controlling hydraulics with Mach 2 or Turbo CNC

There are two solenoid valves in this proportional,
directional valve. I have other valves but they are
simply on/off.

The hydraulic valve takes an input signal of 12V .6
amps...this is where it just starts to flow fluid in
one direction. Maximum flow (6GPM) is at 12V 1.2
amps...any amperage in between will control flow with
by a proportional amount (and it is pretty linear.)

Simply give the same signal to the opposing valve and
you start flowing fluid in the other direction,
proportional to the current in the same manner.

What I was thinking was to use Mach 2, get a rutex or
gecko drive to control a servo motor from the step
pulses from Mach 2...and now I will have varying
voltage depending on which feedrate I use, which could
be fed to a converter to vary amperage to the valves.
The current could be shifted from one valve to the
other by means of a relay board when Mach 2 tells the
driver to go the other way. (for reversing directions)
The system would have to be tuned down to avoid
chatter. Is this idea full of smoke?

The other way to do it is to build a counter (thanks)
and card all from scratch...my dad would have to come
in here though...lol

Thanks for all the suggestions guys and gals.
Not sure which way I will go yet on controlling them
though...I would like to be able to have an off the
shelf CNC package control the whole
machine...so...this will be interesting.

Luckily I have my dad who is an electronics guru
(Allied Bendix Aerospace retiree).

Todd W




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