How fast is the X2

[IMK1230]

Hello,
How fast is the X2 mill please?
In terms of how fast can the motors drive the x, y and z axis in mm per min.
Many thanks IMK

[IMK1230]

Originally Posted by IMK1230 Hello, How fast is the X2 mill please? In terms of how fast can the motors drive the x, y and z axis in mm per min. Many thanks IMK

Found the data figured it out.. I think? See attached Word Doc.
IMK

[Ed from NY]

Originally Posted by IMK1230 Found the data figured it out.. I think? See attached Word Doc. IMK

I think that says that with that configuration if you set the Mach3 kernel at 35000 Hz Mach3 can request that the motors do 80 IPM. However, it does not guarantee the steppers will be able to comply.

For example. I have Mach3 configured at 45000 Hz for an SX3. Mach3 can ask the steppers to do 130 IPM, but in reality the steppers I have are not strong enough to do that on a loaded table and the best I can do is 90 IPM... and I'm still struggling to make all movements smooth enough for that to be reliable.

So the only way to know is to have someone say I have an X2 using such and such drivers/motors and it can do 80 IPM.

Sorry if I misunderstood you... I was just afraid you would make a buying decision based on that doc alone.

That said, 80 IPM does not seem to be too high... I would just get someone to confirm it if, for example, you can not live with 60 IPM

[IMK1230]

Originally Posted by Ed from NY I think that says that with that configuration if you set the Mach3 kernel at 35000 Hz Mach3 can request that the motors do 80 IPM. However, it does not guarantee the steppers will be able to comply. For example. I have Mach3 configured at 45000 Hz for an SX3. Mach3 can ask the steppers to do 130 IPM, but in reality the steppers I have are not strong enough to do that on a loaded table and the best I can do is 90 IPM... and I'm still struggling to make all movements smooth enough for that to be reliable. So the only way to know is to have someone say I have an X2 using such and such drivers/motors and it can do 80 IPM. Sorry if I misunderstood you... I was just afraid you would make a buying decision based on that doc alone. That said, 80 IPM does not seem to be too high... I would just get someone to confirm it if, for example, you can not live with 60 IPM

Hello Ed from NY,

Well yes I guess I answered my own question as I had a little time to read up on the subject and was really wondering why the job time estimate from the CAD/CAM software was 3mins for the job and well it took 30mins.

I thought it was because I had setup Mach3 incorrectly so I had a good look at the setup and the figures from the Syil site and basically worked out what my system speed would be. This I then checked out against some simple Gcode that just went back and forth cutting an imaginary slot and well the timing was not 2000mm/min but not a long way off. So then I took a look and the job that was taking 10 times longer to do than the CAD/CAM software estimated and well the penny then dropped.

What the CAD/CAM software must not take into account is the motor acceleration time as it is not directly coupled and hence has no idea of the accelerations and therefore just considers it to be zero. Hence the time taken above the estimated time is due to the number of tool changes in direction and hence the number of accelerations. So the more complex and smaller the job I guess the greater the error will be.

I will try to prove tomorrow as I will produce a simple slot cutting job with my CAD/CAM software and see how it works out.

This then really bring me to another question! Is there some software out there that you can put your mill’s acceleration figures into and then run the GCode through it see how long it is really expected to take?


Anyway many thanks for the reply.

IMK

[Ed from NY]

That is a good question.

Note also that there is a "Motion Mode" setting in the "General Config" Mach3 screen with two options "Constant Speed" and "Exact Stop"

I run a little test and in a 34 line program the constant speed saved 4 seconds. I wonder if there is a way to turn it on and off from gcode that way you could do constant speed when roughing and exact stop when finishing. If you have a lot of direction changes as with irregular surfaces that might help a little.