I have a large VMC I have retrofitted with mach as well. Currently
I'm using Mach3 with the LPT control, and will upgrade to Grex some
time after the new dll plugin control for it is released. I'm not
familiar with your anilam control, but I'd bet your existing servo
drives are functioning and it's your controller that's going on the
frtitz? If so, you can keep all the existing servo drives etc and
just run some step/direction to +/- 10v analog cards that your servo
drives likely take as direction input. This is what I did using cards
from skyko technologies. www.skyko.com great price and great product
if you're servo drives take +/-10v signals. You can use the printer
port for step/direction signals for the time being, and install a Grex
later for the increased speed as I will be doing. I have a
DirectLogic DL-06 PLC for the numerous I/O that my VMC craves. If
you're in a pinch for a few more I/O through the LPT, you can get a
parallel port expansion card (with 2 ports) for under 20 bucks at
www.tigerdirect.com
Hope this helps!
Chris
--- In mach1mach2cnc@..., "Mark Vaughan" <mark@...> wrote:
Hi Guys I'm a newbie to the group, and Mach 3.
I have recently purchased an AVON 2200 CNC vertical mill with faulty
Anilam
Crusader M series controller. Have fixed much of it, but it's not
reliable.
This has massive 120V SEM 2000RPM, 15A servos on all 3 axis with 200
thou
pitch ball screws, and 254 pulse encoders.
I am looking to upgrade it to Mach 3, and then Mach 4, and use a
GRex G100
controller, but it would appear I have landed in the middle of a
development
phase.
It is important I can get something up and running as a basic 3 Axis CNC
mill (at least as good as a parallel port version) in a couple of
weeks. Hi
speed is not presently important.
Looking at Arts video's it would look as though I can connect a GRex
G100 as
a basic interface controller and it will work satisfactorily,
without all
the fancy capabilities of the GRex, Am I right in this assumption?
If not then perhaps I need to pick up a isolated serial port
breakout box to
get things going and run that in tandem with the GRex until it is fully
working.
Since my motors are 120V, 15A, the Gecko servo controllers only run
to 80V
so I will be looking to use either Rutex, or Teknix servo controllers, I
assume there is no preference between either of these, and no
problems to
interface to the GRex Rutex are similar price, and capable of a lot
more
current and I would therefore assume a little more bullet proof.
My present DC supply is 150V, which gives out about 120V to the
servo's, but
no problem to adjust this since I have a big multi tapped three phase
transformer.
I should also say, I have no 3 phase supply at my shop, this is being
generated from a 7.5HP TECO inverter / VFD and I may need to sine
filter it,
but have not at present. Motor runs fine, three phase transformer
wines a
little.
For encoders I am looking at 2000 pulse differential A+, A-, B+,
B-, and
N+, N-, this appears to be a common pulse count and should give
pretty good
resolution.
When it all starts to work, I will be adding forth axis to the knee.
I have to go away on business later this week for a few days, so I would
like to get parts ordered before I go, and start when I get back.
Can you please throw me your opinion guys both good and bad.
Thanks Mark
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