Supermax Retrofit Acorn and Viper 200 drives

[trikepadeler]

Hello all, I'm new just joined the forum a couple of days ago. I'm in the process of retrofitting a mid 80's Supermax. I been procrastination for a long time since the machine was still working. I purchased the Viper 200 F drives from Larry at Larken back in 2014, and the Acorn probably in 2018. So finally I decide it is time to start cutting some wires. I'm not an expert so I'm winging it as i go. Hope I will find some help as I go on. I couldn't find much info on the Viper 200 retrofit CNC wiring. I Never built a CNC before nor I worked on one so I'm learning as I go with this project. Luckily I found Marty's CNC garage channel and watched all his videos, So now at least I have a good understanding of the Centroid board. I pulled the control form the cabinet and removed the old Servo drives, isolation transformer and most of the wiring. Keep the High voltage and the 15 vdc power supply. It has a Snap Change tool changer that I want to keep. I tried to insert a few pictures, but i haven't figured it out how. , I saw a post from Marty suggesting some one to make a link to Google pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ySDxyCDMA5qXFQJf9

Frank

[martyscncgarage]

Good luck with the Viper drives. Make sure you BENCH TEST the control with PC first, then add a drive and a motor and get it turning FIRST, on the bench, not in the machine. Then add the second and third drive.

Look at the Acorn SYSTEM Schematic and follow it.
You have to SHARE a link from your google album and then copy that link here. Your link did not work. Likely you copied it from the Browser URL line.

Good luck. I think I would have opted for All in One DC instead of Acorn and Viper but should work. Make SURE you have the correct encoders on your motors to work with the Viper drives. I hope you get support from Larry after all these years. Let us know how you make out and with tuning the motors.

[trikepadeler]

Marty, thanks for the reply. I didn't know much about the Centroid products till I ran into your YouTube Channel. I had purchased the PMDX-126 BOB, Viper drives and US Digital E5 1000 encoders back in 2014. I ditchid the PMDX BOB to the centroid due to the software. I like the Centroid over the Mach software. So I'm pretty invested in this route. I will try to figure out the reason why the link to the google photo is not working

Frank

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ySDxyCDMA5qXFQJf9

[martyscncgarage]

Link is working. Keep us posted as you progress.
Marty

[trikepadeler]

When I pulled the X axis motor and counted the pulley, I noticed the play in the screw. Up on checking it out, I found the ball nut to be OK, The play I have is in the back of the screw where it gets anchored, hopefully is just a bad bearing. I'm still amazing how the machine was making pretty good parts. That old velocity and vector system with the linear glass scale was a good system. No matter how loose the screws is the table never looses position.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JEC4oPzWkb7wVQLj9

[martyscncgarage]

Good time to check all mechanicals including thrust bearings. I had to replace them (and repair the housing) on the YCM-40 I had.

[trikepadeler]

Finally, I got one of the servos to run somewhat OK with the Viper tune software, I still have to figure out what I'm i doing wrong or not doing, the drive will not store the settings. Tried with and with out the jumper. I will have to contact Larry. Yesterday during tuning the servo started oscillating so violently I lost the encoder reading. When I ordered the encoders from US Digital, I ordered an installation kit too, but they forgot to send me the alignment bushing. I only received the shim and hex key. So I made a bushing reinstalled the encoder and tested again.



I have the older Acorn board and I do not see a 5 VDC terminal on the board. Per Viper illustration looks like I need a 5 volt signal for the Step and Direction signal. I might have to tap into the Acorn power supply.

[martyscncgarage]

Pictures didn't show.
There is no 5vdc on any Acorn. It's on the current power supply as a secondary voltage that ships with the current revision Acorn. If you don't have it on your Acorn power supply you'll have to order either a 5vdc power supply or a dual voltage power supply. 24/5vdc

[trikepadeler]

Marty, I read somewhere in the Q/A section and I think the administrator has to turn on the options for me to link pictures in my post.

I gave up on tuning and trying to save the parameters to the servo boards. I'm still waiting for Larry's replay to my email. Not much resource out there. Larry has a servo tuning video from 2018 and he has a pulley for a flywheel on the servo. I need to make a flywheel when I get a chance. I am thinking about making a hub for one of my 5 lb arm curl plates and try tuning it with that.

I connected one of the drive to the 5 volt that came on the Acorn power supply and exercised the servo with the factory setting.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CL5bve4BaT1KGZ8Q8

Frank

[martyscncgarage]

Click on full editor and preview under the box where you type your post. The under the box there is a tab for ATTACHMENTS. Click on it and point to the pictures you want to o attach.

I had Viper drives and abandoned them because of the support issue. DG4S may be a better option. CNC4PC sells them. Buy one and try and get a motor going. If you really want to o keep pursuing DC brush servos. There are better options like Clearpath SDSK servos and DMM AC servos.

Good luck