Weekend update...
Left off last week with the motors on the bench. After a couple of days, I came to the realization that the Unbranded Chinese Copy Drivers were not going to cut it. No documentation, Menu settings (no dip switches) on the drives printed in Chinese and no information I could find on the web to help much. I got them powered up, but I couldn't get the motors to do anything but glitch and throw encoder errors. I searched everything I could think of on the forum and the wider web with no luck. Tried multiple ways of wiring them and multiple different drive settings in the SW with no luck. Thought about asking for help but decided without supporting docs it was likely to just waste people's time. Also decided that even if I did get them running, I wouldn't be able to fine tune them or really trust them. The drives were already top of my list to upgrade, but I had hoped to get them running and upgrade down the line. Nope. Looks like the upgrade time is already here.
Looked around at some different options and decided on the StepperOnline Drives. They come with documentation, have support available, have both supporting Schematics and software options for the Acorn already and a forum search suggested that they were OK. I decided to go with the CL57T as that fit the Nema 23 Motors I am using. The Docs and SW were for the Y version but the only difference I could see was the Y uses 24v Logic and the T is selectable between 5v and 24v. Since I want to use the DB25 then the T looked to be the one to go with. Ordered 1 so I could test it out. After I ordered it, I realized I didn't know if it was just the drives or both the drives and motors I was having issues with. Couldn't find the right motor on its own available without ordering from China, so I ordered another drive with the motor as a kit. Then I had to go out of town for a couple of days.
Got back and the drives/motor were waiting. Time for a quick drive change to test.
Drives fired right up, and motors turned! Yay!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ya5VBWzhNo
So I ordered 2 more with motors. I did manage to get an original motor working with the new drive after some experimentation with the power wires. It will only work 1 way and has to be reversed in SW (just buzzes if you reverse the wires on a coil) but otherwise it runs OK.
I did have to verify the encoder wiring on the original drive. I will use it and see if it's OK. If not, it'll get 'upgraded' too.
With working drives/motors, time to move on to the Proximity Switches. Bench tested the 7 I was planning to use. To confirm operation, wiring, SW settings, etc.
I got 6 with the machine but they were NPN NO 12mm units with a 12mm detection range. I had already ordered 4 more NPN NC with a 4mm range. I planned to use the 4 new ones as Home Switches and pairing and use 3 of the originals as Limit switches. I am planning to use the SW limits but since I had the spare sensors, I would add them as limit switches anyway. Then whilst reading through I came across posts that suggested that wiring the NPN NC sensors in series is debatable. Seems to work for most but the sensors weren't designed to work that way. Thought about it and decided since I didn't really need the limit switches, I could drop them and wire the Home/Pairing switches direct since I have enough inputs if there are only 4.
So re-wired the switch blocks and the Acorn for individual input.
With the motors turning and the switch set up decided, wired and tested, time to 'fix' the Spindle cable by wiring in the shield to the ground at the plug.
Then wire up the VFD ready for power and the spindle connection.
Decided I really dislike the way the VFD handles its ground after having to chain 3 different ground points together. But its pre-wired and ready to go on the board later now. Spindle cable has the shield connected to ground at both ends.
Since the soldering iron is out, it's time to extend the sensor and motor cables ready for fitting to the machine.
Motor done.
Sensors done.
And that's it for the weekend. Quite a bit of progress but not very photogenic...