Where can I get 150-200W servos and drivers in the UK for sensible money?

[digits]

Hi guys, I am looking for a setup which can give me about 1Nm at about 1000-2000 rpm. I am currently running Mach 3 with steppers, so ideally I'd want servo-drives with a simple step and direction interface.

I have been thinking about importing Gecko-drives (probably 320's), but I can't find a UK source for brushed DC motors, and to be honest, I'd prefer brushless if I can get brushless drivers at Gecko-prices.

Does anyone know of a UK supplier of suitable motors and drives?

Cheers.

[mcpltd]

We do brushed motors (Servo) and brushless motors and driver.
We have just introduced a 3 axis 1500W (Continuous) driver, (500W per axis)that takes clock and direction, analogue (+-10V), Canopen, and will work with incremental, analogue and absolute encoders, resolver, tacko or analogue halls for feedback.
We have plenty of surplus as well.
Not all our products are on our website, so call us if you cant find what you want.

Originally Posted by digits Hi guys, I am looking for a setup which can give me about 1Nm at about 1000-2000 rpm. I am currently running Mach 3 with steppers, so ideally I'd want servo-drives with a simple step and direction interface. I have been thinking about importing Gecko-drives (probably 320's), but I can't find a UK source for brushed DC motors, and to be honest, I'd prefer brushless if I can get brushless drivers at Gecko-prices. Does anyone know of a UK supplier of suitable motors and drives? Cheers.

[digits]

Originally Posted by mcpltd We do brushed motors (Servo) and brushless motors and driver. We have just introduced a 3 axis 1500W (Continuous) driver, (500W per axis)that takes clock and direction, analogue (+-10V), Canopen, and will work with incremental, analogue and absolute encoders, resolver, tacko or analogue halls for feedback. We have plenty of surplus as well. Not all our products are on our website, so call us if you cant find what you want.

Thanks - that driver sounds a bit too fully featured to be low cost! Do you have a low-cost driver for your low-cost 57SW brushless servos?

I am currently running your MSD542 stepper drivers which work very well indeed. I know Geckodrive do servo drives in a similar price range to their high-end stepper drivers - do you have a simple, low cost, servo equivalent of your MSD stepper-drivers?

Cheers.

[mcpltd]

Only running off of +-10V (Analogue)
We do have brushless drivers that take clock and dirrection, but i think they will be too expensive (£250 for 500 W)
We will soon have a Digital 1KW brushless motor and drive package that will be under £300, but that wont be for a few months.

[digits]

Originally Posted by mcpltd Only running off of +-10V (Analogue) We do have brushless drivers that take clock and dirrection, but i think they will be too expensive (£250 for 500 W) We will soon have a Digital 1KW brushless motor and drive package that will be under £300, but that wont be for a few months.

Thanks for the quick reply! I almost feel bad for asking, but do you do you do any low cost brushed DC servos with 500+ line encoders that would work with something like a Gecko 320? If I can't source everything in the UK, I'd still like to get heavy bits like motors and PSU's locally.

Cheers.

[mcpltd]

I will need a specification on the motor that you are after.
We have encoders in stock, but they are 1024 line, and i think that the gecko will driver has problems over 500 line?

Originally Posted by digits Thanks for the quick reply! I almost feel bad for asking, but do you do you do any low cost brushed DC servos with 500+ line encoders that would work with something like a Gecko 320? If I can't source everything in the UK, I'd still like to get heavy bits like motors and PSU's locally. Cheers.

[digits]

Originally Posted by mcpltd I will need a specification on the motor that you are after. We have encoders in stock, but they are 1024 line, and i think that the gecko will driver has problems over 500 line?

The Gecko datasheet says anything over 200 lines will do, but I suppose a higher res encoder eats in to the drive's +/- 128 line encoder-error margin faster.

I don't really have any hard specs yet, I'm afraid. I can give you my best guess though:

Voltage ~24-50v, current < 6A, speed 2000-3000 rpm, continuous torque 0.5-1Nm.

Looking at your main website, the SIB motors might do the job, if they can take an encoder on the back. What's a ballpark cost for a SIB 56/63PM 044 or 034 (I hope those codes make sense, they're from the datasheet) with a 1024 line encoder?

Cheers.

[mcpltd]

We have three surplus motors to the following specifications:
Speed = 4600 RPM
Voltage=65V DC
Current=3.6A
Duty=continuous
Stall Torque= 0.85Nm (Continuous @ 0 RPM)

This motor is the 65PC134, and we can fit a 500 line encoder to the back.
This is a very nice motor, and with the encoder the price is £110.00 plus VAT each.
This should have no problem working with the Gecko servo driver.
Yes the problem is related the the +/- 128 line error margin.
I dont know the drive that much, but have spoke to people who have used it, and this was one of the problems they had.
I hope this helps.

Originally Posted by digits The Gecko datasheet says anything over 200 lines will do, but I suppose a higher res encoder eats in to the drive's +/- 128 line encoder-error margin faster. I don't really have any hard specs yet, I'm afraid. I can give you my best guess though: Voltage ~24-50v, current < 6A, speed 2000-3000 rpm, continuous torque 0.5-1Nm. Looking at your main website, the SIB motors might do the job, if they can take an encoder on the back. What's a ballpark cost for a SIB 56/63PM 044 or 034 (I hope those codes make sense, they're from the datasheet) with a 1024 line encoder? Cheers.

[digits]

Originally Posted by mcpltd We have three surplus motors to the following specifications: Speed = 4600 RPM Voltage=65V DC Current=3.6A Duty=continuous Stall Torque= 0.85Nm (Continuous @ 0 RPM) This motor is the 65PC134, and we can fit a 500 line encoder to the back. This is a very nice motor, and with the encoder the price is £110.00 plus VAT each. This should have no problem working with the Gecko servo driver. Yes the problem is related the the +/- 128 line error margin. I dont know the drive that much, but have spoke to people who have used it, and this was one of the problems they had. I hope this helps.

Thanks for the quick reply

I am still in the R&D phase at the momemnt, but I think I'm going to need 6 motors! Have you got anything a bit smaller than that?

Cheers.

[mcpltd]

Not Surplus.
If you went for the 56PC with encoder (new) the price just happens to work out the same as the surplus motors i quoted. (£110.00)
For the 30PL the price would be £87.77 plus VAT with the encoder.

Originally Posted by digits Thanks for the quick reply I am still in the R&D phase at the momemnt, but I think I'm going to need 6 motors! Have you got anything a bit smaller than that? Cheers.

[digits]

Originally Posted by mcpltd Not Surplus. If you went for the 56PC with encoder (new) the price just happens to work out the same as the surplus motors i quoted. (£110.00) For the 30PL the price would be £87.77 plus VAT with the encoder.

Thanks, that is very useful

Looking at the PDF, both the 56PC and 30PL come in several flavours - are they all the same price? I think the 082 variant of the 30PL is probably closest to what I'd want.

Do you think one of your PS407 PSU's would be able to drive a pair of 30PL-082's, or would I need one per motor?

Also, what is the resolution of those encoders, and do you have a datasheet for them?

Cheers.

[mcpltd]

Yes they are the same price, the price changese as the length or diameter increases.
WE have the PS487 48V @7A continuous and the with the 30PL motors you should be able to run two from a single PSU, but that depends on what you need from the Peak torque, because the PS487 is 9A peak.
THe Encoders are US digital encoders (E2-500) www.usdigital.com.
They are 500 line.

Originally Posted by digits Thanks, that is very useful Looking at the PDF, both the 56PC and 30PL come in several flavours - are they all the same price? I think the 082 variant of the 30PL is probably closest to what I'd want. Do you think one of your PS407 PSU's would be able to drive a pair of 30PL-082's, or would I need one per motor? Also, what is the resolution of those encoders, and do you have a datasheet for them? Cheers.