I haven't actually used the tuning part yet but in the next couple of weeks I'm going to put a couple of Allen Bradley servo motors and drives on to our 6 axis machine.
I would just like to understand the procedure before I tackle it.
Because it's a tuning function, does this mean it actually changes settings inside the drive to run the motor more efiicently or does it just change the output signals?
Because the machine runs steppers (very slow I might add) I'm a bit worried I'll need to put a gearbox on the end of the motors to compensate for the difference needed (but I'll work that out later).
One of these motors (MPL-A330P-HK22AA) I've got says a maximum RPM of 5000, can these run quite stable at a low speeds e.g 250 - 500rpm (I'm only guessing until I remove the old stepper motor) or should I really alter the ratio to allow the servo to run near it's maximum rpm when running flat out?

The amplifier drives should be set up in the torque mode and the gain as high as it will go without oscillation, something most don't seem to look at is calculating the motor to load inertia, at least if you use one of the software sizing packages you can get a feel as to what the effects are on motor to load inertia, play around with free programs offered by Kollmorgen or Allen-Bradley, I have posted a link to the emerson one in the utilities section, I assume you have a Galil card seeing as you posted in the Camsoft forum.
If you view the on line video by Jacob Tal on the Galil site, this will give you an idea of tuning the system control loop with the Galil auto-tuning software.
Al.

AFAIK:
The tuning function doesn't change the amp drive settings. The tuning on the camsoft side only changes the way the +/-10v signal is determined. You should ask camsoft direct about their features. There is an autotune function. I couldn't use it as my encoders are attached to the axis, not the motors. You can also get the Galil tuning software for about $150US.

As to servo rpm speed, there is the common accepted idea that they run better at a higher rpm. However, just for kicks, I took the end caps off of my 1.3kw Sanyo Denki servos just to see what they were doing. On many of the moves, the motor shaft is running much slower than 1rpm and the machine shows no following error and is very smooth, no cogging. The servos, amps and machine are all stock, I only added CamSoft and an ethernet card.

Just a heads up if you use Galil's WSDK or their other software on your Camsoft computer. Galil will install drivers that cause Camsoft to not run. AND the drivers from both companies will not uninstall. I ended up reformating and starting over.

If you are using XP you could set up a system restore point and roll your computer back to a prior state after using Galil to avoid this mess.

Karl

Thanks for the heads up

It's not that hard really to get both programs to work on the same computer. I noticed that if you are using the latest version of CamSoft then install Galil software the drivers installed by Galil are no longer any trouble. If you have an older version of CamSoft then the procedure if pretty simple, you basically call or e-mail CamSoft and they will give you a list of driver files to delete. You install the Galil program then delete the driver files then re-install CamSoft to put the proper drivers back in place then both programs will use the same set of drivers.
:boxing:

Well, I finally got a chance to install the servo drive, (I don't think I've got the settings correct yet, e.g in the start up file).
When I physically grab the motor shaft and turn it the DRO changes, I just can't get the motor to move itself.
When I Auto tune it, the motor doesn't turn but it gets to 48% and sits there for about 40 minutes, I aborted after that, should the motor be turning during the tuning process. Also how long should it take to tune the motor?
I've attached ther terminal PDF (with a few changes).
I think I'll have a few questions over the next couple of days.

Take a look at the manual and see what is required for pin 49 and 50 it is labeled brake or drive enabled, you may have to jumper this out depending on what the book says to enable the drive, you won't need to hook it up to the ICM2900 to try it.
It should take a couple of minutes to auto tune the drives.
Al.

All the below are terminals for the drive
Pin 49 & 50 are for the brake +/-, but my motor doesn't have a brake.
I did notice that pin 20 is Drive enable, when you say jumper this out how do you mean? (I labelled it on page 4)
After reading the manual (see attached) I think your right, I'm just not sure where to connect it.
Also Pin 24 & 25 are for drive ready +/-, not sure if this is of any relevance.
I attached the PDF.
Thanks (Yet again)

Ok I see it now, Pins 5 & 26 and 6 & 13 are the power source for operating remote switches or opto etc as shown in fig 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 & 6.4 for now all you need to do is to take pin 20 to pin 5 or 26 and that should enable the drive, later you can operate this with a relay or opto etc if you wish from the ICM2900, also the brake enable output can indicate if the drive itself is ready or in fault when fed back to the system, again not needed for testing.
Al.

Thanks Al, I just tried it and it's still not working, I'm not sure if it's hardware (second hand drive) or software, is it possible to connect a power source to the drive to make the motor move (just to ease my concerns, incase the drive is knackered).
Also what is the DCBus + & - terminals on the drive (yet again, see attached).
Your patience is incredible......

The DC bus comes from the rectified AC input,I would assume this feature is if you want to use an external DC source instead of the AC mains.
If the drive is powered from an ac source you should measure the resultant dc bus voltage, you should be able to test the drive in a stand-alone condition by enabling it and place a variable DC source into the command +- , change polarity and the direction should change, I use a battery box with a pot to give me +9 -0- -9v but any DC cell from 1.5 to 9vdc into the command input should produce an output to the motor.
When you test it hooked up to the ICM2900 and command a move, there should be a + or - voltage on the command input.
Most drives have a LED to indicate when the drive is in the enabled state.
Does your drives have the 7 segment status LED that will tell if the drive is enabled?
Al.

Al, our drive only has a single LED (see pic) which is lit green, in the manual (attached) it states this is normal operation.
So in theory if I put 9v DC onto the command +- the motor should move?

Yes, although 9v will drive the motor full tilt. Does the LED change when you disconnect the enable?
Al.

I just removed the jumper and the LED is still lit, assuming I had it on correctly.
I'm currently looking for a 9v battery.

Well I made some progress, not too sure if it's good progress though, I connected everything and the motor is inconsistent, one time it will sit there and vibrate, with the shaft moving backwards and forwards very fast (making a horrible noise), other times when I turn on the power to the drive the drive just goes into hardware fault (flashing orange, does this most of the time).
I checked everything about 5 times, I know it's gonna be something simple.
Once the power is on to the drive sometimes the motor will creep slowly, which I thought is good (because it's not tuned yet), othertimes it will just spin then trip the drive into an error.
Also when I connected the 9v battery to it, it spins approx 30° then goes into hardware fault. It's gonna be so simple isn't it (I hope)
Here is a complete list of what I've done.

PDF of All connections (http://www.ultracut.com.au/1398%20Servo%20Drive%20Ultra%20J1%20Connector.pdf)

I just noticed something, I've got a 12/24 volt I/O at the drive, but my ICM 2900 is set to 5v, as dumb as it sounds could this be my problem?

Sorry my mistake, I just noticed my ICM 2900 has a 12 volt, so I took it from the ICM, nope that wasn't the problem.
I noticed the Pin 1 and 3 are both +5VDC Encoder, do I need to connect one of these?
Also the fault reset is Pin 21, if I put a signal of +5v to this terminal will this reset the drive.
It's so close...........

First, by hooking up the drive without controller and encoder feedback, you can test if the phasing etc is right, motor connections etc. This has to be correct first before you hook up a controller command and encoder feedback.
So you have to have proper control of the motor and drive first. With no connection on the command input, or better still with the command input jumpered out for zero signal, the motor should remain stationary, next apply a 1.5v from a cell etc to the command inputs and the motor should revolve smoothly, if it oscillates or runs away etc, then it is usually the motor phases are wrong or the resolver feedback.
Once you have smooth operation this way then you can hook up the controller, if you get a odd oscillation etc at this point, it may be because the encoder direction is not phased, and this can be corrected by reversing the A & /A signals into the ICM2900
The ICM2900 connections look OK, what setting for the 5v are you refering to?
You don't need the 5v from the ICM2900.
You can reset the drive by this pin if it faults out by taking it high to the i/o power.
Al.

Sorry but the 5v I'm refering to is just a positive value so as to reset the drive, I'm not sure if it needs to be 5 or 12 etc etc.
I might connect a switch so I can reset the drive easier, I'm getting sick of unplugging it....yeah lazy I know.

Because I used new Allen Bradley cables for the motor and encoder, can I assume they are correct?

Once you have smooth operation this way then you can hook up the controller, if you get a odd oscillation etc at this point, it may be because the encoder direction is not phased, and this can be corrected by reversing the A & /A signals into the ICM2900

By the A & /A signals is that the A+ & A-?

Righty O, I disconnected everything from the ICM, except for the 12v connection for the I/O, then I got a 1.5v batteries and connected it to the Command +/- wires, the motor then turned 180° quite fast, I reversed the polarity and the motor turned back 180° just as fast, well at least it moved, after doing this a few times the drive went into Hardware Fault.
When you say the phasing do you mean the power to the motor could be connected wrong, even though it's a standard cable?

[B]
By the A & /A signals is that the A+ & A-?

Yes.
Are you saying it moved 180deg only? as it should continue to turn at a steady rate as long as you have the battery connected, without faulting. If you have factory cables, I would assume they are correct connections.
I re-read the drive sheets and it shows the requirements for a separate 24vdc supply for the I/O? Do you have 0-24vdc on the drive I/O power pins?
I had assumed it was supplying that internally.
Al.

Al, the motor did move only 180° then stopped even though I still had the 1.5v battery connected.
For the I/O I have got 12v connected, (from the ICM) as it states 12-24v.
I also tried 24v but no difference.
Should I be worried about the drive?

Is there a possibility that these drive have a personality module or eprom that has to store an intelligent configuration set up by computer through the serial port? it appears thay can be used in many modes, I would read the manual over and see if this is a possibility.
Al.

Hi Al,
You were right, I got the Allen Bradley software and "voila" it worked straight away (after I had to update the firmware), but damn it's easy.
I haven't gotten it to function correctly with camsoft yet, for some reason I can't tune it in there but hopefully I'll get there.

The Good news is Allen Bradley has one of the truly functional auto tuning setups that actually works, the bad news is even if that works the auto tuning in the Camsoft invariably tells you that the drive is not tuned well enough to use it's auto tune.