The problem is that it works ok in the beginning of the part program (the first couple of minutes) and then starts having problems. If I rewind the program and start from the beginning again it happens sooner. I think something is heating up in the driver and shutting off current intermittently. The PC is still sending steps, but the drive cannot apply power to the servos. When the driver finally cools down, it applies max power to the drive and causes the rough motion. The only problem is that I have the drivers mounted to a 3/8" slab of aluminum with several PC processor heatsink plus a large fan directed at the whole thing. I have heatsink compound between everything. Also, I can't feel it getting hot at all, but I can't really touch the drivers where I want to because I'm using the 990 motherboard, which puts the three axis drivers very close to each other.
This is a home built machine. It is heavy duty -- all steel frame with large rails (1.5" diameter open Thompsons, 35mm THKs/NSKs on the X and Y). I'm not sure what slip-stick is exactly. All of the slides run freely, although there is obviously some drag, but the servos are 300oz/in continuous (1500oz/in max) so they don't have a problem moving them at all. I can accellerate at 125"/s/s with no problem other than the machine needs to be bolted to the floor.
It looks like armoured cable is solid wire. I was looking for stranded since it will be bending in the energy chains. Also, I have limited room in the energy chains. Armored cable is pretty large in diameter from the ones I found on the internet. I think I can get the shielded if I special order it. No one here carries shielded over 14 AWG and I need 10 AWG.
As far as grounding....maybe that's part of my problem. All of the encoder shielding is connected together at the driver end only, but am I supposed to connect the driver end to anything else?
Am I supposed to attach the ground from the 110 supply (outlet) to the driver ground? I was always confused about that.