Member postings for BitzerAgain

Quick update: Managed to set up the Acorn software today using a temporary USB to Ethernet converter to give me a connection to the web while the inbuilt Ethernet was connected to the Acron board (so that idea works!)

The Acorn site is bookmarked as the homepage so I don't nget tempted to wander off to anywhere dodgy.

Still cooking the stepper though. remains locked and not moving and after 10 mins it is too hot to handle. I thought I had followewd DrDave's "words and music" so I'm not sure what I am doing wrong, unless I have the wrong steppers?

Looks like I will have to consult the Acorn forum. Will keep you all posted.

Progress is very slow as the only place I can lay everything out is on the spare bedroom floor and I keep finding excuses to do more modelling instead!

Hi DrDave,

Thanks for the link. I haven't got a WiFi adapter on the PC so it was offline when I set up the software and it hasn't downloaded the license or the wizard while the ethernet was only connected to the Acorn unit.

There will now be a short intermission while I order a WiFi card...

Bitzer

Oops, there was supposed to be a picture there:

The main addition to Dr. Dave's setup is the 12V control circuit, which gives me a no-volt relay to interrupt the mains using low voltage to a couple of stop buttons around the mill. The black box will sit on top of the mill and has the spindle speed control, manual override and a plug for a remote e-stop.

Resurrecting an old thread, but it's taken me 18 months to get this far...

Thanks to Dr. Dave's helpint theis thread I now have most of the hardware wired in

Today was the first live test of the first servo. I've plugged in the blue, red, green and black wires to the drive, set dipswitch No5 and run the Acorn software but nothing is happening. After 10mins the servo gets quite warm so there is power getting to it (!) but no movement.

The Acorn software is running with default settings. do I need to reconfigure anything?

Is there anyone who can help, please?

Bitzer

Fair point about the stepper torque. I usually cut brass and copper so don't really push the limits.

I'm sure the dataplate on my motor says 3A @180V. There is a green mark on the ammeter at 2A and a red one at 4A (like DrDave's on the previous page). I will double check tonight.

Homann Automation bookmarked, thanks Emgee, but I will probably stay with the pot. for speed control (like the original).

Regards,

Bitzer

Hi DrDave,

I went ahead and bought some 1.8Nm NEMA23 steppers, which may be a bit light for the duty. CNC4U suggested using their CWD556 drivers as being capable of driving a 4Nm stepper if I want more oomph. Currently using a 36V power supply (with the option of 48V for 4Nm steppers), although I haven't tested it yet as I'm still wiring everything up.

I looked at trying to extract the spindle drive from the original Emco box but I think I will have to go down the KBIC route as well. It looks like the KBIC240D is the right one? The motor is 540W so, depending on which Hp standard KBIC use (metric/imperial) the resistor should be 0.035 ohm (part no. 9840). Can you confirm please?

Having done some reading about steppers and the fragility of drivers for high inductance motors. I'm a bit nervous abouth this conversion, especially as it looks like a stepper fault which blew the O/P transistors on the Emco board.

There will be a lot of teeth sucking if I let the magic smoke out of several hundred pounds worth of PCBs!

Regards,

Bitzer

Hi Dr. Dave,

Despite your kind assistance with parts to get my mill running it looka as though the original boards are u/s so I am going to have to admit defeat and go down your route.

I have an Acorn controller on order but could you let me know the details of the steppers and drivers you used? There are umpteen listed on the CNC4U site and I would appreciate some guidance to make sure they are compatible.

Thanks,

Bitzer(Again)

Bitzer here again. I'm not sure what happened to my old account but I don't seem to be able to get into it now. I think my old email address must have disappeared into the cloud never to be seen again.

Anyway, after a long and rather boring summer I am hoping to get back to the workshop and do something creative.

Rather than repeat myself, if anyone is interested my previous "hello" is here:

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=137515