Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Digital DC Variable Speed Drive for spindle control

Control Techniques makes good drives, if (IMO) a little bit overpriced.

For DC drives, I really, Really like Carotron. Good pricing, great
technical support. They aren't as pretty as some others, but they get the
job done, day in and day out. Mike Jenkins and his crew make an excellent
product. I've got quite a few installed in some severe industrial
environments, and I've *never* had a failure. Amazing.

The ElitePro drive will accept frequency inputs as standard, as well as
1024PPR quadrature feedback. Configure one of your 7 digital inputs as
direction. Or use the supplied RS232 or 422 communications ports. Speed
regulation with encoder feedback is +0.01%
http://www.carotron.com

BTW, DC drives are not inverters.

Bryan Moody
Not affiliated with Carotron!
Just a very satisfied systems integrator.




At 05:51 PM 1/24/04, you wrote:

>Gentlemen,
>
>I'm in the process of changing the old Fanuc controller of a medium size bed
>lathe to a new control using mach2 and Geckos.
>I already setup my Z&X axis, and they are working fine, now I'm getting to
>the part of spindle speed control, the spindle motor is a 11 Kw BBC
>DC motor, which came with its old speed controller which I'm scrapping.
>I'm thinking of buying a new digital DC variable speed drive (inverter) for
>the motor like the one in the URL below:
>http://www.controltechniques.co.uk/products/mentor_intro.htm#Benefits
> I know it's a bit expensive, but I'm planning to use the lathe for
>production work, now I was wondering of the way to control the speed drive
>from mach2:
>
>- Can I send step & Dir pulses to the speed drive as it has digital inputs.
>- I have a 1024 PPR encoder attached to the spindle, do I send the encoder
>pulses to the speed controller for feed back.
>- If so, can I rely on the speed controller to keep a constant speed, for
>threading operations, or do I have to take an index pulse to mach2 to do
>threading.
>- I think mach2 does not support serial communication to speed drives, am I
>correct.
>
>- If non of the above is feasible, what other options do I have to
>communicate between mach2 and speed drives?
>
>Please advise,
>
>Mina F.
>
>P.S. I apologize for multiple group posting.
>
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