I might start a separate thread for the project of writing up a complete reusable custom single axis hal component. I think it would have a lot of uses.
At the moment I am preparing to drive Y axis up/down with the footpedal. This is what I've been able to learn so far:
1: The proportional valve sets the tonnage, and also provides the open-center? flow from the fixed displacement pump back to the tank. If there was any tonnage feedback originally, it had to be measured from the coil's armature position by analyzing the a.c. component of the coil drive pwm, I think. I see no other electronic connection to that hydraulic circuit. If I end up needing tonnage feedback, I will use a pressure sensor.
2: The servo valves provide directional variable speed control of the left and right side independently
3: 4.0 and 5.0 are labeled 'servo valve', 8.4 is labeled 'proportional valve' The valve bank also has 6 spool valves (listed in the order shown in the manual. They are only numbered but appear to be common spool valves with 24VDC coils.) I label the servo valves with polarity markings. The book displays up and down pointers instead, so I'm guessing at polarity.
They operate in combinations to produce these hydraulic 'modes':
| Motion | Valves Active |
|-|-|
| high speed down | 9.1, 10.1, 6.1, 7.1, -4.0, -5.0 |
| press speed down | 8.5, 8.1, 8.4, -4.0, -5.0 |
| pressure holding | 8.5, 8.1, 8.4, -4.0, +4.0, -5.0, +5.0 |
| pressure relief | 8.1, +4.0, +5.0 |
| creep up | 8.1, 8.4, +4.0, +5.0 |
| high speed up | 9.1, 10.1, 8.4, +4.0, +5.0 |
I see I do not need to individually power every single solenoid; some are connected to the same control relays; I list only the 24VDC solenoids here with their relays; the pwm controlled valves do not have relays, they have a power disconnect (e-stop circuit) contactor right after the 24VDC power supply unit:
| Relay | Solenoids |
|-|-|
| 200 | 9.1, 10.1 |
| 201 | 6.1, 7.1 |
| 202 | 8.5 |
| 203 | 8.1 |
For the pwm driving the coils, after some studying, it appears all three need essentially the same kind of power to activate them. (except the proportional is not reversible) PWM is listed as 300HZ, but from what I found so far, higher is totally fine. The important gotcha is for accurate control, it needs to dither by nn% at maybe 30Hz. So I think instead of superimposing a slow pwm on the fast hardware pwmgens, I will use a software siggen running at 30HZ and the offset component to superimpose dither upon my hardware pwmgen.value command.