Re: Pre-wired drive unit

> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 02 Nov 2002 02:23:27 -0000
> From: "b564htf" <toolingrus@...>
> Subject: Pre-wired drive unit
>
> Does anyone manufacture a pre-wired drive unit with geckodrives,
> power supply, parallel plug etc ? I'd like to be able to just
> plug
> in the parallel cable and hook up the motors without a lot of
> building.

I've built a few for people have found it to be VERY time consuming
to wire up.

HOPING that there may be a market for such a thing and with some interest
from a few people already, I'm nearing completion of a set of circuit
boards.

( As I've done in the past, complete details should be freely available
for those who wish to do it themselves )

There will be three boards inside the controller.

Board one will mount almost anywhere on the rear panel, and will have the
following connectors

a DB 25f for direct connection to the PC
a DE 9m for an optoisolated EStop connection
a DE 9m for Home/Limit switches
a DE 9f for external control of Spindle, Coolant, etc.

and the following electronics

my Error/Reset controller
a 5 volt switching power supply, so that power from the PC is not required


Board two will have axis enable switches and status LEDs


Board three will be mounted most accurately on the rear panel and will have
the following connectors

four MIL-9s for connection to the encoders and motors
four pairs of power&ground connections/solder points for Gecko power

and the following electronics

four EStop relays
four optional differential receiver circuits
four 470uf caps
four Gecko "load" resistors
four optional "brake" resistors
four .200" pin headers for direct connection to the Geckos


Once the chassis is accurately drilled, assembly is

1. wire up power supply or simply hook up one of the commercially available
supplies
2. fasten PCB 1 to rear panel
3. fasten PCB 2 to front panel
4. fasten PCB 3 to rear panel
5. lay Geckos on bottom panel and slide towards PCB 3, such that pin headers
on PCB 3 slide into Gecko connector.
6. fasten Geckos to bottom panel
7. tighten Gecko screw connections
8. run ribbon cables from PCB 1 to PCB 2 and PCB 3
9. run power and ground wires to PCB 1 and PCB 3

Total time to assemble, once the chassis is ready, should be about 20 minutes,
with not a single "wire" going to a Gecko. All Gecko wiring is "automatic".

Price is hard to say, as PCB costs are greatly influenced by the number of
boards ordered. Worst case, about $400.00, assembled and tested. Best case,
maybe $325.00.

Any interest ?

Alan

--

Alan Rothenbush | The Spartans do not ask the number of the
Academic Computing Services | enemy, only where they are.
Simon Fraser University |
Burnaby, B.C., Canada | Agix of Sparta