Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

All things related to the Centroid Acorn CNC Controller

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Upnorth
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by Upnorth »

I have a Novakon torus pro (stepper version) running on an acorn. It was a relatively easy upgrade. The computer Novakon supplied was more than adequate to run the acorn. If you look on the success stories page you can see a photo of how I fit it into the original case. I removed the original motherboard and the ethernet smooth stepper. You can still get a free upgrade to windows 10 with your original windows 7 serial number.

Once you get the acorn installed and running you will never miss the original controller.
CivilCNC
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by CivilCNC »

Upnorth wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:53 pm I have a Novakon torus pro (stepper version) running on an acorn. It was a relatively easy upgrade. The computer Novakon supplied was more than adequate to run the acorn. If you look on the success stories page you can see a photo of how I fit it into the original case. I removed the original motherboard and the ethernet smooth stepper. You can still get a free upgrade to windows 10 with your original windows 7 serial number.

Once you get the acorn installed and running you will never miss the original controller.
I definitely read your entire thread! Thanks for all of that. So obviously I am not the original owner, but I should be able to find my original windows 7 serial number on the PC Im thinking? I will definitely look into that! I have acorn on my grizzly mill I converted, simply for the conversational abilities, and it was no question that I wanted to do the same for this!
ShawnM
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by ShawnM »

CivilCNC wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:35 pm Alright I think I may be in the clear, for the onboard PC!! My research tells me this is a GIGABYTE GA-H61M-S2PV motherboard.
https://www.userbenchmark.com/System/Gi ... M-S2PV/270

The motherboard supposedly benchmarks at 2180, but I am not certain on what CPU :?: it has.. im assuming this will effect the benchmark rating? I will run my own tests with it when I am back at the shop. Im assuming I can load windows 10 onto this computer and it maybe good to go! Of course, It will be a dedicated computer with nothing else on it except CNC12 :D

I think this onboard PC should be good to go, but Ive been wrong many, many times before :lol:
That's not what that means, the motherboard itself doesn't benchmark. You want to check the benchmark on the CPU. Find out what CPU is in the motherboard from the information in the previous posts and check that on the PassMark Software website. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/

The SSD is great as is 8 GB of RAM. Loading a fresh copy of Win10 is the way to go. The Win7 key (needed for the free upgrade) is usually on the case on a sticker but since you don't have the case it's a bit tougher to get the key off the PC. Not impossible just a bit harder to do. keeping it a dedicated CNC PC is the best way to go.
CivilCNC
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by CivilCNC »

Just got my servo powered novakon up and running with MachSTD mill- I'm not a fan of this control much at all. Especially after using an acorn on my g0704 build. I'm looking to connect the acorn board thru my db25 parallel port on my novakon BOB.

Will I need to run an external computer besides the onboard? Or can I have 2 ethernet devices in the onboard PC? The onboard computer does have windows 10 and suitable cpu for cnc22

I'm assuming I will need something external to control the spindle as well. Some sort of isolator board.

I'm thinking that thru the parallel port is my only option to run acorn with the servos, but if not I'm open to suggestions

I'm not looking to have the machine down for long, as I have a lot of work to do!

Thanks
Jake
20210518_045211.jpg
Upnorth
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by Upnorth »

You only need the onboard computer to run the acorn.

The original novakon break out board will be removed. It will not work with your acorn. The acorn will take over all of it's functions.

The acorn has it's own isolated speed control output. You can feed this to the VFD.

If I were you I would just forget about the original control and get it working with the acorn. The original control was a never ending source of problems.
CivilCNC
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by CivilCNC »

Upnorth wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 4:19 pm You only need the onboard computer to run the acorn.

The original novakon break out board will be removed. It will not work with your acorn. The acorn will take over all of it's functions.

The acorn has it's own isolated speed control output. You can feed this to the VFD.

If I were you I would just forget about the original control and get it working with the acorn. The original control was a never ending source of problems.
Thanks for the response! So the thing is, that I have the servo version of the Novakon. Im finding maybe? I can use RJ11 breakout boards between the acorn controller and the Maxsine servo drivers to make this work. To be honest, thats just from reading instagram comments on @crosshatch_engineering instagram- I saw he converted a servo Torus and eliminated the Novakon BOB.

Good to know about the spindle control, Im guessing thats what you did? with the factory VFD straight to acorn? Im assuming we have the same VFD and spindle motor.
CivilCNC
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by CivilCNC »

RJ11 Din mounted breakout PCB.PNG
SO- big find here. this is exactly what I need to run these servo drives with the acorn board!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

https://www.asi-ez.com/member/~16000.asp

-JAKE
Upnorth
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by Upnorth »

If your drives will accept step and direction inputs you are good to go.

I fed the speed control directly to the VFD. In addition you will have to use a couple of outputs for spindle forward and reverse. My spindle is the standard one they supply. It's a 2 HP 3 phase 220vac motor. It's driven by a GS2 VFD from automation direct. The VFD may vary my original one was a Sunfar 550.

It looks like you also have the power drawbar. You will need to look in the Novakon power drawbar manual and use the schematic there to wire it up. I did have a few leftover wires from that but it has been working fine for more than a year. Since you are going to be digging around and rewiring I highly recommend removing the power draw bar battery and replacing it with a switching power supply. It will make the tool changes more solid. When I was using the battery it was under torqueing the drawbar.
CivilCNC
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by CivilCNC »

Upnorth wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 7:17 pm If your drives will accept step and direction inputs you are good to go.

I fed the speed control directly to the VFD. In addition you will have to use a couple of outputs for spindle forward and reverse. My spindle is the standard one they supply. It's a 2 HP 3 phase 220vac motor. It's driven by a GS2 VFD from automation direct. The VFD may vary my original one was a Sunfar 550.

It looks like you also have the power drawbar. You will need to look in the Novakon power drawbar manual and use the schematic there to wire it up. I did have a few leftover wires from that but it has been working fine for more than a year. Since you are going to be digging around and rewiring I highly recommend removing the power draw bar battery and replacing it with a switching power supply. It will make the tool changes more solid. When I was using the battery it was under torqueing the drawbar.
Good to know- Im guessing because it is an AC motor, thats why I do not need some sort of signal isolator board? My VFD is a Sunfar c300

I do in fact have the power drawbar, and the previous owner must have been part of the CNCzone forum because they had already replaced the battery with a power supply. As far as wiring the power drawbar in at that point it would just be for power, correct? I dont believe it needs to connected to the acorn board in any way. So far this is looking like its going to be a reletively painless conversion, with just some minor details to figure out now :D :D :D

-JAKE
Upnorth
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Re: Centroid Acorn with servos? New build: Novakon Torus Pro

Post by Upnorth »

I'm not sure about the isolator board. I think the outputs from the acorn are already isolated. You need to dig into the manual for the drives to see what it needs for an input.

You will have to connect the power draw bar to the VFD. There are safety and control signals. The power draw bar talks to the spindle and did so through the original BOB. I can't remember exactly how I wired it because it was a while ago. If you get stuck I'll look at the schematic.

Hopefully your sunfar VFD will work better than the one I had. If you get a bunch of weird characters on your power draw bar display and random lock ups blame the VFD.
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