks like 58 is the common ground and 66, 67 and 68 are the datum switches, with 57 as the emergency stop.

[angel-tech]

datum switches are sorted and the emergency stop.


Just got the spindle to do now.

is there a diagram of the spindle board and analogue board, i'm hoping that there is a digital signal into the analogue board and that drives the spindle board.

analogue board is - R19 32dbz

spindle board has no details on it.

[Martin]

R19 32dbz ?
That sounds like a Postcode!

Can you post some photos of both cards?

[angel-tech]

here you go, the first is the analogue board



lol, looking at the pic of the analogue board i can see R19 is a resistor.


The second is the spindle board

[Martin]

The analogue card is made by Baldor & the spindle drive looks to be a Sprint 400.

I am not aware of any drawings or info for the Baldor.

I will see if I can get the Sprint data sheet added to the download section. The connections are the same for the 400 , 800 & 1200.

[Martin]

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2275

[angel-tech]

quick update, got everything going a while back, but i've been so busy playing i forgot to post about it.

Thanks for all your help, time for a lathe now.

[Chestnut84]

Just out of curiosity could you help get me get my spindle working. I have motion in xy and z just trying to get the spindle fully functional now.

[Martin]

Is the Sprint 400 powered up. (The red power LED should be illuminated).

Is the run contact on 4 & 5 closed.

Have you got a analogue signal to contacts 2 & 3. (2 = 0voltsDC - 3 = 0 to +10 volts DC depending on requested speed.

[Chestnut84]

The board does power up. I wired a jumper wire where the wires labeled 84 and 85 connect to the board and control that with a switch. But only get one constant speed. Forgive my lack of knowledge but I do not understand the last question pertaining to the analog signal to 2 and 3. Being that I don't understand I'd guess no. Thanks for responding any further info would be great.

[Martin]

The spindle speed is controlled by an analogue voltage on connectors 2 & 3. It's 0 - 10volts depending on requested speed & should come from the control card.

[Chestnut84]

Would a way to make it work manually be to give 2 and 3 10v DC and control from 0 to 10v via a potentiometer. Or is there such a board to do this through Mach 3?