Fehlemann Picomax 100 Retrofit

Long time not progress here but I managed to mount the VFD into the cabinet:

rest ist to wire it up. But there is the question. Using the analog control or using Ethercat?
Ethercat would ease the wiring quite a bit. But how to manage?
I have no clue yet. And can I dress the Mesa Card and the Ethercat device fro the same ethernet port? DO I need a switch? I can I connect the VFD to the computer and the Mesa board to the 2nd port of the VFD?
This would be great, but I am afraid the world is not that simple...

long time no see... the reason was simple I didn't make big progress.

but now some mentionable steps are done...

The spindle motor and VFD ist wired with own contactor an breaker, ready to get powered on for the first time and get its parameter.

removed some bug in the wiring, this took some time.

I switched the old column control (was not working) to a new solid state reversing contactor and let linuxcnc control the brake in hal

and now it's moving by it's own power:

youtube.com/shorts/2_kBhY5CB0k

Started the Drives for the first time, x is moving right away and giving ne a following error. Don't know how to fix it yet.

 

still no progress in getting the drives to work.
So I'll have a look at the spindle tomorrow.
and maybe clean up the wiring a bit.

I might need some Help,
I've everything wired up and all the hal stuff sorted.
But I am al little bit out of practice the Vers-drives are not working and I'm afraid I have to swap the servos (already looking for a solution).
Anyway I want to test the Spindle and the rest of the machine with the Codes. How di I get the machine homed and idle without moving the machine?

Thanks!

Now I was able to set vfd and after some trouble setting the encoder feedback for the VFD I directly connected the encoder to the mesa card and I got movement. still need some tuning to do. And linuxcnc need full control, at the moment I need to enable the vfd manually once, But the spindle is running.

now the Spindle is running and tested and fixed the codes controlling the column.



I store the column position in an persistent parameter wich allows me to go up first is the position is above the current one.

"just" the servos now and she's ready to run. bit just to be sure I already checked what new servos would fit...

Long time no progress, but them I decides to add some new servos, after I found some withe a small form factor suiting the torque and power needed.
So first I removed the old DC drives an pur the four new ones in:

I started with the y-axis by reworking the casting

[/url

after a shirt testfit

finally I widened the bore to fit the new servo

then the y axis was ready

 

Next the x axis, was similarly straight forward. by cutting a new register ring on the lathe:

drilling and tapping for the ne bolt pattern:

and the the X-axis is done

 

so to the Z Axis. Again staring in the lathe:

Drilling and Tapping

here the small for factor helps to fit the square servo in the old round mounting hardware:

After adjusting the the sprocket the Z- Axis was also done