WM18 - Z Axis power feed

I have done the same thing in a Chester 16V mill and fitted a stepper motor as well as changing the lead screw for a ball screw. There is a post on here look for Chester champion V16 Z axis mod. And on YouTube David George Chester Z axis mod 2 worth a look. If you want the drawings etc drop me a message.

David

My x feed has a gear head motor and I can turn the handle with that still engaged but easier to knock the dog clutch out of engagement.

The Sieg machines really only use the feed to save you cranking the high up handle for general positioning of the head and use the quill fine feed to put on a cut so don't give you a Z handle.

That looks exactly what I am looking for.

What is a ball screw and why the change.

I have also sent a PM

As for the size of motor you'll need I'd calculate it like this: Hand wheel radius = approx 5cm, force to rotate the handwheel comfortably 10N ish? (1Kg) That will give a torque of 50Ncm

A stepper like this nema23 **LINK** will have a holding torque of 190Ncm, which should be more than enough.

The down side of the stepper is the electronics etc to make it work. I have my younger brother to help me out with that - I'm not much into electronics unfortunately!

Is this somit you made yourself? Any chance of some photos please

Looking at the top of the mill the lead screw comes through a bearing with a threaded portion and two thin nuts that lock together.

What would be the best way to attach the motor motor?

it i use some sort of clutch does anyone have a simple setup/drawing 

Edited By petro1head on 30/07/2019 06:21:46

So I think I am nearly there.

This is how I am going to connect the stepper motor to the mill

I am going to buy this stepper motor, as reccomended by Chris, thanks - Link

This for the power supply - Link

This PWM controller - Link

Up/Down Switch - Link

Will also need a on/off switch and a box to house everything, except the power supply which will be in a separate box.

Edited By petro1head on 30/07/2019 14:02:03

You should be fine with those components. I have the exact same things plus some more buttons for my power feed on the X-axis.

Oh forgot I will need a stop pluger so I dont go too far.

I have a single unit on my X axis with a pluger either side but cant seem to find them

Is ‘pluger’ a tyneside term? Never heard of it. Do you mean a limit switch?

Yeh, thats the badger

Work has started, got the mount, connection and motor installed

Just waiting for delivery of the PWM and project boxes then I can start the wiring.

Next task while waiting id to fit the limit switched.

Re the wiring would it be worth covering the wire metal conduit  What size and where from? Or I could use this stuff Link

The motor only put a small amount of resistance on the handle so happy

Edited By petro1head on 04/08/2019 13:27:29

It's not very clear to me whether the intention is as a z-axis feed while cutting or simply to raise/lower the head without effort.

If it's the latter, the poor-man's version is a socket fitted in an electric drill/driver with the clutch set appropriately.

Currently my thought are just to raise lower the head however once done it may well be good enough to feed while cutting.

re your second statement, will, yes i could just do that. Bit Heath Robinson but each to their own.

for me its also the enjoyment of the project

... Oh, sure - whatever lights your candle of course. Wasn't detracting from what you're doing.

Oh bugger!

The stepper motor ChrisB linked to does not seem powerfull enough and cant turn the lead screw

Edit:  The current switches were set to the lowest current.  However as the head raises it get a little tighter and the motor then struggles, currently looking into why it gets tighter

Edited By petro1head on 06/08/2019 14:00:06

Bit late to enter the fray, but...I do think a NEMA34 size would have been better, or at least a motor with maybe around 3 to 4NM torque. The problem is really overcoming the stiction in the system and will be worse on the up..

If you are willing to try a few things -

Does the motor turn on its own, disconnected from the leadscrew?

If so, loosen up the Z Gibs completely and try again, just to see if things move.

If not, let me know and we take it from there.

Do you have an oscilloscope?

Can you post a wiring diagram of how you connected the bits?

Joe

If you got the NEMA23 like the one I linked, with a holding torque of 1.9NM it's more than enough to move the column on a WM18.

I have tested mine on the X axis and it moves the table effortlessly. Make sure it's wired correctly, there are a lot of settings on the stepper controller. As I mentioned in my post above. I didn't wire it myself as I'm not electrically minded but I recall it was a bit of a fiddle until we got it set properly. I'll ask my brother for a wiring diagram and controller settings.

Have a look at the below video, he's using a 3NM, Nema23 for the table powerfeed on a Raglan.

**LINK**

Edited By ChrisB on 06/08/2019 14:07:15

I am starting to feel the 3nm motor may have been better Link

Before fitting I bench tested the motor and it was turning fine.

When I first fitted it the dip switches were set to 1 amp, when I set it to the required amperage, 2.8, it stated working on the mill.

I don't have an occiliscpoe

Wiring diagram:

That was the YouTube vid I followed, however he is used the 3nm motor.

I also wonder, the X axis is a lot easier to feed that the Z, concidering the weight of the head.

Just a thought Chris

Edited By petro1head on 06/08/2019 14:18:09