Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] DRO function when using gekos in manual mode

sparkness2003 wrote:

>I have a BP type mill Im cncing.Im installing ball screws and next
>will be servo motors. from what ive read geckos are the way to go for
>me.is there any software I can use when in manual control of the
>machine to read the encoders and display DRO?
>
>

For this, you may not want to use the Gecko servo drives, because the
standard way of using them does not have encoder feedback to the
computer. This also limits the software you can use. The most
logical way to do this (not the only way, however) is to use a servo
system that feeds the encoders back to the computer, so it can
be used manually when the servo drives are turned off. EMC can
work in this manner.

I have a couple of products that can do what you want. One is a full
analog servo implementation, see http://jelinux.pico-systems.com/PPMC.html
for more info on it. You would need analog-input servo amps for this
system. Copley Controls makes some relatively low-priced ones.
With this setup, you can go back and forth between manual and CNC
by just clicking the E-stop switch on and off.


Another way to go would be to use my Universal Stepper Controller
http://jelinux.pico-systems.com/univstep.html in closed-loop mode.
I have not actually tried using this board in this mode, but it was
designed with the basic idea for this to work. I'm pretty sure it
can work with a little tuning of the servo parameters, and I'd be
willing to work with you on it.

The way this would be set up is for the USC board to send step and
direction signals to a Gecko servo drive, and for the encoders to
be connected to both the gecko and the USC board. The USC
board will count encoder movement and report that to the computer,
for the closed-loop positioning. When you disable the gecko drives,
then the encoder counters will still count the movement and display
it on the screen.

The one limitation here is that my products are only supported by
EMC at the present. Art Fenerty is bringing out a new version
of his program, to be called Mach 2, which will allow other interfaces
to be adapted, and will support closed-loop operation, too. but, that
is in the future.

Jon