2nd build - For a friend

[ger21]

Yes they were a little more expensive but they eliminated the need for power distribution blocks and ground bus bars,

Power distribution blocks and ground bars have their place.

The Konnect It series has a full range of products that allow you to do the same things that you're doing.

On my test board, in addition to my power distribution block, I'm using grounding terminal blocks, and distributing 24volts with some other terminal blocks. I had to use wires for jumpers, as I ordered the wrong size jumper bars.
But yes, I'm doing the same things with the terminal blocks as you are.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...2&d=1491962461

[messages4alex]

Jumper - did you wire the HLFB lines from each clear path motors to the corresponding axis the limit switches?
I see from the manual that if a 5-24v power is used with the +HLFB, the -HLFB leg can be used as a trigger when the servo software limit is reached.


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[1Jumper10]

No. The Y and Z servo HLFB are not connected. The X HLFB is set as the E stop input.

A better scheme was laid out by Teknic Tom in a thread that I'll link to in a follow-up post. He says to connect all the HLFB's together in series and run them to a single input. Then, any fault on any servo sends an output that would either cause a Reset or an E stop.

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[1Jumper10]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...power-one.html

See post #4.

[WhiteWolf]

The Saturn Machine just got in today! finally can start having some fun

[1Jumper10]

Congrats! Looks like it's going to be a great machine.

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[WhiteWolf]

Congrats! Looks like it's going to be a great machine.

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I met a guy down at our local makerspace last week that welded a machine that looked just like yours, only difference was that he welded plates onto the ends of each steel beam then bolted the whole thing together so it could be easily moved. Pretty interesting concept.

[JeremyFXDWG]

Could someone help me translate the clearpath wiring to the MB2. I am not understanding the correlation of the clearpath wiring in the manual to the MB2 wiring. Are all 8 wires being used? The HFLB input is not being used as refrenced above but in the other thread referenced to drive a dual motor X axis the HFLB is wired in series (I am buling a Saturn 4x4 with dual drive X). Thanks... I am new to building my own controls. sorry for the basic question.

[1Jumper10]

Wait a couple minutes and I'll go look at mine.

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[1Jumper10]

Think of the clearpaths just like a stepper motor. They use step and direction commands just like steppers

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[JeremyFXDWG]

I think i just figured it out. I was looking at the below diagram and could not put it together initially but Input A and B are defined by software so I would assign say direction to A and Step to B. Then it is just normal wiring like a stepper to the MB2 into the respective Step and direction terminals.

Are you using the enable signal with the MB2?

[1Jumper10]

The pic is found on page 13 of the CP manual.
The enable circuit,pins 4 and 8, would be connected to an output on the MB2. Outputs are Y301 through Y316. The Y terminals on the MB2 are the negative side of the 24v circuit and would typically be connected to pin 8 on the CP servo, Enable -. Enable +, pin 4 on the CP would get connected to any pin by the Y output pins labeled "24V". That is a typical enable circuit. But, you might want to run that circuit thru an E stop switch so you can interrupt the enable circuit and stop your CPs.

Also, the outputs on the MB2 are sinking outputs! It's important but I'll let someone more familiar with electronics try and explain it. Pg 23 of the CP manual, bottom illustration shows how to connect the CPs to a sinking output.

Step and direction:

On the CP's I wired pin 2 step +, pin 3 direction +. The axis driver outputs on the MB2 are labeled "XS +" and XS -" and are on the end of the board perpendicular to the Youtputs described earlier. So, for your X axis, CP pin 2 would land on MB2, XS+. Pin 3 would land on XD+. Pin 7, Direction negative, would land on XD -. The Y, Z and A (slave) are all done in similar fashion. All the axis outputs on the MB2 are labeled for each respective axis.

HLFB pins 1(+)and 5(-), would land on an input on the MB2. There are PNP type inputs and there are typical (?) inputs on the MB2. I'm not exactly sure which ones to use, but I would try X203 - X215 and a 0V first. I think the PNP inputs are typically used for sensor inputs.

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[1Jumper10]

I think i just figured it out. I was looking at the below diagram and could not put it together initially but Input A and B are defined by software so I would assign say direction to A and Step to B. Then it is just normal wiring like a stepper to the MB2 into the respective Step and direction terminals.

Are you using the enable signal with the MB2?

Yes. The enable circuit on my friends machine runs through the E stop switch.

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[JeremyFXDWG]

awesome.. thank you!

I am going to try and diagram all this out and post it up to help others too as it is a good learning process for me.

[reg.miller]

Hi, I just found this from the newletter, sorry I don't have time to read 22 pages of comments.

Looks very serious. Excellent construction. One thing I doubt is whether you will be able to control movement to the 5 thou' accuracy you want on hard materials with rack and pinion drives. Are you using some kind of anti-backlash mechanism?

I'm building a similar machine but about half the X,Y work area you have used. I chose ballscrew drives to ensure minimal movement error. They are a little slow on full axis movement: 22" of gantry takes about 7s , the best I have been able to do. Certainly usable.

[1Jumper10]

I don't know, I've never checked its backlash. I've never had to. I've cut out pockets for parts in aluminum and it seems very accurate. I.e. an 80mm pocket for an 80mm part is a snug fit. Everyone seems to make the comment that rack and pinion drives are subject to backlash. On 2 machines I've used the R&P products from Moore gear and CNC Router Parts and the first one had no backlash and I never saw a reason to check this one. Ballscrews are certainly ideal, but I wanted this machine to be fast. R&P was a better fit in this case.

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[reg.miller]

I just mentioned that since it was one of your stated design goals. You can get away with a lot on ali but hardwoods like oak will push back.

I have cut parts in ali on a cheap chinese CNC router that you could bend all over the place by hand. It came out alright with light cuts. It's not a good guide for what happens with tougher materials. I am hoping to work mild steel with my machine so I've opted for ball screws.

Getting enough rigidity is a problem using linear bearing type construction particularly on the Z axis and of course it all adds to any backlash. It is worth checking backlash the resistance to side load on each axis as you go along. There will a lot less chance to make modifications once it's built.

I agree R&P is more robust and less prone to machining dust. I'm planning to add extra dust protection to my ball screws to prevent ingression of foreign particles into the bearings.That's definitely a downside.

[ger21]

You can get away with a lot on ali but hardwoods like oak will push back.

Oak is nowhere near as hard as aluminum. Any wood is much easier to cut than aluminum.