First LinuxCNC project, trying to explore componen

Howdy Guys!

I have been wanting to expand my machine capabilities badly.

I want to build a CNC plasma table first. Ground up no parts on hand at all.

I have thoughts of Allen Bradley Ultra 3000I AC servo drives, with AC servo motors.

It is the hardware interface from there that I still do not understand.

One of my thoughts is

pico-systems.com/osc2.5/catalog/product_...ath=3&products_id=19

This card from PICO PWM controller, Is it as simple as parallel from PC to this card, wire to servo drives, wire to motors/encoders?

I have also thought about getting a beaglebone black and some of the TI DRV8301 boosterpacks, and 10amp BLDC servos to play with things.

www.ti.com/tool/BOOSTXL-DRV8301 I do have a couple of these on a F28069M launchpad and they are slick especially with the TI software to go with them.

I have been thinking about gathering some parts in hope of putting things together in 7 weeks after the summer semester is over....

Thanks Andy!

I want to get rolling on something, luckily the AB Ultra 3000 are plentiful and can be had for a good price. After finding the design guide for them, they have an analog input model that I think would be the simplest, not having to deal with devicenet or there other interface....

Figuring out the hardware seems like the largest challenge at the moment. I want to use AC servos. I want to build a plasma table first, its just picking what cards and interfaces.

I think since its a ground up it makes it somewhat easier, AC servos with encoders the enventually to the PC. It looks like MESA has AC servo cards that can handle up to 2kW only $200~, then I think I just need a quadrature counter card, a GPIO, a card to interface everything then to the PC.

I may just get a beagleboard, and a few more of the DRV8301 and run a couple of 10A BLDC servos.

OK thanks for the heads up there. I want to go right to the mainline LCNC so that would be a waste of time and money then.

Jake wrote:

Howdy Guys!

I have been wanting to expand my machine capabilities badly.

I want to build a CNC plasma table first. Ground up no parts on hand at all.

I have thoughts of Allen Bradley Ultra 3000I AC servo drives, with AC servo motors.

It is the hardware interface from there that I still do not understand.

One of my thoughts is

pico-systems.com/osc2.5/catalog/product_...ath=3&products_id=19

This card from PICO PWM controller, Is it as simple as parallel from PC to this card, wire to servo drives, wire to motors/encoders?

Mostly, but you need a servo drive that accepts digital PWM commands. That is how our PWM servo amps work. Many other general-purpose servo amps expect an analog voltage to control them. It is usually an analog voltage between -10 V and +10 V, and represents either commanded velocity or commanded torque. We do have servo amps for brushless motors.

For controlling analog-input servo amps, we do have the PPMC, which has plug-in boards for the various functions. So, there is a DAC to give analog outputs, an encoder counter, and a digital I/O board.
See pico-systems.com/osc2.5/catalog/index.php?cPath=1 for info on that product.

Jon


Jon

jmelson wrote:

Jake wrote:

Howdy Guys!

I have been wanting to expand my machine capabilities badly.

I want to build a CNC plasma table first. Ground up no parts on hand at all.

I have thoughts of Allen Bradley Ultra 3000I AC servo drives, with AC servo motors.

It is the hardware interface from there that I still do not understand.

One of my thoughts is

pico-systems.com/osc2.5/catalog/product_...ath=3&products_id=19

This card from PICO PWM controller, Is it as simple as parallel from PC to this card, wire to servo drives, wire to motors/encoders?

Mostly, but you need a servo drive that accepts digital PWM commands. That is how our PWM servo amps work. Many other general-purpose servo amps expect an analog voltage to control them. It is usually an analog voltage between -10 V and +10 V, and represents either commanded velocity or commanded torque. We do have servo amps for brushless motors.

For controlling analog-input servo amps, we do have the PPMC, which has plug-in boards for the various functions. So, there is a DAC to give analog outputs, an encoder counter, and a digital I/O board.
See pico-systems.com/osc2.5/catalog/index.php?cPath=1 for info on that product.

Jon


Jon

Thanks Jon,

Soooo

It looks like your 20amp servo drives are the same price that I could get the AB U3K for.

If I bought two of the servo drives,

I would need

Heat sink

one of the universal pwm controllers

the power switch braking module

enough SSR's to handle the extras

power supply

Servos, limits, cabling....

Am I missing anything?

I want to build the plasma cutter first. I am still on the hunt for a mill for a conversion or retrofit. I almost had a Mori VMC but I hesitated to long and it went to the scrapper. I may still convert my Lagun mill as the VMC would be a huge step.

Jake wrote:

jmelson wrote:

Jake wrote:

Howdy Guys!



It looks like your 20amp servo drives are the same price that I could get the AB U3K for.

If I bought two of the servo drives,

I would need

Heat sink

one of the universal pwm controllers

the power switch braking module

enough SSR's to handle the extras

power supply

Servos, limits, cabling....

Am I missing anything?

I want to build the plasma cutter first. I am still on the hunt for a mill for a conversion or retrofit. I almost had a Mori VMC but I hesitated to long and it went to the scrapper. I may still convert my Lagun mill as the VMC would be a huge step.

Sounds like the right parts list. Too bad on the Mori! Retrofitting an old CNC mill is a lot easier than converting a manual mill - don't ask how I know that!

Jon

jmelson wrote:

Sounds like the right parts list. Too bad on the Mori! Retrofitting an old CNC mill is a lot easier than converting a manual mill - don't ask how I know that!

Jon

Oh I know! just not having to deal with the ball screw install and getting servos mounted is a pain in itself! There have been some older CNC mills pop up on craigslist periodically, but I am hoping to find a VMC with a tool changer instead of just a knee or bed mill. Thanks for the help on the parts list! I am still temped to find a low cost setup just to be able to start exploring the workings of the system.

Well I got some pico systems parts on the way. Good ole eBay. $350 for three servo cards the analog interface, spindle DAC, and brake module...... Now to find some brushed motors and power supply.