Author Topic: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines  (Read 34253 times)

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #60 on: February 14, 2020, 11:55:18 PM »
I knew about the feature on the bottom of T-nuts from my other machines. I was just surprised that the Sherline ones don't have that.
It may be that I grabbed the wrong ones but it seems to me that all of them should have that. No?

Currently re-arranging the shop. No new benches or cabinets but somehow I've got less storage than before.  ::)
Need to get some plywood and masonite that will be used to create backs to my lab benches and to separate the 'dirty room' from the 'clean room'.
The boards will also be used to hang tools.

Once the shop is in order then I'm hoping to start the finger treadle machines and a 'franken-board' for learning about the Smoothstepper, Gecko, and Mach3.

So far this seems to be pulling me out of my depression.  :ThumbsUp:
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #61 on: February 15, 2020, 12:03:50 AM »
My guess is sherline didn't do that since the nuts are so thin, ones on minimills are twice as tall.




Looking forward to seeing your build of the finger engines!

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #62 on: February 15, 2020, 02:06:56 PM »
What a great adventure Zee. I just read through the whole thread and will be following along now. Looks like you have done your homework with the help of others here. Have fun!!

Bill

Offline Mike R

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #63 on: February 21, 2020, 02:55:43 AM »
Thanks Mike. I'm still not sure.
In serial, the current per phase is 2.1A with an inductance of 8.8mH.
In parallel, the current per phase is 4.2A with an inductance of 2.2mH.
The Gecko provides 3.5A. The power supply is rated 48V, 12.5A.
Now, I believe those currents are a bit bogus. The RMS values are about 70% of that. (1.47 for serial, 2.94 for parallel).
With 4 motors running, it looks like either way the 12.5A power supply will do.
A bit more concerning is the inductance. Gecko documentation shows the equation 32 * sqrt(inductance) = power supply voltage.
2.2mH gives 47.5V (which is within the power supply).
8.8mh gives 94.9V (which is twice the power supply).
It's been many many years since I've played in this arena so I'm not sure about anything.

Whether serial or parallel, the same 4 motor leads are used with the only difference being how the other 4 motor leads are connected and they can be connected at the motor.
So I can try both ways easily enough. I just don't want to blow the driver.

BTW the colors of the motor leads mean nothing. Need to go by where the wires are connected to the motor.


Hi Zee,


Just to be clear the motors and controller aren't from Sherline are they? 


I think a poke :stickpoke:   to the folks at Gecko is in order to determine the G540's ability to handle the stepper motors wired in parallel.  That is the way I would go, the only caveat  being that 4.2amps motor draw being greater than the drives specified 3.5amp supply ability.  Now some drives limit the amps they supply so it doesn't matter - you could have a short circuit on the output and the drive will limit to its rated amps, others don't have that kind of feature and will try to drive the load and fail (sooner or later).
Not sure about the Gecko - their documentation isn't specific.  I would think its self limiting as you can limit the amperage to less than 3.5 amps (with a current
imiting resistor) but I would ask to be safe.  :zap:  I know that Gecko have been known for great customer support in the past though I've never owned a gecko product myself.


If you have details on the motors (Part numbers, supplier, pictures, wiring colours etc.) I can see what I have or can find. I've hoarded info on that stuff / googled it immensely in the past during my cnc conversions and can probably help.


Mike

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #64 on: February 21, 2020, 12:34:35 PM »
Thanks Mike. That's very appreciated.

Attached is the data sheet on the motor. I got them from Automation Technology. About a 3rd of the price from Sherline.
Along with the information I provided earlier, they are 282 oz/in whether serial or parallel.
NEMA 23, KL23H276-30-8B. Bought through Amazon.
The controller is a Gecko G540, also bought through Amazon.
The Gecko information is pretty good but I can't find a downloadable version of their manual. I can only read the data online.
Good idea to contact Gecko and I have more googling I can do.

I've got the shop rearranged but I'm still setting things up.
I need to make a cover for a wall outlet that's right behind the mill. (Don't want chips getting in there.)
Similarly, I'm enclosing some of the benches so the swarf gets to the floor rather than into the bench shelf.

I'm not thrilled with the shop change. Getting storage where I wanted it is a problem.
Worse, the Sherline equipment barely fits my 5' bench and I think it'll be a problem once the motors are installed.
(The Sherlines have extended beds.)
My backup plan is to move another 5' bench next to it but I lose a work station.
Once the CNC is installed I'll also want to make move-able enclosures for the equipment.

As for the finger treadle project, I've been collecting/cutting the metal for it but the flywheel (due to its size) will be a problem.
Hopefully I'm carving metal in a couple of weeks as well as putting together a frankensystem for learning CNC.

On top of all that, I have to manage Chris's misplaced notion that I'm building a chassis for his Stanley engine.  ;D
Funny how a thorn in one's side can live in another state but still poke you.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline Hugh Currin

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #65 on: February 21, 2020, 03:09:21 PM »
Zee:

I found the attached on the Gecko site. It came up as a *.pdf and I saved it from that.

The Gecko information is pretty good but I can't find a downloadable version of their manual. I can only read the data online.
Hugh

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #66 on: February 21, 2020, 03:27:10 PM »
I found the attached on the Gecko site. It came up as a *.pdf and I saved it from that.

The Gecko information is pretty good but I can't find a downloadable version of their manual. I can only read the data online.

I apologize Hugh for sending you on that quest. I got confused and meant a downloadable version of the SmoothStepper documentation.
Thanks very much.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Online Jasonb

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #67 on: February 21, 2020, 03:47:08 PM »


As for the finger treadle project, I've been collecting/cutting the metal for it but the flywheel (due to its size) will be a problem.

Do you mean the diameter is too large to turn or the flat area too big to mill spokes on the milling machine as X & Y travel not enough?

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #68 on: February 21, 2020, 07:18:51 PM »


As for the finger treadle project, I've been collecting/cutting the metal for it but the flywheel (due to its size) will be a problem.

Do you mean the diameter is too large to turn or the flat area too big to mill spokes on the milling machine as X & Y travel not enough?

Mainly that I don't have the material. The project calls for a 3" flywheel but all I have is about 2 1/4.
I have a couple of spare flywheels from an old project that I may start with.
Lots of options even the spares are too light (or likely won't look in proportion).
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline Elam Works

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #69 on: February 22, 2020, 03:03:25 AM »
Zee,

Could probably find something laying around here in the odds and sods and am what, eight miles away?

-Doug

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #70 on: February 22, 2020, 03:15:23 PM »
Thanks Doug.

I had no idea you were that close.
Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it.

Carl
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #71 on: February 23, 2020, 10:54:39 PM »
Some progress.

Got the shop re-arranged but still a few minor things to do. Not very happy with it but it'll do and I got the space I wanted for a 4x8 table (i.e. a train set).

1st picture shows the various hardware components.
2nd picture shows the franken-system ready for wiring.

The current plan:
1) Install Mach3 and connect it to the SmoothStepper motion controller and see that it does what it should. (Need to wire 5V power supply and emergency stop at a minimum.)
2) Connect the G540 driver and use Mach3 to drive the two motors. (Need to wire the 48V power supply and motors.)
3) Convert the Sherlines to CNC, install the above hardware, and have a go.

My plans usually go awry as I don't have Baldrick as an adviser.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #72 on: February 23, 2020, 10:57:51 PM »
Those are the same e-stop buttons we used to put on all our printer test fixtures, for when a sensor wire came loose and it accelerated the carriage at the wall at light speed. They work very well.


Now that you mention Baldrick, make sure you dont think of the BlackAdder theme song or it will get stuck in your head. ... Ooops, too late!  :Lol:

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #73 on: February 25, 2020, 09:15:26 PM »
A bit more progress.

I went with configuring the stepper motor phases in parallel.
1st pic shows the DB9 with a resistor used for current limiting.
I doubt the resistor is needed. The motor will take 4.2A per phase but the Gecko will only provide 3.2A.
I also turned off the charge pump on the Gecko (as recommended in a video I'd watched.)

2nd pic shows everything wired up (I think).

Next step is to disconnect the 48V supply and concentrate on the Smoothstepper.
First, I'll disconnect the 5V supply and verify its operation (there's a trim pot to adjust the output - earlier I had measured 5.3V so I want to bring it down a tad).
Then reconnect only the 5V supply, verify the SmoothStepper is operating and configure it and Mach3.
Then I'll move onto trimming the 48V supply, connecting the Gecko and testing that.
I'm not using the remote sense on the 48V supply.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #74 on: February 26, 2020, 07:07:21 PM »
So far so good.

Trimmed the 5V supply a little. The 48V was fine.
Installed Mach3 and got it talking to the SmoothStepper.
Attached picture shows the top green led solid (it's running!) and the bottom green led (though you can't tell) is blinking which means the ESS is talking to Mach3.
Somewhat easy but confusing. Several re-launches before things seemed to get stable.
Went on to the Gecko. Tried their XML file to configure Mach3 inputs/outputs but that didn't seem to take. So I manually configured some pins.
Also tried the charge pump. Some documentation said it was needed, other documentation not.
When I enabled it, the system faulted. So it's off.

Not sure if the forum will accept the video. It just shows one of the motors spinning when I jogged it via Mach3.

Woo hoo!  :whoohoo:

Now to take apart the franken-system and move things over to the machine bench.
Next step is to manually use the machines to get a feel for them before I convert them to CNC.

Off to "Pull My Finger"

[EDIT:] Doesn't look like the video took. No biggie. Just a motor spinning.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

 

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