Emcoturn 120 lathe retrofit

LutzTD wrote: I notice you have wires on the timing, o.heat/com terminals? where do those connect?

I recall those are a signal from the Vexta if it overheats...? I wired those to an input in order to do something if I see that signal.
It's taken care of in this section (though not tested):
# --- Over Temperature Inputs ---
# --- ** added without testing amp-fault (should cause no X,Z motion if Vexta overheat)
#spindle-overtemp hm2_5i25.0.7i84.0.0.input-17 **see above
net z-axis-overtemp hm2_5i25.0.7i84.0.0.input-19 axis.2.amp-fault-in
net x-axis-overtemp hm2_5i25.0.7i84.0.0.input-20 axis.0.amp-fault-in
# --- End of Over Temperature section----

LutzTD wrote: wow thanx for the files, that is awesome

in wire harness for the stepper, the numbered wires do not match the stepper terminal numbers, the picture attached is the way the Emco harness is wired. I rewired the stepper so that the harness wire number matches the stepper terminal number. 1-1,2-2,3-3,4-4,5-5,6-6,7-7,8-8,9-9,0-10. figured that was it but no go. Still just vibrates and doesnt move. I changed the option switches and found I only have 5 where you have 6 switches, but I matched the ones that are there. still no go. I looked at the ini files and it looks like you have more lines for the stepper config and the values are different. I knew mine were wrong so this is expected, I will try to merge the ini files some tonight and give it another shot.

First, on my Vexta drive the motor terminals are labeled (from top to bottom) Blue, Red, Orange, Green, Black. Like this picture:
www.artisantg.com/ViewImage.aspx?Image=V...&StockNumber=64142-2

If the numbers in the white squares on your picture correspond to the labeled wire numbers then I would try wiring:

10 and 2 to Blue
5 and 8 to Red
3 and 6 to Orange
1 and 9 to Green
4 and 7 to Black

I believe that is equivalent to the picture I posted above for my wiring.

In terms of the .ini and .hal, the important parts of those configs are in the Axis X and Axis Z sections.

-Tom

Below is the relevant diagram from the Oriental Motor forum thread I posted earlier. The numbers 1-9,0 are clockwise around the motor as shown in the bottom right of this image: bgp.nu/~tom/pub/IMG_3890.JPG

The trick is to match the wiring labels which have a sequence of their own...

in looking at the HAL. I see my HAL is setting up a PID "loadrt pid names=pid.x,pid.z,pid.s" (I dont know what a pid is ) then in the axis drive section it calls for the pid

#*******************
# AXIS X
#*******************

setp pid.x.Pgain [AXIS_0]P
setp pid.x.Igain [AXIS_0]I
setp pid.x.Dgain [AXIS_0]D
setp pid.x.bias [AXIS_0]BIAS
setp pid.x.FF0 [AXIS_0]FF0
setp pid.x.FF1 [AXIS_0]FF1
setp pid.x.FF2 [AXIS_0]FF2
setp pid.x.deadband [AXIS_0]DEADBAND
setp pid.x.maxoutput [AXIS_0]MAX_OUTPUT
setp pid.x.error-previous-target true
setp pid.x.maxerror .0005

net x-index-enable <=> pid.x.index-enable
net x-enable => pid.x.enable
net x-pos-cmd => pid.x.command
net x-vel-cmd => pid.x.command-deriv
net x-pos-fb => pid.x.feedback
net x-output => pid.x.output

So I think my entire setup is completely wrong. I assume I can copy your "loadrt" and "addf" section and the axis "setp" sections and get the write stepper control setup?

LutzTD wrote: in looking at the HAL. I see my HAL is setting up a PID "loadrt pid names=pid.x,pid.z,pid.s" (I dont know what a pid is

PID is a type of feedback controller.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller
Mandatory for servo systems, optional for stepper systems.

So I think my entire setup is completely wrong.

Not necessarily. PnCConf sets up a PID controller for Mesa card stepper systems because it makes the system less susceptible to servo-thread jitter.

ok thanx, I may just go ahead and drop the pid for the x and z. the spindle is working OK so Im going to leave that. It seems like my issue is in the software driving the axis controllers and motors, so Im going to try to sub in your stuff for the axis control. I figured it was the control, Its in a feedback loop because it jitters even after I try to move it like its hunting.