New 3 Axis or 4 Axis Stepper controller

[Kelinginc]

http://www.kelinginc.net/ControlSystem.html

Brand New 3 Axis Controller for NEMA23 and 34 Stepper motors

Ready to plug and use , Tested With Mach3

1: 3 PCS KL-6050 Bipolar Drivers, 60V, 5.0A, DIP
switch current setting, Automatic Idle-Current Reduction
Over-Current, Over-Voltage & Short-Circuit Protection

2: 1 PCS 48V/7.3A power Supply, 115V/230V

3: 1 PC Breakout Board for 6 axis, Isolated signal .

4: With E-Stop, x, y, z limit Switch, Home Switch

5: 1 PCS 115V Fan

[CNCZONERAMICO]

I am looking for this controller manual , the Keling site doesn't have any information on the connections , in particular on the wiring pinouts for the motor connectors and limit switches. Does anyone have this information?

I am trying to get this controller to work with 3 Powermax II bipolar motors wires in series and Mach 3.

Thanks.

[Kelinginc]

For the motor connector: 1--A+, 2--A-, 3--B+, 4--B-
The limit switch, 1--Ground, 2--X, 3--Y, 4---Z
Any question, pls let me know or email me at support@kelinginc.net

[CNCZONERAMICO]

Thanks John,

I needed this information a while back, would have save me some time, but I figured out the controller and all some of the component connections myself, last night. It is just not the connection to the motors, that I needed, but the connections to the controller components too, so that I could trouble shoot my setup easier.

I am still looking for a diagram of the 6050 drivers, what are SW1, SW2 and SW3 e dip switches for? How will these affect the driver operation?

Do these have any bearing on the specific motor hookup selection? IF parallel or series?

I already figured out the SW4 is for
1/2 Step and 1/8 Micro Step and this makes the motors run smoother on 1/8 ("0") and coarser on 1/2 ("1").

Currently my 6050's are all setup like this:

SW1 (0) On What is this for?
SW2 (1) Off WHat is this for?
SW3 (0) On What is this for?
SW4 (0) On As per indication on Driver cover explained above


Q) A small problem,

I am having a small issue with the controller box, not reversing the Y axis unless I gently pull on the cable that connects to the brekout board.

Troubleshooting this issue at the moment:

1) Could be a pooor connection of the screw terminal to the DIR wire to the driver that is not making good contact for the driver to send reverse to the motor?

or

2) Could be a poor solder joint on the DB25 Cable connector that is soldered to the breakout board?

Or?? Suggestions welcome...

What I've done:

I've already traced for continuity every pin on the DB25 with the matching solder joint on the breakout board to make sure nothing is loose.

I have also traced the screw connecion to the 6050 Y Axis driver and these are fine. So my next step is to trace the DIR wire to the breakout board and see if there is poor solder joint that is not allowing DIR signal to reach the driver.

At first I thought it would be the driver itself, but like I said, after tugging the breakout board gently the reverse made a connection.

While I try to resolve this issue, let me suggest to Keling the following:

The brekout board simply floats and is only held at the DB25 connector side screws to the rear of the metal box. The breakout board has provision for 4 mounting holes at the corners of the board, why not use them!, with the correct height PCB standoffs and mount the breakout board to the metal box bottom, this would be a lot more secure, than simply floating it on the DB25 connector mount. This way also, there is no chance of the DB25 wiggeling the breakout board loose, by user connecting the RS233 cable into the DB25 socket into a possible intermittent connection or even a broken solder joint.

Any feedback? Thanks..

No gain without some pain.

In these past month, and since I stared posting in this forum, regarding the MAXPATH42 router retrofit, it has been hell trying to get my MAXPATH42 Retrofit working, at times I was lost and felt like taking off to another world! mechanical and computer issues and lack of being new to the workings of Mach 3, along with pressures of business had put a dent on my spirit. But a little persistance and many sleepless nights, reading and trying to figure things out, finally things are beginning to look bright!.

I know, this to many folks here reading this is probably nothing to it. Well I guess I can now say that too, since I have gone through many stumbling blocks, come to think about it, some have been very minor, but under pressure things can really make things harder and blind you from a clear vision. I am way past that now!. I cannot explain the feeling when things work the way they should! Have you been there? I am almost there!, I have a few more things to do before I can really say I am 100% back to nomal operating mode. But when I do I will post here.

On Mach 3

I am finally beginning to enjoy MACH3! even with the small issue of the Y axis not reversing, as explained above. But I need the licensed version so that I can do some real work with it. That is next!

On an important note!, I have not been able to make Mach3 or Mach 2 work with a laptop, so I had to switch to a regular PC, bulky in the small shop of mine, but at least MACH3 is working, finally!. This is thanks to MACH 3 Support who suggested I eliminate the possible lack of signal precision with a laptop and go with a regular PC.

MY PC is a a rebuilt unit I did myself, with one of the better processors and boards, so it is pretty fast! and router is running so ever smooth, finally that I figured out the correct StepsPer and Velocity and Acceleration.

Also, I made some enhancements to the Router itself, by installing V Groove Bearings brackets to the exisiting Y an Z nut blocks and steel rod rails on the y and Z dovetail rails. The X rides on linear rail via Thomson Pillow block bearings, this I did not change, I also changed the BSA nuts for ones I found at McMAster Carr and now the Y an Z ride so ever smooth on the V grove bearings and steel rods. I am very happy...

So far Keling Controller Box is holding up well, otherwise.

Thanks to John, from Keling, Mach3 support for providing me support. I also want to thank the folks that have answered some of my questions in this forum.

[Kelinginc]

Specification:

1: Power Input: 20V to 60 DVC ( or 20 to 40AC)
2: Current: 1.5 A to 5A

1.5A,2.0A, 2.5A,3.0A,3.5A,4.0A,4.5A,5.0A

3: Resolution: ½, 1/8
4: Overheat, Over Voltage, Over Current Protection
5: Dimension: 150mm x 98mm x 45mm

I/O Port Connection:

1: VCC+: Connect 20 to 60V DC power Supply
2: GND
3: A+, A-
4: B+, B-
5: Step+ (CP+), 5V
6: Step- (CP-) Connect to Pulse Signal
7: Dir+, 5V
8: Dir -, Connect to Direction Signal

Current:

SW1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
SW2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
SW3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
Current 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

SW4 Position 1 -> ½
SW4 Position 0 -> 1/8

[CNCZONERAMICO]

Thanks John for the info on the 6050 Drivers.

I apologize for making comments on the color of the controller box which I have edited from my previous post. I thought it was unnecessary and more of a personal choice. Color has nothing to do with operation and I just wanted to make that clear to anyone reading this.

More on Keling's Controller,

I like the fact that the Keling 6050 drivers come with an LED at the top of the drivers, this gives one an indication they are working. It is a nice visual to have when you trouble shoot, if you need too, but the box cover needs to be removed to see the LED.

Under normal operation, and I want to point out that most control boxes I have seen, are fully enclosed and Keling Controller is no different, you don't need to see the drivers and breakout board LEDs, but I thought it would be nice to take the cover and make a cutout so that I can visualy see the drivers "ON" led working OK whenever I am at the machine. I also mounted the controller on the side of my CNC enclosure, at eye level, so that I could hit the Estop buttom in an emergency, the Keling Controller lend itself very well for this type of setup ( I will have a picture to show how it looks later on).

Some people install meters to meter the amperage and voltage going to he motors and other indicators, I wanted to have a window on the controller box and it just so happens this particulr Keling Controller also lend itself easily to this slight visual modification. Like I said you don't need to, unless you are like me and like visuals. I am not sure if this LED feature on the Keling Drivers is a unique feature of their product, or if it is general with other drivers, but I really like it!.

I ran a part yesterday and both Mach 3 and Keling 3 axis Controller ran smoothly!.

I have not played with the various current settings on the Keling Drivers but I also like this feature of having the dip switch setting on the Keling 6050 drivers to adjust for various current loads. Another nice feature of the Keling 6050 drivers is that this dip switch settings and connections are all in line at the top, and I can ewasily acces them from the window cutout, I made.

Making the cutout on the Keling Controller Box:

I could have done the window cutout on the CNC machine, but I simply took a Dremmel Cutout tool and followed a measured pattern, cleaned the edges around the window, drilled 4 small holes at the corners to mount a plexiglass plate, this will probably have a hinge so that I can acccess the driver connections and settings, most people probably don't need to do this, if your setup is more permanent , but I will be switching motors in the future and this will make things easier for me to do so without having to open the controller box completely. Once again this is my personal custom setup and it is not required, for normal operation, the controller works just fine.

The breakout board also has an LED which is another nice feature and all these LEDs can be viewed through the cutout I made on the box.

I have not been able to recreate the slight issue I had with the Y axis not reversing, and I have tested the breakout board and connection for continuity quite throroughly, and everything checks OK, so I am going to let this go, as the Keling Controller is working fine now.


Once again, thanks to John, he has been very supportive of his products and he personally called me today to make sure things were running fine, adn I had the infromation I needed. He also offered to give me full refund if I was not 100% happy with the controller, but I am.

I will post some pictures of my setup and some stuff I do with it as soon as I get some more time.

[CNCZONERAMICO]

A couple pictures sof my setup using Keling Controller. The MAXPATH42 retrofitted router is behind the wall of the controller.

I got more driving power on this Keling 3 axis control box than I really need, but it is nice to have the option of more rather than less!

It is night and day comparison to the old MAXPATH42 original controller which is 1/4 the size of the Keling controller. Mach 3 is running superbly with the Keling Controller! There are so many features on Mach 3 that, eventually I'll have to get acquaointed with, in time.

I got the motors dialed in just right. I switched the dip switches on the 6050 drivers to match more closely the rating requirements for the Powermax II motor connections which are wired in series bipolar. I have not tried them in parallel because they are running smooth as is.

The picture of the blue box is simply an interface that I made to keep attached to the MAXPATH42, in case I need to relocate the router. I didn't want the long motors' cables dangling from the machine. Basically it is a motor cabling breakout box. I am waiting for Powermax matching connectors /cables to redo the existing MAXNC connection which simply used Molex C-Grid connectors heat shrinked wrapped.

The screw type connectors that came with the Keling controller, are a nice feature as this made it easier for assembling the cables, I simply went and got 18 AWG shielded cable, local store did not have 20, so my cables are also on the robust side.

The last picture is a closeup of the cutout I made on the control box, gives me a visual to reasure me that the controller is working right at a quick glance of the LEDs, need a plexiglass cover next.

[CNCZONERAMICO]

I wanted to upload a video to show machine in action, with Keling Controller and Mach 3, but size is restricted to only 500 KB. So I've attached some more photos of the machine in action.

I cut G10 and Carbon on a wet bed. So far having great sucess with Keling 3 axis Controller and Mach 3.

Also, my rather simple, but effective retrofi to the Maxpath 42 router, of using V groove bearings mounted to aluminum 1/8 thick brackets, on the y and Z rider blocks and moving them over 3/8" Diameter steel precision rods that have been installed on the y and Z back plates, is working very nicely and allowing faster and smoother travels than I ever got with the original Maxpath 42 router when the Y and Z rode on dove tails, these are still there but I am not using the adjustable gibbs, just letting the bearings do what they do best!. I am almost sold on V-groove bearing in liew of linear bearing on pillow block. This setup is also a lot cleaner and easier to maintain. If a bearing ever wears out, simply replace a new one. Otherwise, with the dovetails, as before, the aluminum linear plates would wear out and I almost had to remachine the whole dovetail plates, to get them back to normal. I also made some 3 point copuplers for the lead screws, using 6/32 machine screws which I had to machine down to get them to fit on the couplers without them hitting the bacl plates.

I am so happy this is all working again, and I can still get some more life out of this MAXPATH42 router.

Many thanks again to Mach 3 and Keling for helping me make this project of mine a sucess! Thanks also to CNCZone for providing this medium of communication and wealth of information.