Request for Mesa 5i23_7i48_7i52 firmware

  Hi all.
I've swapped out my Bridgeport's original AC spindle motor for a 1.5kw servo (110F-0625TDL), aiming for better low-speed control and better accel/decel times. The old control was 0-10V into a vfd, and although the new servo amp will read that, I'd like to try it with step/direction control, and also set up for adding a couple more axes to the system for when when I get round to motorising the trunnion table I picked up recently.

I've attached the 5i23_7i48_7i52 BIT and xml files currently in use. These were made by PCW for scruffythefirst who sold me this system earlier this year. PCW, would it be possible for you make me a bitfile that preserves what they currently do and adds some stepgens? Asking here on the forums in case this is useful to anyone else.

Currently using:
7i48:
out 0: x axis servo  in 0: x axis encoder
out 1: y axis servo  in 1: y axis encoder
out 2: z axis servo  in 2: z axis encoder
out 3: spindle 0-10V in 3: spindle shaft encoder
out 4 n/c  in 4: MPG encoder
out 5 n/c in 5 n/c

7i52:
enc 0-5: n/c
com 0: smart serial port to/from 7i84
com 1-5: n/c

I'd like, if it's possible, encoder inputs on all of the 7i52's enc 0-5 terminal blocks, and stepgens on com 1-5, keeping the sserial on com 0. Thank you in advance,

Andy

There is only room for 2 stepgens since each stepgen needs to use the TX
channels of 2 serial ports for STEP and DIR. Is this OK?

Thanks for your quick reply!
I'd really hoped for either a minimum of 3 stepgens, or 2 stepgens and a non-7i48 pwmgen. Does the same limitation apply to pwmgens - i.e. is it possible to have a pwmgen break out via the 7i52, along with the 2 stepgens?

The issue is the that 7I52 only has 6 outputs so there are only
5 outputs free if one is used for a sserial channel

So it's 1 output per step signal, 1 per dir signal?

Yes, each stepgen needs 2 pins: step and dir
The 7I52 only has 6 outputs total (though all outputs
have true and inverted pins on the connector blocks)

Ah OK.
I've just checked the site and didn't realise that just buying an additional 7i52/7i52s or other daughtercard might be the easiest route when I come to need those additional steppers, I'd forgotten that they're not so expensive.
Please, in that case, could I have a firmware as described with 2 additional stepgens routed via the 7i52, and the remaining inputs configured for encoders?
Many thanks!

Here is firmware for a 5I23 + 7I48 + 7I52
with 2 stepgens and 1 PWMgen (PWM only no dir) on the 7I52
(and only one sserial port)

The spare inputs add 2 more encoders (so total of 14 encoders)
2 encoders are aliased so 16 show up but only 14 are usable

 

Thank you! I'm out of the workshop for the evening but that looks good, I'll try it out tomorrow. I should be able to use that PWM with the CW and CCW relays via the 7i84. Thanks again.
Andy

A couple more questions for thiis evening: which PWMgen setting will be needed for the 7i52 pwm? IIRC my main card, the 7i48, needed pwmgen type to be set to 2 - up/down mode.

Also, if I have 1 pwmgen pin, am I right in thinking that I have two ways to get bidirectional spindle control:

1 - set 50% duty cycle to mean 0rpm, less to mean CCW rotation and more to mean CW rotation with full speeds at 0% and 100% respectively, or
2 - use 0% to 100% and use a pin from 7i84 to set spindle direction?

thanks,
Andy