Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

cnckeith wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:22 pm Chuck is the VFD master!

Indeed.
I especially appreciate how he also included the parameters I'll need to set in the Siemens system. I never would have gotten this right.
I may not include the reverse option, because I'm worried about how many outputs I'm using. But this will certainly be useful for the next person converting their Axiom RichAuto to Acorn.

The Axiom AR PROv5 box is just too small to accommodate the Acorn comfortably. Here's a photo of the inside, with a piece of carboard cut to the size of the Acorn board.


The four Leadshine drives are left of the board. The electrical connection bus is just below the board. You can also see the VFD and three of the four VDC boxes. The Acorn 24/5v box isn't even in here yet. The two biggest issues are:
1) Even with the H1/H2/H3 headers up against the one drive, the ethernet cable would be too kinked. Probably could get the power connector on that side, but not the ethernet.
2) The DB25 breakout board will be elevated over the wiring bus and that opposite side of the board will be fairly tight against the control box. I think the output relay board would be okay though flipped back and mounted above the Acorn.

So I have two choices.
1) Drill out a hole to port the ethernet wire out the bottom. I'd put in a grommet, so in theory it's not a lot different than other cables coming out of the box. The advantage to this strategy is that I don't have to do much with all the other stuff in the box and I can get the machine up and running and make sure everything works. It would be sort of ugly and tight, but I'd have a workable machine. It would also be a little bit tedious wiring everything.

2) Move everything to a bigger control box. If I was experienced at doing this, I would'nt hesitate to do it. The few extra inches of real estate would make everything else very easy. But if I move it over and the system was bricked, debugging it would be a bear.

Advice?
Is moving to a new box 'as easy as unscrewing stuff and sliding over from one mounting plate to another? Or do I try to get by with making it fit to give maximal likelihood of no noob errors?

BTW, the height of the current box is about 15 inches high and deep. The Axiom stand will take something a little under 18 inches high and 23 inches deep.

Not sure if this will assist but you could consider removing the VFD and install in a separate box from your main cabinet

I really like that idea. A lot of positives to it. It would give me a ton of space too, of course. Noisy VFD would be out of the way and rewiring would be minimal.

For now, I drilled a hole. It's in a good position right in the middle of the ventillation area under the control box. I can bring the ethernet cable through that hole and right into the Acorn as it is propped up off the metal mounting plate with brass spacers. The board can go more toward the drives because most of the outputs that would have been blocked are in the DB25 breakout board.
Did some bench testing and getting motors hooked up and running, so I want to get the board in a place where I can also get all the basic I/O working.

Thanks for the 'out of the box' idea @nigelo !

EDIT: If I were going to do this again, I would use a 'left angle' shielded RJ45 connector:
https://a.co/d/bma2kCB

yeah get that VFD outta there, you want them in another box anyways as they are often noisy. (electrical noise)

.

cnckeith wrote: ↑Mon Jan 23, 2023 5:46 pm yeah get that VFD outta there, you want them in another box anyways as they are often noisy. (electrical noise)

Could someone point me to an enclosure I'd put the Siemens V20 in?

Motors are working. Limit switches are working. Time to get something permanent.

(remember to disconnect the 220v wires going to the VFD from the wiring bus!)

cool, consider creating a google photo album so you can post full size hi res images and then just post the link to the album.
that way one link for all photos. its nice to have everything in one spot and is always the same link.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4kQ1EwmaLVVpeNXe7

Acorn in; X, Y motors hooked up and moving; X,Y, Z limit switches hooked up (NO)