Installing the Acorn with Adtech CNC drives

[Muzzer]

Can you do a reset, so it reverts to the factory default settings? Those usually represent a fairly conventional configuration. See section 4.3.4 on page 22.

[dmbgo]

Yes I can and yes I have Muzzer. No change though. I wonder if there might be some damage to the connector so that the dir signal isn't getting through? I'll look at that tomorrow.

[dmbgo]

The connector on the servo controller that is.

[martyscncgarage]

The connector on the servo controller that is.

This is why I suggested you checked the dir signal at the connector. To see if it going high and low.

[martyscncgarage]

Yes I can and yes I have Muzzer. No change though. I wonder if there might be some damage to the connector so that the dir signal isn't getting through? I'll look at that tomorrow.

You mean the connector on the drive itself?
I see now, you move the drive and the problem follows the drive.... irrespective of the axis or the cable.

[dmbgo]

The connector on the servo controller that is.

This is why I suggested you checked the dir signal at the connector. To see if it going high and low.

Thanks Marty, that was one of the things you suggested, (which I appreciate) and I did do that. The signal is going high and low at the connector, but I suspect that the issue is internal to the connector. I will disassemble the servo controller this morning and check continuity between the Acorn's Dir output and the controllers internals.

[dmbgo]

Yes I can and yes I have Muzzer. No change though. I wonder if there might be some damage to the connector so that the dir signal isn't getting through? I'll look at that tomorrow.

You mean the connector on the drive itself?
I see now, you move the drive and the problem follows the drive.... irrespective of the axis or the cable.

Exactly!

[dmbgo]

RFC1284 typc 36 pin connector as used on Adtech Servo drive (2017_09_04 00_47_18 UTC).doc

(64 KiB) Downloaded 87 times

Just a quick observation on the type of connector that the Adtech servo drive has to carry the signals from the controller to the AC servo drive. It is a high density 36 pin connector, similar to the one pictured in the following link. The only difference is that the one pictured is a ribbon cable mount, wheras the Adtech one is a stranded cable mount.
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/d-sub-co ... s/5157505/

[dmbgo]

I know this is now outside the bounds of Acorn discussion, but for the record I thought it a good idea to include my findings and final solution in this thread.
I disassembled the Adtech servo controller for the Z axis and checked that there was continuity from the Acorn board's Dir connector all the way to the inside of the CNC controller. This test was positive. Sadly though there is obvious heat damage to at least one of the surface mount resistors on the board. Its intended value label is burnt off, but I will disassemble the working controller and see what it's intended value is. The burnt resistor currently measures 0 ohms. I don't know whether there has been any cascaded damage past this point, but I'll start by replacing the damaged resistor.

[martyscncgarage]

Well, that stinks. Hope you can replace it and get it going. In the brighter side, perhaps you'll be up and running...