MotionMaster Upgrade
- motionmasterupgrade
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31 Mar 2026 17:39 #344998
by motionmasterupgrade
MotionMaster Upgrade was created by motionmasterupgrade
Hi I think my machine is strictly speaking, a router, but its kinda beefy.
photos.app.goo.gl/dXNZCPk8Kuq2EDQT8
I wanted to upgrade it to have a BC swivel head plus a couple of rotaries. This will involve adding a minimum of 4 servos and its unclear to me if I have enough space in existing conduits to work effectively. The main junction box is also way too tightly packed.
The conduits need replacement (cracked, broken and generally worn). I would like to keep the wiring splice free from controller to servo where possible so I need to disconnect the cables somewhere.
I think most of the connections are correct, but, it is clear that the machine has been tinkered with by someone who probably didn't pay a lot of attention to documentation or detail, so I think its important for me to double check connections.
As of now, I am thinking of:
(a) confirming that the Fagor components work and put them for sale on Ebay.
(b) Remove all wires one at a time, labelling then, and then migrating the entire control box to Linuxcnc, keeping the mounting hardware only.
(c) Adding a second junction box so that I have more space for fingering
I do not have 3 phase power at the appropriate voltage, and also, I do not need a 16hp spindle. I need 6hp at most, and was think of downpowering the entire machine to a 220V single phase setup, but I don't have a lot of experience.
The goal is to have a machine that is a full-sized prototyper. I want it to have plenty of capabilities, but lower throughput. I'm doing higher value, highly customized, runs of 20 to 50 per part. Not more. This is not a run day and night auto-loader setup.
Please, would love some comments and general feedback. Happy to add pictures to the album.
photos.app.goo.gl/dXNZCPk8Kuq2EDQT8
I wanted to upgrade it to have a BC swivel head plus a couple of rotaries. This will involve adding a minimum of 4 servos and its unclear to me if I have enough space in existing conduits to work effectively. The main junction box is also way too tightly packed.
The conduits need replacement (cracked, broken and generally worn). I would like to keep the wiring splice free from controller to servo where possible so I need to disconnect the cables somewhere.
I think most of the connections are correct, but, it is clear that the machine has been tinkered with by someone who probably didn't pay a lot of attention to documentation or detail, so I think its important for me to double check connections.
As of now, I am thinking of:
(a) confirming that the Fagor components work and put them for sale on Ebay.
(b) Remove all wires one at a time, labelling then, and then migrating the entire control box to Linuxcnc, keeping the mounting hardware only.
(c) Adding a second junction box so that I have more space for fingering
I do not have 3 phase power at the appropriate voltage, and also, I do not need a 16hp spindle. I need 6hp at most, and was think of downpowering the entire machine to a 220V single phase setup, but I don't have a lot of experience.
The goal is to have a machine that is a full-sized prototyper. I want it to have plenty of capabilities, but lower throughput. I'm doing higher value, highly customized, runs of 20 to 50 per part. Not more. This is not a run day and night auto-loader setup.
Please, would love some comments and general feedback. Happy to add pictures to the album.
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- tommylight
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31 Mar 2026 19:51 #345007
by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic MotionMaster Upgrade
I might not be the best person to reply to this as i absolutely enjoy retrofitting and bringing back to life old machines, so i may be a bit on the "trigger happy" side, but:
-i would try to use the existing drives and motors and VFD/spindle
-seems like those are analog drives, so a Mesa 7i97T would do perfectly fine if you can find one, if not a 7i92T with 7i77 is the same thing, or if those are also scarce a 7i96S with 7i85 and 7i83 should do the same job.
-if you still want to replace the drives, you have two choices in general: EtherCAT or Mesa with normal step/dir or analog servos (do not bother to look at steppers and close loop steppers)
-You will be bombarded by others to choose EtherCAT, i am still avoiding them due to some fuzzy communication issues, but i will test them for sure the fist chance i get.
-For the Mesa/new drives, i would look for "position and velocity" mode drives (analog +-10V and step/dir) and also with encoder outputs (all have encoder inputs or absolute encoders, usually serial ones) so the loop can be closed in LinuxCNC with both types of control, makes life easier during use. Given the choice between analog and step/dir, choose step/dir.
-i would try to use the existing drives and motors and VFD/spindle
-seems like those are analog drives, so a Mesa 7i97T would do perfectly fine if you can find one, if not a 7i92T with 7i77 is the same thing, or if those are also scarce a 7i96S with 7i85 and 7i83 should do the same job.
-if you still want to replace the drives, you have two choices in general: EtherCAT or Mesa with normal step/dir or analog servos (do not bother to look at steppers and close loop steppers)
-You will be bombarded by others to choose EtherCAT, i am still avoiding them due to some fuzzy communication issues, but i will test them for sure the fist chance i get.
-For the Mesa/new drives, i would look for "position and velocity" mode drives (analog +-10V and step/dir) and also with encoder outputs (all have encoder inputs or absolute encoders, usually serial ones) so the loop can be closed in LinuxCNC with both types of control, makes life easier during use. Given the choice between analog and step/dir, choose step/dir.
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- spumco
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31 Mar 2026 20:40 #345011
by spumco
Replied by spumco on topic MotionMaster Upgrade
Before you make any decisions, you've got to sort out power.
How many amps of 220v single-phase do you have available for the machine? This will narrow down your options considerably.
Even if you downgrade the VFD, you may not be able to run the existing drives on single-phase. You may not even have enough amps available with a rotary phase converter or Phase Perfect.
If you do have enough amps to run single-phase with no converter, you need to budget for significantly increase conductor sizes to (and maybe inside) the machine.
So...
How many amps do you have available?
If you don't have many amps, can you stomach the cost & hassle of a service upgrade?
How many amps do the drives require, and what voltage?
I think these will help you determine if you're re-using anything or if this is gonna be a full-boogie replacement where everything electrical comes out and gets replaced with new.
How many amps of 220v single-phase do you have available for the machine? This will narrow down your options considerably.
Even if you downgrade the VFD, you may not be able to run the existing drives on single-phase. You may not even have enough amps available with a rotary phase converter or Phase Perfect.
If you do have enough amps to run single-phase with no converter, you need to budget for significantly increase conductor sizes to (and maybe inside) the machine.
So...
How many amps do you have available?
If you don't have many amps, can you stomach the cost & hassle of a service upgrade?
How many amps do the drives require, and what voltage?
I think these will help you determine if you're re-using anything or if this is gonna be a full-boogie replacement where everything electrical comes out and gets replaced with new.
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