Now. When first starting cnc hobby years ago, Looking for pport bob, I could've sworn I saw these boards imaged with pwm printed. (opted for the cheap 5 axis ones instead).
HOWEVER, I dug my new/old one from the depths that I got with a drive 'kit' and....
It doesn't have pwm printed on it. Hmmmmmmm.
If op sticking with pport (win7-32,winxp-32) and going to want to control a spindle... Forget these 6 axis things.
Go for these 5 axis type that I used instead:
https://directvoltage.com/shop/cnc-computer-numerical-controllers/cnc-boards-controllers/5-axis-cnc-interface-adapter-breakout-board-for-stepper-motor-driver-mach3/
You can get them pretty much anywhere.
Need power supply of: 5v and 12-24v available.
Last edited by dazp1976; 05-12-2022 at 08:48 AM.
Hey guys!
Been out for a while but I'm back at it again... I did get the CNC working with both NCstudio and Mach3 cards!
I'm stealing 5vdc from the ncstudio card to power the mach3 card instead of dealing with a new psu or getting a usb breakout and taking power from that.
I am currently having trouble with two things... the X-axis is reversed in mach3.
Is there a way to flip the direction?
Other one is the spindle... I'm not using PWM, but rather simple on/off on 3 pins which are pre-set to specific speeds on the spindle controller.
How do I set these in Mach3?
In NCstudio, I would just program in G-code any desired speed and NCstudio would automatically go to the closest.... i.e. setting a cutting speed of 8000rpm in GCode would run at 10k RPM in ncstudio as my preset speeds were 5k, 10k & 20k rpm
Thanx that worked!
I am having trouble with hooking up the spindle.
It was setup with 3-pins going to the spindle VFD's multi-function inputs which were preset to specific RPM's.
So NCstudio would simply trip high/low whichever pin to achieve the preset RPM.
But Mach3 appears to only accept one pin and even trying to get just that one pin working on the VFD does not.
So what should I do?
I notice all of the BOB outputs use an opto-iso... is it possible to run one of these to the VFD's AI input for 0-10v?
I got this one...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174725161345
looks like it converts 5vdc from the USB port for step/dir axis signals.... then it also has 12-24v input for the 0-10v spindle output.
Then I ordered one of these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175293058532?var=474511654200
Chose the 24v 2A model
Should be everything I need I hope... yes?
ok so the card arrived and I hooked everything up.
The XYZ and A motors all work great... but the spindle does nothing.
I changed the VFD setting F0.0 from 4 to 1 (from 'ext terminal' to '0-10v input')
Card is being powered by 24v
Spindle VFD Wiring:
AVI on card to AI on VFD
10v on card to 10v on VFD
ACM on card to CM on VFD
Mach3 Settings:
config -> ports&pins -> spindle setup:
Disable spindle relays = unchecked
clockwise M3 output# = 1
use spindle motor output = checked
pwm control = checked
config -> ports&pins -> motor output:
spindle = enabled
step pin = 1
dir pin = 0
step port = 1
dir port = 1
config -> ports&pins -> output signals:
Output #1 = enabled, port# = 3, pin# = 1
Output #2 = enabled, port# = 3, pin# = 2
Output #3 = enabled, port# = 3, pin# = 3
Output #4 = enabled, port# = 3, pin# = 4
Not sure what I'm doing wrong, please help!
So, you should not have the 10v on card to 10v on VFD Drive this will cause a dead short
You need a connection for the spindle 0n/0FF this is FWD and CM
AI and CM on the VFD Drive is for the 0-10v spindle speed control, you need this working at the Board before you connect it to the VFD Drive so when you change speed this voltage needs to change so for 12,000 RPM the voltage needs to be close to 5v and 10v for max speed you can test this in MDI mode and enter M3S12000
Mactec54
I dont understand where the 10v or AVI/AI pins are supposed to connect.
Heres how they are now, what is the proper way?
AVI on card to AI on VFD
ACM on card to CM on VFD
10v on card to 10v on VFD
Is one of the AVI/AI pins supposed to go to something else like the 10v?
If both the card and the VFD output 10v on their respective pins... then should only one or both be used... or neither?
Since its the VFD being controlled, the 10v pin on the card is not used? or are they supposed to cross connect between the AVI/AI pins?
As for the forward pin on the VFD, should I connect this to OUT1 on the card?
This is confusing, please help?
IGNORE that 10v connection, act as if it doesn't exist.
The 10v is for sending OUTPUT power to a manual potentiometer for changing speeds. Learning the manual principle first helps with wiring analog from Mach. The explanation:
So how it works is:
The 10v goes into the pot+ve,
The pot-ve goes to the CM,
The pot wiper goes to AI, that regulates the 10v to give you speed control.
You will see the 3 wire pot in the wiring diagram of vfd. Learning this manual principle helps with figuring analog Mach wiring.
HOWEVER!! you are going to control via Mach so:
Now the 24v on the control board BECOMES the pot power!.
The AVI on board BECOMES the wiper.
The ACM bocomes the GND.
This means the 10v from vfd is now not needed.
Because your vfd has a shared CM for both the controls and analog voltage. I would STRONGLY advise putting a relay between FWD and CM and using the board output to control the relay. This will keep the analog and control voltages separated.
Mactec54
ok I tested the card without the VFD connected and output #1 does turn on/off properly.
I tested the 10v pin on the card between 10v and ACM, 10v and DCM, 10v and AVI, and finally 10v and GND.....
none of those pairs show a changing voltage when setting spindle speed with something like M3 S10000 and then adjusting the speeds up or down.
I tried bridging the FWD to CM, it turns on the cooling fan inside the VFD, but no spin.
Also tried hooking it to output1, same thing.
When I do this, the VFD panel goes all glitchy, so something is definitely not right.... probably like you said about using the relay.
I just am not getting this... can you guys please be a lil more layman with the instructions?
Right now I have the 10v on the card connected to the AI pin on the VFD.
The ACM pin on the card is connected to the CM pin on the VFD.
What should the FWD pin connect to? If I use a relay, what is the FWD pin connecting to after coming out of the relay?
Last edited by viroy; 07-23-2022 at 08:55 PM.
We told you to FORGET about the 10v. That is mainly to send power to a manual potentiometer.
Analog 0-10v.
AVI > AI
ACM > CM
Board output SSR Relay controlled (24v) if outputs are low level.
Relay +OUT > FWD
Relay -OUT > CM
Relay +IN > 24V+
Relay -IN > Board Output#
That's it!.
If the above does not work you've either:
1. Got VFD perameters wrong.
2. Likely burned it already.
I've added 2 images. The first showing it done on a different drive and controller that demonstrates the difference between manual and Mach control and how the 10v is disregarded. The pins are labelled different but is NOT hard to convert it to yours.
The 2nd shows what the pot looks like in the wiring on a vfd. You can then see the way is is used. Then use pic 1 to see it on pot and a Mach board.
Manual vs Mach (different boards, READ post description).
How manual pot looks in vfd diagram
Last edited by dazp1976; 07-23-2022 at 09:10 PM.
so ignore what mactec54 said, neither 10v pin is connected to anything....
AVI and AI are connected
ACM is connected to CM
FWD is bridged to CM
I do not have a relay... when I purchased the card, there was no info suggesting I would need one. It seems to me its the exact same as bridging to CM
In Mach3... When I type M3 S10000 into MDI, the 'spindle speed' shows 10k but the RPM indicator in stays at 0
is there any way to test the 0-10v output?
I'm not getting any difference no matter what I do.
You should be only checking AVI and ACM =0-10v
Then there is something not configured correctly in the software of on the Board. if you don't have any Voltage change between AVI and ACM
Is output # 1 switching a Relay 0n/0ff or is it just an output?? if this is just an output then you can't use the Output like this, it can use it to switch a relay
That is because you shorted the connection this can cause damage by doing things like this, there will be a Parameter to set for Remote Control to use FWD and CM
As I have Post you can NOT connect the 10V to the VFD Drive Please stop doing this or you will Damage something if it is not already damaged
Mactec54
not trying to be mean, but of course I would infer this means to connect the 10v to the AI
AVI on card to AI on VFD, AVI on the card is the 0-10v output
well im burnt out for today, will try again tomorrow... been working on this for way too long.
very very confusing for someone who doesnt understand everything about it before hand
oh, I do get voltage off AVI.... about 1v to 1.5v... but it never changes with M3 commands