Steel Gantry Wood Router

[johnmac]

I don't have any experience with servos, but I think there are only 2 for the motor, and 4 for the encoder. Thats the reason I questioned the 8 wires. You may be correct about the unused pins.

Looks like your going to have a nice machine.

John

[gavztheouch]

Just checked my motors, I have 5 wires on the motor (2 black 2 red and 1 earth) and 6 on the encoder? Is there any reason these motors and encoder will not work with the Granite Devices driver (VSD-E) or a similer Gecko Drive

[johnmac]

I don't know anything about the Granite product, but you can download a PDF of the Gecko driver at their web site www.geckodrive.com. You will probably need to know which wires do what on the encoders.

The only reason I know anything at all about servos is I have given some thought on changing my steppers to servos.

John

[gavztheouch]

Ok, it appears that Both Gecko and Granite devices are both limited to 80v while my motors are 140v.

Due to the weight of the machine im not sure I would get away with smaller motors that would run at 80V?

Could I gear the motors down to make the load easier and half the max speed?

[gavztheouch]

Managed to test both motors with a 12v battery, so far so good they both turn smoothly.

Next step is to test the encoders then directly mount them onto the shaft at the rear of the motor. The flanges on the encoders are much to big too fit the mounting bracket on the motor so I will need to make up some reducers mounts to make them fit. The challenge is going to be keeping the two shafts running parallel with each other.

Luckly the two shafts both measure 6mm which seems to be a common size and couplings seem to be easily found, although prices seem to vary massively like $140 for a 6mm to 6mm coupling?

Will these Maplin brass coupling be up to the job? Its the brass inline connectors on the link below.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=9335



Video of the motor test.

[gavztheouch]

Here are some more pictures of the machine, now semi built in my own workshop.

[gavztheouch]

This machine was finished shortly after the last post in this thread. I have been running it with a 2hp bosch router and granite device servo motor drives.

I would like to upgrade my old router for a second hand spindle in the 5hp range. How flexible are spindle motors in terms of coupling them with various different VFD's. Will most VFD's power any spindle or are they specificly built for each other. Im am assuming kw ratings need to be matched or at least the vdf can not be rated higher than the spindle.

Cheers

[ger21]

The VFD can be rated higher than the spindle, as you tell the VFD how much current to supply.
As long as the frequency and voltage match, it should most likely work.