Re: Bullet-Proof G201 / G210

Terry,

That's the whole idea. Analyzing returned drive data is eye opening;
first-time users average 10% while at the other extreme OEM users of
1,000 or more a year return less than 0.1%. That is a 100:1 range yet
it's the same drive in both cases.

Of the 10% group, damage is primarily blown MOSFETs (>62%), the 0.1%
group has random component failures unrelated to the power section
(>85%). The sample size for the latter is very limited simply because
so few are returned for repair.

Mariss

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "James Owens"
<wotisname@l...> wrote:

> Hi Mariss,
>
> I for one will be buying Gecko's in the future to go on another

lathe I'm

> building and what you propose makes sense. I could fit the new

versions get

> it all working and the move them onto another project replacing

them with

> the cheaper 201/210's. I'd go for it.
>
> Regards,
>
> Terry
>
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am soliciting input from the group.
> >
> > Some ideas came together today that seem very exciting to me. Let

me

> > explain:
> >
> > The G210 that many of you are using is a 2-PCB drive, there is the
> > G201 plus the G901 multiplier board. It occured to me as I was
> > working on the short-circuit protected (IP) version to completely
> > split the drive into a 2-board version.
> >
> > Board (1) would be the power section with the motor driving

MOSFETs

> > and a complete short-circuit, miss-wiring, load dump, over-
> > temperature and over-voltage protection circuitry on it.
> >
> > Board (2) would combine the microstep logic and the pulse

multiplier

> > logic. There would no longer be a differentiation between a G201

and

> > a G210.
> >
> > The new drive would keep the same form factor and connector

pinout.

> > You could drop it into the same location and it would work just

like

> > the G201s / G210s did before transparently. Once the application

was

> > sorted out, you could use the cheaper 201s / 210s in the future,

they

> > will not be discontinued.
> >
> > The features will be:
> >
> > (1) A huge advantage will be it will be very difficult to destroy.
> > Should you still find a way to kill it, the logic board would

survive

> > and all you would replace (at half the cost of a new drive) would

be

> > the power section.
> >
> > (2) The power section would emulate an L298 and would replace the
> > proposed G298 on our website for those that want to "roll their

own".

> >
> > (3) All adjustments like the "Adjust" trimpot and the G210 option
> > header would be settable without removing the cover and would be
> > located on the top face of the drive for convenience.
> >
> > At this point I'm looking for things, features and aggrevations
> > people would like to change or add. This is a "clean sheet"

redesign

> > so now is the time for it.
> >
> > Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
> >
> > Mariss