Recommended low cost hardware in 2023

Hi all
what is the recommended low cost hardware for 3 axis machine which use servos and also has a spindle with feedback that can be used for synchronization. Better to keep some provisions for two more axis as well.

I have been looking at Mesa cards - although their functionality and price are really good many of them are out of stock. What other options are there?


Thanks
Sus

Another option is the Pico Systems Universal PWM controller and PWM servo amps. We have amps for both brush and brushless motors. The brush amps are $125 ea, the brushless are $150 ea, and the controller handles up to 4 axes and is $250. There is a spindle DAC option for analog spindle speed control at $50. Two controllers can be daisy-chained on one parallel port for more axes or I/O. Each controller board also supports 16 digital inputs and 8 digital outputs.
(Full disclosure -- I am Pico Systems.) There are no adapter boards, breakout boards or special cables required, except for an IEEE 1284 (EPP mode) parallel port cable.

Jon

I am new to servos. The manual say it has step/dir control. Also it has a absolution encoder for feedback.
I checked 7i96S and it does not seem to have encoder feedback inputs. I guess I need this for closed loop control?

I actually figured that 7I95T is available so just went ahead and ordered it. I hope it can serve my requirements.

OK, then our Universal Stepper Controller might be of interest. It has an option so that external encoders can be read in to LinuxCNC. This allows you to home the machine, then turn off the stepper drives and move tha machine by handwheels and retain the position alignment.
Jon

What model servo?

Most modern servos close the loop in the servo drive itself. The encoder goes back to the servo drive. They don't work without this.

Some people feel better about closing the loop with LinuxCNC, but reality is dedicated hardware within the servo drive is usually much higher bandwidth (faster) than involving the PC.

An error signal can be wired from the drive to LinuxCNC.

If you add linear encoders you would need encoder inputs (Mesa/Pico) unless you have a more advanced servo drive with linear encoder feedback (usually only high end servo drives).

My experience is only with modern drives. Delta B3 and A3 - both have 3.1kHz

The servo / drive model is important. Brushless servos (most modern servos) must have feedback to the drive for commutation. A lot of drives use the encoder for this.