Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] A Question to MARISS

Raul Lara wrote:

> Dear Mariss:
>
> I?m in the last steps to run 2 plasma cutters.
> 1.- One with a Gecko drives G 201 / Indexer LPT from
> Ability Systems Combo.
> 2.- The other with Gecko drives G 201A / Indexer
> LPT from Ability Systems Combo.
>
> I?m getting noise in the PC when the plasma is on,
> through step and direction lines.
>
> The PC signal is 4.82 volts, the external power supply
> is 5.03 volts (this is the one it?s powering the
> Geckos).
> All the cables are shielded and grounded.
>
> What would your advise be, in order to fix this noise
> problem?

You want to search back in the archives for a thread by Tom Eldridge
on this exact problem. Or, maybe that had to do with encoder noise
on a Gecko servo drive. But, anyway, I know that there has been a good
deal of discussion, perhaps a year ago or so, about plasma cutters and
gecko drives. Shielding, wire routing, capacitors at the DC power
input to the Gecko, and treatment of the PC parallel port cable were
all related to this problem.

By noise in the PC, I assume you mean false steps. if the PC is crashing
or otherwise not functioning right when the plasma is on, you probably
heen to keep power and other wires away from the plasma cables, and get
a surge supressor/line noise filter for the power cord of the PC.

Jon