First Project | proLIGHT | Acorn Conversion

[citterly]

Here are some pictures, I'm happy to take more if they are not entirely useful.
I'm guessing the first step is to identify drivers for the motors?

I'm going to start searching, but please feel free to offer suggestions.
I've done some small projects in the past running steppers with Arduino and RaspPi.
So I think I can bench test them for sure with some simple configurations of those platforms...

Thanks!!
Chris

PS - I believe I found them here:
http://www.mcsupplyco.com/uploads/produ ... uctID=1202
M063-CS06 looks to be toward the end of the list...

PPS - I also have the drive box, potentially the Acorn could talk to it???

[martyscncgarage]

There are 5 pnuematic valves. Do you know what the purpose of each one is?
You will have to change out that spindle controller or get a signal isolator (search for Signal Isolator)
I didn't see a picture of the inside of the cabinet with the stepper drivers?

Marty

[citterly]

There are 5 pnuematic valves. Do you know what the purpose of each one is?
You will have to change out that spindle controller or get a signal isolator (search for Signal Isolator)
I didn't see a picture of the inside of the cabinet with the stepper drivers?

Marty

The valves control the tool changing, so spindle and T1, T2, T3, T4, to make up the 5 valves.

Upgrading the spindle controller, sounds fine, I'd like to rigid tap.
So is that a VFD? Is the encoder seperate?
What vendor site should I be looking at for this component?

I'll take a picture of the drive cabinet in a moment.
It didn't occur to me until I made the post that it should be opened...

[DICKEYBIRD]

You will have to change out that spindle controller or get a signal isolator (search for Signal Isolator)

Looks like that's a Minarik controller & it possibly already has a signal isolation circuit onboard. If the OP can get a model number & a manual he might be able to use it as is with Acorn.. Worth a look-see anyhoo.

edit: Oops, didn't see the rigid tap/reversing requirement. That'll be a different kettle of fish.

[citterly]

I didn't see a picture of the inside of the cabinet with the stepper drivers?

Marty

Here's the drive box.
You'll see it has power and communications for everything.
The computer is attached through a standard parallel port.

The box itself is very nice construction, and they gave me two of them.
This one had a RMA sticker, so I figured it was the better of the two to open ...

[martyscncgarage]

Dickeybird is right. See if you can get a manual for the DC spindle drive.
To do rigid tapping, you will have to reverse the spindle and do it relatively fast.
Dickeybird, share the drive combo you are using, can it reverse fairly quickly?

You would have to install a line driver encoder belted at 1:1 via a timing belt to your spindle for rigid tapping. If the right DC spindle control is used, it should be doable. The drives are from KB Electronics

Judging from the picture of the control cabinet, it might be difficult to reverse engineer the stepper driver board, in order to find the step and direction inputs. You could reuse the DC power supply if you chose to reuse the existing stepper motors.

As for the number of pneumatic solenoids, and the ATC, I think your problem maybe the number of inputs and outputs that Acorn has, which is 8 of each at this time. Running the machine itself, shouldn't be an issue.

Marty

[citterly]

The ATC is a "nice to have" for me at this time.
It's a platform for learning and eventually doing prototype work for small parts.

At the moment, the spindle operation seems foreign.
I'm going to need some time to research and get my head wrapped around that component.
While I would really like to rigid tap, it's not an absolute phase 1 requirement.
That can occur at a later point of upgrade.
Making chips is priority 1.

Trying to reverse engineer the existing driver board will take more time than I want to spend.
That's probably a level or two above my skill set...

That said, I think getting 3 axis motion going is a good first step.
Using the existing steppers seems reasonable, and will keep the costs down for the initial effort.
It looks like these guys sell drivers:
http://www.mcsupplyco.com/uploads/Manuf ... perior.asp

Is this the right way to go, or are the drivers more universal??
Do I need to match some electrical specifications, then just identify pin out for the motors?

If there are other / better drivers to be using, I'm open to suggestions.
THanks!

[martyscncgarage]

The ATC is a "nice to have" for me at this time.
It's a platform for learning and eventually doing prototype work for small parts.

At the moment, the spindle operation seems foreign.
I'm going to need some time to research and get my head wrapped around that component.
While I would really like to rigid tap, it's not an absolute phase 1 requirement.
That can occur at a later point of upgrade.
Making chips is priority 1.

Trying to reverse engineer the existing driver board will take more time than I want to spend.
That's probably a level or two above my skill set...

That said, I think getting 3 axis motion going is a good first step.
Using the existing steppers seems reasonable, and will keep the costs down for the initial effort.
It looks like these guys sell drivers:
http://www.mcsupplyco.com/uploads/Manuf ... perior.asp

Is this the right way to go, or are the drivers more universal??
Do I need to match some electrical specifications, then just identify pin out for the motors?

If there are other / better drivers to be using, I'm open to suggestions.
THanks!

I would suggest purchasing stepper drivers from a local company with support. I prefer Geckodrive products.
I happen to like the Geckodrive G540.
automationtechnologies.com sells them and other stepper drivers.
I don't like to go cheap and use ebay sources. If you need support you want to be able to know you can pick up the phone or email them and they will respond. That is worth the bit extra in my opinion.

That said, automation technologies carries other stepper drivers. You should be able to reuse the power supply out of your current control.
The KL series stepper drivers should work for you as well.
Like: https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.c ... rs/kl5056/
You would need 3 of these, (4 if you ever try a 4th axis)
The G540 comes with 4 axis of stepper drivers, but it also comes with some IO and spindle control which Acorn has on board and you would not use.
Obviously much less expensive to use the KL series drivers.

You must pair the driver to the motor by figuring out what your power supply voltage is. That is pretty easy. Find the large filter capacitor and put a meter set to DC on it while its powered up and read the voltage. (You need to figure out your stepper voltage first before choosing the stepper driver)

You also need to know the current (amps) your steppers operate at, that is on the label on the stepper motor.

Marty

[citterly]

This is a great start, Marty, thanks.
I'll dig into this today and let you know where I land.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Dickeybird, share the drive combo you are using, can it reverse fairly quickly?

Marty

I use the KBCC-125R which is a unit that combines DC speed controller, reversing relay, braking resistor & heatsink. It does require a signal isolation board to work with Acorn. I use the KBSI-240D. It reverses plenty quickly enough to do rigid tapping