AC servo drive?

[machinewbie]

I have a z axis assembly that would work well in the router that I am in the process of rebuilding. The assembly has an integrated AC servo motor and a dedicated control. I would like to use something like what is offered by Gecko only AC instead of DC. Anybody have a recommendation?

[Al_The_Man]

AC servo's are a bit trickier to sub over to other drives, depending on what type it is, is it AC sinusoidal or DC brushless type?, and also you need to know the commutation method that is used.
Al.

[machinewbie]

Thanks for the reply Big Al.

I have followed and learned quite a lot over the last two years in reading through your threads. You are a legend.

I believe the motor is sinusoidal. This is based on the manual which provides a pin out diagram to the motor. There is an A and an A not, and a B and a B not. There are two conductors for the brake. The encoder is different. There is a ENA and an ENA not, a ENB and an ENB not, and a ENC and an ENC not. I do not understand because all of the other servos I have dealt with just had two sine waves in some sort of quadrature mode to determine position. This one seems to have three.

The form factor of the motor is very similiar to that of a stepper. It may be easier to adapt the assembly to a stepper than to re-invent the wheel with the AC servo motor.

Thanks,
Lou

[Al_The_Man]

What is the make of the servo?
The various signals could be identified by their resolution, i.e. the encoder signals will probabally be in the order of +1k pulses/rev, if the ENA etc are coarse resolution of 2,4,6 pulses/rev evenly spaced, then these are commutation pulses and the motor is possibly DCBL.
The sine wave you refer to was most likely a resolver that is used for commutation as well as deriving an encoder signal from.
Al.

[machinewbie]

Hey Al,
The actuator was made by Intelligent Actuator Inc. It is a RC-SMR-L-100-M-B. It is designed for use as a hefty 16 position actuator. It has 100mm of travel and has a brake integrated into the ballscrew. The AC servo motor was made by Japan Servo LTD, which was acquired by somebody else a couple of months ago. I was unable to find any substance on the thing. I have scrapped the thought of using the AC servo. I am instead making an adapter mount that will reuse the big stepper motor that was originally used on the router. The brake is on the opposite end of the screw to the motor coupler. I will need to include another supply to the electronics cabinet for the 24vdc required to release the brake. I will let you know how it comes out.
-Lou