Recommendation for Controller : 5-Axis CNC Router

[saktheon]

Hello All, I'm about to build a Wood CNC Router with 5-axis 'Simultaneous' Operation and RTCP functionality. Kindly suggest appropriate Centroid Boards for the same.

[cnckeith]

hello.
CNC12 does not have RTCP as a feature.
AcornSix and Hickory can easily handle 5 axis simultaneous g code.
using those controllers there is currently two approaches.

1.) post g code for each tool using a model in the cad/cam system with a tool position that matches the actual center point of the physical tool when it is in the spindle.

2.) use tool holder that can put the next tool center point in the same location as the first tool.

[saktheon]

Thanks for your guidance. Here are the 2 setups, I am thinking of performing.

[cnckeith]

others are doing this now.
depending on how many tools are required for each job there are different strategies being used.

[saktheon]

Will Acorn Six support servo motors or only step and direction stepper motors?

[ShawnM]

Yes and yes.

Acorn and Acorn Six are both step and direction controllers. Both will control any servo drive that accepts step and direction signals.

[cnckeith]

Will Acorn Six support servo motors or only step and direction stepper motors?

many many closed loop AC servo motor drives accept step and direction input for position command.
Yaskawa, Delta, LeadShine are just a few of the popular AC servos that work well with Acorn/AcornSix. This configuring is referred to "Hybrid Closed Loop" and works very well.

[saktheon]

1. I'm opting for Full Servo (Not closed loop hybrid) 5 axis RTCP and synchronous operation with ATC function CNC Router. The above image shows 2 setups of operation. Oak and Hickory are the choices, but confused with the comparision charts that 5 axis synchronous operation availability.

4 axis Simultaneous G-code moves
5 axis drive Simultaneous moves with one paired axes (4 axis simultaneous movement with full interpolation.(software paired axes are considered 1 axis as it has one label) This is 4+2)
6 axis drive Simultaneous moves with two paired axes

2. Help me choose right controller with right addons/packaging.

OAK - $1395
ATC - $280
Mill Ultimate Plus- $1995

Hickory - $1750
ATC - $280
Mill Ultimate Plus- $1995

3. I'm from India and I will be sourcing the card from a contact in US. What are the things to consider?

[cncsnw]

The Oak unit has on-board hardware for four axis drives. If you want to run five or six axis drives, then you will need an OpticDirect board for each additional drive. The OpticDirect board(s) are connected, in a chain, to the drive expansion header on the Oak.
OpticDirect PN13189 USD $500 each

The Hickory unit is not limited in the number of axis drives it can connect to, because they are all chained together to the one EtherCAT port.

[centroid467]

Does your application require paired drives on the gantry? How many drives are needed? If you need 6 or more drives (X, Y, Z, B, C, and paired gantry) then the Hickory will be much more cost effective. Hickory can run up to 8 axis drives in CSP mode.

Regardless, for 5 axis interpolated simultaneous motion, you will need the 5 axis Ultimate Plus license.

What drives and motors are you planning to use?