Need Help!- Looking for new Driver Boards: Please Help

[SpeedsCustom]

Hey guys, so heres my situation. I bought a CNC kit from Ebay months ago. The kit is what got me started and got me into CNC. I have been using my current set-up and it's ok, but really lacking.

I contacted the designer of these boards and he was actually really impressed with the kind speeds I was getting. My "max" speed for jogging was 14 in/min. Could I ever run that with software? No way, if I ran more then 9 I would skip steps. I don't like too even run more then 6 or so...Why take the chance of messing up parts, which I have....do too lost steps etc.

Anyway, so my current system worked out ok. But I find myself needing quicker speeds. Maybe not faster cutting speeds really because I work with Aluminum; Oh by the way: I'm using a TAIG CNC. But faster speeds with smaller cuts would be better. So I run velocities now at around 4 in/min and my rapids are plunges and movements are slow.


The boards I have are not meant for anything fast. (No one will know what kind of boards I have so I won't even bother posting)


But here's more information: My power supply is a 150 Watt, 9VDC 17amp supply. I run a C11 multifunction BOB which my drivers are then connected too. I want too find newer and faster boards for each axis (3 axis); My goals are too achieve much higher speeds, much higher so that I can get more work done without waiting around. I here some people running at 40 in/min. Maybe not cutting, but I want too be able too plunge and move too different points within my program or part I design without skipping steps and creating parts quicker.

Along with the new boards, I assume i'm going too need a new power supply. I need something bigger and more powerful and something that will work with better drivers. I also want too find drivers that will be compatible with the C11 and won't take much too set-up. My stepper motors are 8 wires ea' and have 290 oz of torque.


Can people please try and post links too different boards that can help me out! I'm in need of more speed and quicker production time. 3 in/mins doesn't cut it anymore.


Please advise, thanks!


-Jason

[jalessi]

Jason,

Have you looked at the new Gecko 540, 250 251 it should be shipping in the next month .

or the Keling KL- 4030

www.kelinginc.net

www.geckodrive.com


Jeff...

[Crevice Reamer]

Good call Jeff! That's exactly what I would recommend. The G250s should be shipping in a week or two. Keling has some reasonably priced power supplies.

Speedy rapids come from driving the motors at their highest maximum voltage potential. That is usually 20 to 25 times their rated voltage. EG: Stepper motor rated at 2.5 volts will run best at 50 or 60 volts.

The exact formula for determining this is 32 times the square root of the motor inductance. This also depends on how you wire the motors. Bipolar parallel is best.

CR.

[sansbury]

Frankly with a 9V supply I'm also impressed. Can the board handle more voltage? If it can take 24 or more volts then that might be the easiest and cheapest improvement you'll get.

What your question does not include is budget. $200 will buy a good switching PSU and a Hobby CNC pro board, spend an hour soldering, and you'll probably be very happy. There's a lower-cost option that's very well-known.

The Geckos will be interesting when they actually hit the market. I've always thought a larger part of the reason that they were better than most other drivers had a lot to do with the fact that they were 2-5x the price. Even at that they're not really expensive. Question is whether taking the price down a couple of notches will still yield a superior unit or if you're simply getting average product with a Gecko label on it. Of course even that might be good if they are as well-supported as the existing units. I don't think it's impossible it's just that we haven't seen it yet.

As for speeds, maybe 40ipm rapids will do a lot for throughput with your programs. If you're running production-like processes it might be worth looking at whether they can be optimized to reduce cycle time that way. Sometimes it's cheaper/better to optimize hardware and sometimes it's better to optimize software. My main concern would be cutting speeds but I know nothing about your parts either. In terms of plunging, 1-2IPM has been my max with endmills on a benchtop mill unless you're plunging into butter. It's less a problem of torque than mill rigidity. I've read guys here say they target 2IPM plunges on full-size mills.

[cjdavis618]

Jason, If I remember right you have the taig?

I have 2 Xylotex kits that I used the motors from. Both have the 24vdc power supply. One is a 3 Axis and the other is the 4 Axis.

If you would like one of them, I'll take $75 for the 3 axis with PS and $100 for the 4 Axis with PS. The 4 axis is already mounted in a case and all it needs are wires to the motors. I re-used those when I went from the Xylotex (that was driving my SX3 to my geckos.

The 3 axis is the DIY kit, the 4th axis is the Prebuilt set. They both came with 425 Nema 23 motors, but I have already used those in my current builds. This would be a quick way for you to get up to speed. I was doing 30 ipm on the SX3 with these. I have no doubt that you could get better than that on your smaller mill.

I planned on using them for my mill and plasma table build. But after I got to thinking about it, I decided to go with Geckos and Servos on the plasma since I want to add a router head as well for contour work. The 4axis is the only one that has been used. The kits are from this page.
http://www.xylotex.com/

Since you have the 8 wire motors, you would wire them up in series, then the c11 board has the "input" parallel and the "output" parallel. The output would pass straight on to the Xylotex input and you can control all the other pins at the BOB for limits etc. While the 3/4 axis stepper controls will pass right through.

Sounds like a good setup to me.

[cueshark]

if he does not want yhe 4 axis drive i would be interested in it. i can pay pal you the money. if you want to sell it to me emal me, glp@anamosity.com. thanks greg

[cjdavis618]

Sure, they are for sale to anyone. I just haven't gotten around to listing them yet. To busy trying to build stuff.

[cueshark]

i gave you my email adress above, send me your info & i will get back to you. thanks greg

[cjdavis618]

Sure thing, since I offered it to Jason first, I will wait to see if he wants it. If not your next.


Thanks
Chris

[SpeedsCustom]

Very interested indeed. So check it out though, I have the Stepper motors and everything else. With your system you offered, I guess I would need that larger power supply. My main thing is about getting up too speed. I mean come on, I can't go any faster then 12 in/mins without skipping and would probably be able too tweak even more out of your system.


Post again


Thanks and we'll go from here!

-Jason

[cjdavis618]

Sure, which ever one you want will come with a 5amp 24Vdc powers supply. I had one for each controller, so either will come with one to get you going.

Just let me know and we will git r done. lol..

As far as speed, I have no doubt you would be faster than that. I believe at one time even Hoss was using a Xylotex board on his setup. It will take up to a 36 volt power supply, but my understanding is that the motors and the power supply with the kit will give pretty close to max performance on the mill. Especially on your taig. I had built a counter weight setup for my Super x3 and used the Xylotex with the 425 motor at up to 40ipm. I cut at 30 though.

The reason I changed is that the shaft of one of the motors snapped due to the load. It did the job fine, but i was still leery of it happening again. Since, I couldn't drive a nema 34 off of the Xylotex, so I had to upgrade. I just solved the problem for good with Gecko 203v(s) and a c11g board, and a 12 amp 72vdc ps.

I'm reading on Jeff's (xylotex) site that his kits are meant for the taig and similar mini mills.

I am all about stretching the limits, so I was going to prove that they would work on an SX3. They did, but the way the Z axis load is carried, it would take more mod-ing then I had space and time for.

I stand behind things I sell. If you get one and you don't like how it performs, send it back. I'll buy it back and no harm done. I know how this performs from experience on a mill that weights 3-4 times what yours does. It will scream if connected correctly. I figured I would have a hard time selling the "kits" since I didn't have the motors with them anymore. That is one reason that I haven't bothered to list them anywhere yet. I am using those Kits motors on the sx3 and another project (ATC and Trunion Table), so your situation fits perfectly with mine. I just want someone to get more use of them then my shelf is right now. I'll send pics if requested. Just let me know.

Private message me if you want to get one of them. I'm holding the 4 axis for you right now. So far I have had 3 others waiting in line for it. If you want it, you could add the rotary 4th axis to it down the road and be plug and play.

Off to mow the grass for a bit now, I'll be back on shortly.

Chris

[SpeedsCustom]

Pm'ing you....!!!!

-Jason