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is there any way to use a servo for 4th axis on acorn?

Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2021 9:21 pm
by rk9268vc
Ive got some big DC brushless servos leftover from another project.
The servo drive can be put in velocity mode or torque mode. It seems like the common way to control these is using analog 0-10V.
The manual for the driver is attached.

I would like to make a 4th axis for my mill using one of these servos. Is it possible to control a 4th axis using the acorn spindle wiring? That is 0-10v and has encoder feedback. I dont use it to control my spindle, so is there a way to use it as a 4th axis?

Alternatively, would there be a way to use a PLC or microcontroller to take acorn's step and dir signals and convert them into 0-10vdc? Ive got encoder feedback, and could run PID then.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Re: is there any way to use a servo for 4th axis on acorn?

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:16 pm
by martyscncgarage
rk9268vc wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 9:21 pm Ive got some big DC brushless servos leftover from another project.
The servo drive can be put in velocity mode or torque mode. It seems like the common way to control these is using analog 0-10V.
The manual for the driver is attached.

I would like to make a 4th axis for my mill using one of these servos. Is it possible to control a 4th axis using the acorn spindle wiring? That is 0-10v and has encoder feedback. I dont use it to control my spindle, so is there a way to use it as a 4th axis?

Alternatively, would there be a way to use a PLC or microcontroller to take acorn's step and dir signals and convert them into 0-10vdc? Ive got encoder feedback, and could run PID then.

Thoughts?

Thanks
Acorn outputs step and direction signals. If your drive accepts those then yes, it will probably work.
Cursory review of the document you provided on the drive seems to indicate No, it does not accept step and direction signals.

Marty