Slo-Syn Motor Controllers

[rimcanyon]

I'd like to get started in cnc, I have a good project lathe (a Litton "Q" lathe), and a friend gave me a pair of new (15 yr. old but unused) slo-syn motor controllers (Slo-Syn calls them programmable Indexers), 3180-PI, that work with a wide range of 4-wire motors according to the manual (e.g. 75 oz-in motors to 1500 oz-in motors by resetting dip-switches that control current). I will need to find suitable motors, since the motors he gave me are both 6-wire.
So, is this a good starting point? The manual lists L codes and H codes for control and N,G,X and F codes for programming and has some examples, but will I be able to find PC software that can generate those codes, or will I end up having to program everything manually and download via rs-232? Would I be better off to not use the program control feature (the PI stuff) and just use the motor controller under control of the PC, assuming that is possible? Lots of questions, there is a steep learning curve here.

thanks,
Dave

[Al_The_Man]

Dave, I have some old info. on these and I think you will find these are dedicated stand-alone controllers that were programmed by a hand-held unit. There was a s/w package available also for using a PC to program through the serial port.
Although it mentions installing as a multi-axis system, the thing to look at would be if the units are combined, if interpolated moves are possble, for CNC work anyway.
Al

[rimcanyon]

Al, thanks for the information. I was unaware of the hand-held programmer used with these controllers. I was able to talk to them (hooked up to serial port, using HyperTerminal), so I should be able to program them manually. However, my main interest is getting a system that can run programs generated by a cad/cam program. I will look into the interpolation issue this weekend.

[vacpress]

You will probably find yourself hooking them upto the PC for control. turbocnc, mach1/2/master5, etc. all are Parallel port programs. emc for linux.. if you want a hardware pulsegenerator, checkout flashcut, or deskcnc.. i dunno about them tho. goto www.artsoft.ca

they make a good product.

[rimcanyon]

Vacpress, thanks for the info. Is parallel port the most common way to talk to a stand-alone motor controller (i.e. pulse generator as you put it?)? I'm not sure what all the ports on the 3180-PI are for at this point, but I will check out the parallel port capability.

Dave

[vacpress]

OH- no! the standard way to talk to a standalone controller,inexer,etc is RS232. You allready knew that though!

If you want to talk to stepper or servo driver boards that accept a step\direction TTL signal input, then the Parallel port is one way to do it with cheap software and built-in hardware. IF you want an indexer, there are a few ways to achieve this. It all depends on your budget, what you want to do, what you have, etc.. if you have some oldschool controller from industrial hardware, it may be too difficult to integrate affoardably. you may find you want to use PC control. PC control is viable. the NIST EMC software is free, and used to machine giant impellers on 6-axis machines by NASA - or so ive been lead to believe.

Give the forum details. there are people here who are far more helpfull than I can be.

[Stevie]

you could run the 6 wire as Bipolar; you can't go the other way and run Bipolar as unipolar

Just drop the 2 center taps

[rimcanyon]

I appreciate the offers to help and information provided. The motors are a couple hours south of here and I don't get down there except on weekends. I'll try and get the info together this weekend (now that taxes are done, I should have some time in the shop!).

Dave

[rimcanyon]

Yes, the indexer is capable of input via either parallel or rs-232. It appears that both ports are needed, since the only mechanical limit switch connections are via the parallel port.

I posted some of the manual here:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/swtools/_...ry/slosyn3180/

and a picture of the motor nameplate here:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/swtools/_...092-fd-310.jpg

Al, I'm still trying to evaluate the multi-axis capability. The manual describes daisy-chaining the serial ports and setting the device numbers. The 3180-PI responds to H-codes that can be addressed to individual controllers or broadcast to all controllers, so interpolation looks like a possibility. I still have a lot to learn here.

However, some lightbulbs are beginning to click on, and I am starting to see how the system fits together and how I could control the system via tcl/expect scripts and a simple switch panel. What I could use some help understanding is the interface requirements of the next higher layer (CAD/CAM). How do programs generated by that layer control the interpolation & synchronization of multiple controllers? Are H codes a standard?

-Dave

[ESjaavik]

Look at http://www.slosyn.com/support.html to find more info on your drives. I don't know these, but the servo drives I have are programmed (or parametrized to be correct) through RS233, but run by step and direction digital inputs.

Ususally for industrial units, you will need a level translator hooked to your parallel port since most use 24V signal level. Your parport use 5V or less.

As Stevie said: use the motors you have.At least until you find that they are not up to your demands. Another way to use them is to drop one end of each winding. This depending on what characteristic you need the most.

[macyuc]

hello, I have 4 slo-syn m062-ls09 step motors, I want to know about some driver controller for these motors, I have read about hobby cnc, but the max amp y 3 and the motors use 4.7 amps, is there any way to build some driver, or where can I find some driver.

Thanks for helping

[Dan326]

I have been building small cnc machines for about ten years. Scronging motors and controllers to run them has always been an uphill fight. Unless you buy slo-syn motors there will be no information about how to wire them or if they will work. (The controllers you have are good size).
My suggestionis that you go to a company that you can buy motors and controllers that are matched. It is tough to find stuff on eBay that goes together and that will serve your purposes. (I have recently gone to a company called "IMserv" from the midwest, to get matched servos and drivers.)
The advantage to servo motors is that they have encoders and can tell where they are at all times. If you lose steps with a stepper motor that does not have an encoder the whole project will be ruined. So, think about encoder feedback systems.
I use an old version of Master5. They now have Mach2-3-4 etc. These programs can take a tool path and convert it to g-code. If you bought a program called RHIINO that comes bundled with VISUAL MILL, you could design or bring in a .bmp file for the CAD work, visual mill would ask what tools you are using and if you are cutting into or away from the work and wite the tool path for you. Then put that file into Mach2-3-4 and it will generate the g-code to make the machine go.
You will still have to learn about offsets, and how to find out and tell the machine what the backlash is for you lathe axis'.
It's a long road but very rewarding when it works.
Dan326