New 4G controller box

[curtiss]

Tom, Do you have a "Retired sign" for your Kansas shop ???

Always a good idea. looks something like ..

RETIRED

Don't want to. Don't need to.

Can't make me.

[Tom Bachman]

Been retired for a long time....everyday I get re-tired, from all the work I try to get done. Seems I'm busier now than when I was "working".

I did get the 3.6 motor on the Y axis yesterday....Didn't take me too long to remember why I didn't put it on when I did the X motors. I spent all day redesigning the motor mount and then making it out of 1/4" aluminum plate. If I am going to do the Z I'll have to find another motor.

The Z axis is still jumpy, not smooth running up and down. It has something to do with the new control box, as it didn't do this with the old box.

I have to do church stuff all day today, so won't have time to look it until tomorrow.

[Tom Bachman]

Ok, I got it running this afternoon....much faster than before. You don't really notice the Z jumping around as it cuts, seems to cut very smoothly.

[Brady Watson]

Glad you got it going.

Keep in mind that just like a car you add power to, there is now more stress on the steel members of the machine - particularly the X car and gantry. It is possible to rack the gantry if you hit something on one side a lot easier than your old control box. I wound up getting my original PRT gantry perfectly square, after ditching the unistrut and adding 3/16" wall 2.5 x 1.5 steel rectangle, and welded the corners and tubing to the 3x3 bulkheads. After that it was rock solid.

I would also advise: Cleaning the machine, lubing the racks, adjusting all v-roller bearings and shimming where necessary (vertical Y car v-bearings for height) - faster speeds and more power mean things will wear funny if they are not properly adjusted to begin with. Most don't know any better until their skills improve and they scrutinize their cut quality only to come back to it being the machine is out somewhere.

Good luck!
-B

[Tom Bachman]

Well, I will check out the machine and adjust as needed. Thanks Brady.

[Tom Bachman]

OK, I ran the machine on a couple files and it ran fine. It sat overnight and I came out the next day and tried to move it from one end of the table to the other and the X started jumping around...like off the rollers. It is almost like the X2 motor isn't getting a signal all the time. I released the X2 motor (pinion from rack) and dry run it around the table and it seems to be moving smoothly. Hook it back up and it's like X2 can't keep up with X1...... ??????

I plan on going to the control box and switching the X1 and X2 leads to check to see if the X2 motor still reacts funny....if so, I assume that I lost that motor, if not it would make me think something is going on with the driver....... am I thinking on the right track?

[curtiss]

Changing drivers would seem like a good way to check things.

Are your x rails parallel or causing a bind ?

Years ago setting up, I made a large T-square with a shallow groove at the top of the T for one X rail and taped a micrometer to the other end where I could use the “depth gauge” to see if the rails were parallel.

If the x rails are straight and parallel, it is difficult for the y-car to not run true or bind up.

[Brady Watson]

Engage the motors in the rack. Change the move speed to 1 for XY. With the gantry down near X0, use keypad mode and the keyboard to move the tool towards you while you press the arrow key. Do this on each side. If one is stronger than the other - this should tell you where to look.

Merely dropping the motors and spinning them tells you little. These motors have 2 coils. It will spin with not much torque with only 1 coil working.

If there is a broken wire - you'll need to track it down - or a loose wire in a motor connector. I didn't ship this with motors or wiring & tested the box thoroughly so keep that in mind. If it proves out that the driver is intermittent/weak/defective - Geckodrive will warranty repair it. You have to contact them directly if that winds up being the case.

There is a small possibility that one of the terminal screws on the Gecko to the 4G board loosened during transit. You can loosen and reseat before pointing fingers at the drive.

-B

[bleeth]

Tom: Don't forget to never push your gantry with no power and motors plugged in except VERY slowly as this will blow out a driver due to electrical feedback from the motors acting as dynamos.

[Tom Bachman]

Thanks guys, I was busy building cabinet doors all day today. I might go out and do some playing tomorrow. I haven't moved the gantry with the power off, so I don't think that's the problem Also nothing has changed on the x rails so I doubt seriously they are out of adjustment. I will do some checking and let you all know.