Re: How to install motors into a Grizzly or Enco Milling CNC?

Thanks for all the help and comments which proved useful!

I went into CADMANs site and I must admit it is extremely helpful.
The machine I have is identical to his so I will keep posted. I am
still wondering how to attach my motors but his picks have given me a
lot of ideas. In case you guys are wondering at my plans, here is
what I got. I bought the drill/mill (or bench mill) from Grizzly. It
is pretty sturdy and although kind of small, it will serve me for
almost everything I have in mind. I am an electric engineer and I
work with motion controls for photocopiers at Xerox so the machine
stuff is only for hobby robotics.

At this moment I am not sure which motors I am going to use, but most
likely it is going to be a DC with an encoder, a brushless DC with
also an encoder or a Stepper. The one I like the most is the
Brushless DC because of its ease to control. I plan on designing my
own controllers as it seems to be pretty easy to use a microcontroller
and send the appropriate signals. The problem is how to interface it
with the computer program. I don't have a problem with sending
commands to the motors through the serial or parallel port. But how
to take a 3D image and send it to the controller for interpretation,
I still don't know how I will manage.

I do not plan on changing the ball screws on my machine as they seem
to be quite expensive. I know there is a backlash on the ones my
machine brought. At this time it is around 15 mils which is not good,
but maybe I can compensate this with the code in the microcontroller.

And basically that is my idea at this time. If you guys need any help
with the electronics, let me know as that is my field and motion
control is my actual area of expertise (this doesn't mean I am very
good, but the folks I work with are geniuses and I won't hesitate to
question them). Hope to talk to the group really soon! Take care!

JIQ