Mach3 and the spindle control

Thanks, I see that now...I will have to see what I can find along the lines of an AC motor with VFD, like the treadmill motors suggested earlier. I guess a 2 Hp at least. I see these treadmill motors come with flywheels. I guess it would be best to run the spindle without the flywheel.
 
The flywheel is for rotational mass. Helps the motor stay at a steady speed as the user picks up and puts down their feet, and pushes along.
I think you'd tend to get dizzy otherwise from the constant speed change!

This:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/CNC-0-3KW-Sp...5?pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item3cccfd81ef
is a motor I was looking at. DC, 3K-12K speed. Even comes with a bracket! Guy has a much larger one too.

Then check CNC4PC.com for an appropriate controller to let MACH do the speed.
 
That motor looks great although I'm looking for something to use to mill mild steel and not quite so fine. This includes facing and making keyways and boring. I don't think I need such high speed and such fine tooling. My spindle should have an Er25 or even Er32 collet. I am thinking of using a belt drive to increase the torque and reduce the spindle speed. I think with mild steel the max speed should be 1000 rpm or even less? Turning mild steel on the lathe is never at more than 450 - 500 rpm.
i guess the treadmill motor is still the best option.
 
Have a look at this thread,http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=g-user-u&v=b2-Kdud7eiA
Here Simpsons36 is using a stepper motor to drive his 4 th axis, see how we'll the stepper motor works turning the spindle at a reasonably high speed.
This is where I initially got the idea to use a stepper to drive the spindle. Mine arrived today from china. I will try hook it up and drive a similar spindle as simpsons36.
I guess it is a better option as a 4th axis as the stepper function is primarily for indexing.
it will be interesting to find out how to have the drive and indexing options as in the video. This is where I think it will become difficult to control in Mach 3.
 
MTBcrazy said:
HHere Simpsons36 is using a stepper motor to drive his 4 th axis
Click to expand...

Simpson uses a servo motor for his 4th axis. A servo is much different in this application and I don't think a stepper would perform well. I have been watching Simpson and his wokr over the years.

Chris
 
Dr.Fiero said:
If you're doing a conversion on a G0704 (BF20, etc etc) - the motor controller in that is very easy to convert to Mach control.

You can get a board from (really hope I'm not violating rules by dropping company names!) CNC4PC.
I've got the C6 board,and it ties right onto the existing speed control. It interfaces with Mach, and you have direct control.

They have other similar solutions for different applications too.
Click to expand...
I know this is an old thread, but I have run into a brick wall wiring a C6 board to my G0704 control board and don't want magic smoke to escape! I know to use a separate 12v wall wart for the c6 but I need specifics on the wiring.
Everyone keeps saying how easy it is and says to follow the schematic in the C6 manual! But there is no specific G0704/BF20 diagram. Is the G0704/BF20 board the same as the KBIC? I have googled this topic up and down but no one ever actually gives the specifics of the wiring. Someone please help?
 
The C6 board specifications are a bit lacking. There is no specification for the input terminals, so I would assume that they are ''dry contact'', in other words they require only a contact closure, so hook those to the NO and COM terminals on the spindle relay on your Mach3 control board to turn on the relay. You can check this by connecting the wall wart to the C6 board, and jumping the relay input terminals. If the relay clicks, then you should be good to go.

It looks like in the G0704 electrical system, you can put the C6 relay in series with the wire 13 (terminal N) as shown in the current manual. This should put the C6 relay in series with the E-Stop switch. It looks like the E-stop switch cuts all power to the motor circuit.
 
Thanks Jim, I'll play around with your suggestions. I have a Keling KL-DB25 breakout board with 4 KL5056 drivers running my 4 axis mill setup with a rotary table. I see no provisions on the bb for what I'm trying to do. Its been awhile since I built that Controller box and I wonder if I need to upgrade the breakout board to do this. It is 6 axis capable but doesn't have spindle control. I thought Mach would allow me to just configure the C6 board as my 5th axis and control the spindle as it would with a stepper, from what other people say. Maybe I'm mistaken on that.
This is the DB25 bb page
http://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/breakout-boards/kl-db25-breakout-board

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
 
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JimDawson said:
The C6 board specifications are a bit lacking. There is no specification for the input terminals, so I would assume that they are ''dry contact'', in other words they require only a contact closure
Click to expand...

"Dry contact" means contacts designed to switch low voltages and currents (such as 5VDC at 1ma). They are usually plated with silver or gold so that they will not form an insulating layer of oxide. That's not a problem with contacts rated for, say, 100VAC at 20A because the voltage will easily break down the thin oxide film and the current will burn it off.
 
John Hasler said:
"Dry contact" means contacts designed to switch low voltages and currents (such as 5VDC at 1ma). They are usually plated with silver or gold so that they will not form an insulating layer of oxide. That's not a problem with contacts rated for, say, 100VAC at 20A because the voltage will easily break down the thin oxide film and the current will burn it off.
Click to expand...

John, do you have a better nomenclature for an input that requires only a contact closure for operation?

cuseguy said:
Thanks Jim, I'll play around with your suggestions. I have a Keling KL-DB25 breakout board with 4 KL5056 drivers running my 4 axis mill setup with a rotary table. I see no provisions on the bb for what I'm trying to do. Its been awhile since I built that Controller box and I wonder if I need to upgrade the breakout board to do this. It is 6 axis capable but doesn't have spindle control. I thought Mach would allow me to just configure the C6 board as my 5th axis and control the spindle as it would with a stepper, from what other people say.
This is the DB25 bb page
http://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/breakout-boards/kl-db25-breakout-board

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
Click to expand...

If the C6 board does require only a contact closure for operation, then the KL-DB25 will not work. There are some other breakout boards that have relays for spindle and coolant.

On the other hand if the C6 board will accept a 5V input from the KL-DB25 then you should be good to go. The data for the relay input on the C6 board is not stated so I have no idea on that one.
 
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