Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Servo Motor Hookup with Gecko's

>
> 1)What's the main fifference between the 320 and 340? When would
> youu use one instead of the other? Is one harder to set up? I
> downloaded the manuals but the only material thing I saw was the 340
> is PLL (which doesn't mean a whole lot to me!)

The 340 has a pulse multiplier on it so 1 pulse from the computer will move
the motor 1, 2, 5, or 10 encoder counts. Since your computer can only spit
out so many steps per second this can come in handy if your motors have a
high count encoder. The 320 has no pulse multiplier so 1 pulse from the
computer will move the motor 1 encoder click. PLL means Phase Locked Loop
and someone else can probably explain that better than me.

>
> 2)In the manuals it talks about testing everything with an
> osiliscope, etc. Is all of that required? How hard is it really
> (without the use of any special electronic equipment)?

I set mine up without a scope, took about an hour. Piece of cake

>
> 3)If I chicken out and go steppers, does it add any benefit to also
> run encoders? Do the Gecko stepper drives accept encoder feedback?

Gecko stepper drivers do not take encoder feedback, and only one or two
controller programs will support encoders if you have an encoder card in
your computer to hook them to. Dan Mauch was selling one but he just
mentioned he was out and would probably not have any more made, so you would
have to build your own. If you use Gecko's there really is not that much
difference in the setup between steppers and servos. With a stepper you need
to connect 4 wires from the drive to the motor, and set the current limit
with a resistor. On a servo system you need 2 wires for the motor and 4
wires for the encoder. The hookup to the computer is about the same for
both. Go with the servos, they have much better performance, feedback loop
to detect problems so no lost steps to worry about and costs are about the
same if not cheaper. On a Bridgeport size machine, stepper motors are quite
expensive.

Bill