My "DIY" cnc build thread. Update Video

[RaindeerGames]

Good day gentleman.

My name is Reinier from South Africa.
I recently started my new diy cnc build.
It is a little bit heavy duty to be called a desktop. The frame weighed in at 1300lbs before epoxy granite and Im estimating it to be around 2000lbs now with the filling.

I have already built the whole control system over the last week and finally started it all up for bench testing today.

I will do a proper post in the next day or two but for now I need some advice.

Its a accorSix with Ultimate Mill.
Using Cloudray steppers. 2 open loop and 1 closed loop stepper for the Y-axis as this is a very heavy bed probably around 280lbs.
I have the initial settings in wizard on simple homing with no estop or limit errors nothing. I did it exactly like 2 of Marty's vids for bench testing.
The motor have power and i can feel they are locked into position and I can see 20W and 30W power draw respectively between the different size motors. If i force the closed loop motor out of position the immediately correct.

As soon as I set home position the motors power down and I simply can not get them to move with jogging function. As soon as I set home I can see the power draw on the motors drop away and then they move freely.
I will generate a report tomorrow and post some pictures but any help or suggestions on where to look for now would be greatly appreciated.



Regards
Reinier.

[RaindeerGames]

Ok I managed to do a report and have attached.
Here is a picture showing the only stepper I have connected now is the X Axis.
I tested again now. I can literally hold onto the motor shaft and it is solid in position hold and as soon as I touch the x axis jog button the motor losses power and goes limp.

Here is a picture of the setup and another one with just the x axis wired up.

X Axis....

Regards
Reinier

[centroid467]

Do you have the enable signal connected from Acorn to stepper drives? Stepper drives are often enabled by default and it is possible that the Acorn enable signal is disabling them rather than enabling. That would make sense if they lose power when the Acorn sends the enable signal.

[RaindeerGames]

Yes if You look at the second photo there the white wire in the loom from acorn to the driver is the enable connection.

[cnckeith]

please put all the photos in an album and post the link to the album that way all your photos are in one spot with one perma link.

[cnckeith]

post a link to the user manuals for the axis motor drives you are using.

[cnckeith]

error log shows lots of drive faults,

hook one drive up at a time.
don't use the drive ok input (drive fault) or the enable at first.
get motion going and then add those back into the mix one at a time.

[RaindeerGames]

Mr Keith You are the man for sure.

Ok here is my google photo album link for all pictures.

Here also is a quick video overview of the whole system....



I attached the 2 different manuals for the drivers. 1 for the closed loop driver and 1 for the 2 open loop drivers.

I just tested the Y-Axis by itself. it also works without the ENA connected. As soon as I connect it cuts the drive out.

But.....
Atleast now I can move forward as I need to move the controller into place.

Please if You guys see anything that doesn't look correct or something I can fix now before moving the controller let me know.

Thank You so much for the help this forum gives. Truly appreciated.

[RaindeerGames]

Ok so all 3 axis is now connected and working. did some MDI code and they all move as they should still without any ENABLE wires connected.

Im going to move the controller into position now.

[ShawnM]

Ok so all 3 axis is now connected and working. did some MDI code and they all move as they should still without any ENABLE wires connected.

Im going to move the controller into position now.

Most all stepper drives are "enabled" by default so the connection is not needed. If you wire it up you are actually disabling the drive and that's why it didn't work at first.