Bridgeport VMC760 retrofit

tommylight wrote:

spincycle wrote:

I assume the procedure is similar for newer drives if running analog?
Yes.

spincycle wrote:

I would tune the velocity/torque in the drive software, then tune position through Linuxcnc.

Yes.

spincycle wrote:

It looks like a few of the modern servo drives I've looked at have encoder outputs. Those will just run back into a Mesa card like the 7I97?
Yes.
3 for 3, nice!
New drives can also be controlled by step/dir and also have encoder outputs, and those can again be used in LinuxCNC.
And there are several boards from Mesa that can be used, not just 7i97, a lot of combos there so when you are ready to order stuff, ask here first as we have the Mesa Master with us here, always, in the form of PCW.

Ace! Thanks Tommylight.

I have a 7i96 kicking around from a machine that never got off the ground, but I assume the lack of encoder inputs means I should use a different card.

This machine originally had rapids of 32,000mm/min with 16mm pitch ballscrews - 2000rpm on the axis. Would there be any benefit of analog over step/dir or even ethercat, to maintain such rates of speed and precision?

I just got off a 10hr flight. I took the original Bridgeport machine schematics with me to asses the control side of things. It looks like the Heidenhain output a 24v (sourcing?) signal to a bank of relays to control the solenoids, enables, mag motors, contractors etc. I assume a Mesa card, like the 7i84U could take this role?

It'd be bloody awesome if I could just retain these original distribution/control boards and halve the amount of wiring required!

langdons wrote:

Whoa, hold up.

Households in Austrailia use 415VAC?!

(little kid): "Hey daddy, what's this? ...kzapp! [kid gets electrocuted]"


 

Haha, I wish.

Some have 415 3ph, but normally we just have 240v single in houses. Most single phase outlets here limited to 15amp, even in industrial settings (high amp ones do exist, but aren't as common as high amp 415 3ph). Hence, I'll need 400v 3ph drives as that's the high amp I have available in the shop.