Gerber AR600 Retrofit

[EBowman]

I'm fixing up a 1996 gerber ar600. So far I'm only replacing the electronics but in the end I might end up replacing some of the motors as well.

Is this the right area to ask questions about my project or should I be asking in the DIY section?

Regards,
Eric

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[Jim Dawson]

I'm fixing up a 1996 gerber ar600. So far I'm only replacing the electronics but in the end I might end up replacing some of the motors as well.

Is this the right area to ask questions about my project or should I be asking in the DIY section?

Regards,
Eric

As good of a place as any I guess

[EBowman]

I have a gerber AR 600. The mechanical parts including the motors are the original parts. I have replaced the main controller with a centroid acorn controller, and I've replaced the motor drivers with Gecko GR214V drivers.

The spindle and VFD are generic chinese (Mophorn) that I bought off of amazon.

I'm using the acorn software on my laptop to run the machine.

For simplicity's sake (I'm not making any complex parts yet) I don't even have the VFD wired into my controller, I just set the RPM manually and turn it on, then turn it off when I'm done cutting.

I'm doing practice cuts in foam until I get the machine dialed in so that I don't spend a fortune on router bits.

I ran my first program today and the attached photo are my results. I was trying to make a 13" wide square, with a 12" wide square inside of it, and a circle inside of that. The three L shaped cuts at the top right are from previous practice.

I have at least three problems at the moment I could use help with.

1. My travel is a little off. I've been getting it closer, but how do I really dial the turns ration in my controller in so that my travel is very accurate?
2. My travel drifts over time. You can see that the profiles don't meet up with each other at the ends and the shapes are not centered with each other. The circle is not centered in the outer box, and the inner box is a long ways to the right and up.
3. The Z axis drifted as well. The diagonal cut that cuts across everything was the tool going back to the surface and then moving back to WCS 0

I don't think the problem is backlash because I think I would be able to see that much backlash. Could the motors be missing steps?

Thanks for you help!

[Jim Dawson]

I guess I would start by reducing acceleration, deceleration, and feed speed to see if things improve. Then also set your steps/unit (inches I assume) as close as you can for testing. Instructions on how to do this is in the Acorn manual. You can fine tune the parameters later, the goal is to just get it running right now.

[EBowman]

I cut the speed in half and I doubled the acceleration deceleration times (To slow down the acceleration and deceleration)? There was still drift and the drift was worse. I'm going to switch it back to what it was and then only change one of those things at a time. I'm actually encouraged that the changes made a difference because it means one of them is effecting the drift.

Eric

[Jim Dawson]

Sounds like you are making progress. Kind of sounds like you went from half throttle to full throttle on the acceleration, so going the other way to 1/4 throttle might be helpful.

[kingofl337]

I would check the bulkhead connectors they usually oxidize causing them to heat up and burn the insulation off the wiring. The motors are a weird 3/8" shaft Nema 34 and only 380oz-in, you may be better to make a Nema 23 Adapter for motors.

Did you ever get a working Steps per unit?

[packratcnc]

Hello,

Do you still have the old controller ?
Did it still work ?
Would you sell it and any other parts ?
Even just the boards ?
I'm in Massachusetts.

THanks,

MArk