Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: gecko burned again

>
> Keith,
>
> I'm at kind of a loss here. We have OEMs that run NEMA-42 motors at
> 7A and 72VDC by the hundreds without a problem. The REV11 drive is
> pretty much mature in the sense there are no undiscovered problems to
> deal with. We just busted our best month ever by shipping 2,680
> drives in October; were it a basic problem with the REV11 drive, that
> wouldn't have happened.
>
> Why yours is blowing up while others running similar loads are not
> bothers me. The kind of things that blow drives up; over-voltage,
> load short circuits, inadequate heat-sinkinking are the obvious ones
> of course. You seem to have a gremlin that may be hiding somewhere
> within those restrictions. Please give me a call Monday so we can go
> over that territory. If you can provide me with a circuit diagram of
> your setup or better yet, a digital photo of the guts of your box may
> help me spot something obscure.
>
> To anyone else reading this: Don't buy anything from us until Nov 15.
>
> Then, for 30 days, starting Nov 15 until Dec 15, we are going to have
> a "customer appreciation month" where G201s / G320s will go for $99.
> G210s / G340s will be $129. OEM pricing (100 or more) will be $79 for
> G201s / G320s and $109 for G210s / G340s. Basically a $15 reduction
> for quantities below 100, $20 for quantities above 100. It all ends
> on Dec 16 unless order volume justifies keeping that price reduction.
>
> Why are we doing this? Three reasons.
>
> 1) We took delivery on two brand new pick-and-place machines that
> will come on-line next week. They will relieve the production
> bottlenecks at the 2,500 / month level we have right now with our
> only high-speed machine. These new machines have been installed,
> leveled and are being hooked up.
>
> 2) This coincides with the introduction of the new Vampire G204V
> drive slated to appear before the end of this year. It's been a long
> haul; it is so radically different (CPLD based) that the entire
> production line has had to be revamped for it. It's kind of like
> changing an airport designed for 707s to accept 747s. The devil is in
> the details.
>
> 3) It is a thank you to everyone who bought our product and took a
> chance on an unknown drive by an even less well known, new
> manufacturer. What changes have occurred from the original "REV1"
> G201 (some of you still use them) and what we make now. it has been a
> crazy 5 years; I personally have learned so much.
>
> All these recent efforts will yield big changes now that the CPLD
> thing is under our belts. The coming year will result in a quick
> introduction many new products:
>
> 1) First, the unkillable G204V step motor drive. Short circuits, no
> heat-sink, reversed supply polarity, misswired motors, destructive
> energy dumps, nothing will stop it. Add a novel switching topology
> that doesn't need current reduction to keep the motor cool. Throw in
> a drive that doesn't have to obey the 20 times supply voltage rule.
>
> 2) The G2002 (or G2005?). A 6-axis pulse engine that when equppped
> with encoder mounted steppers will result in unstallable steppers.
> True close-coupled, closed-loop step motor sytems. Use our drives,
> use someone elses; it won't matter. Overload them, they will simply
> slow down and back-up on their power curves. They will always run at
> the peak of what the motor has to offer speed and acceleration. This
> will be a big one.
>
> 3) CPLD version of the G320 / G340 series. Less parts, better
> performance, cheaper.
>
> 4) A sinusoidally commutated 3-phase brushless servo motor drive.
>
> Number (1) is in the bag. It is the leader for the new programmable-
> logic drives from Geckodrive. Number (2) is an FPGA version that is
> an embelishimment of the proven 74CH version of the current G2002.
> Added will be real-time encoder feedback on all axis and the firmware
> to generate the promised unstallable steppers. This is the big one.
> Number (3) is an afterthought. Finally number (4) is a natural
> extension to fill the product line. It is the least thought-out one.
>
> That is the road-map. That is in order as what I see for the coming
> year. It will be an exciting year.
>
> Mariss
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Clark" <mail@t...>
> wrote:
>>
>> I now have 3 separate 10 amp slow blow fuses, one leading to the
>> power input on each drive. The motors are rated at 7 amps. Is
> that
>> the correct fuse to be using?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Keith
>>
>> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "john labutski"
> <kd6wd@c...>
>> wrote:
>> > Jon
>> > You have an excellent point. Keith could probably test this with
> a
>> new
>> > Gecko. He should just add the correct amp fuses to the motor
>> drive lines.
>> > When one fuse pops he will probably find you are correct.
>> >
>> > Your comments also bring up another great point to consider .
>> Fuses and
>> > fuse holders are cheap compared to driver boards as well as
>> computers. I've
>> > been a ham radio operator for a long time and over the years
> fuses
>> have
>> > saved me thousands of dollars worth of equipment when a power
>> supply or a
>> > transformer went south on me. Old "Buss" and me are great buddies.
>> >
>> > John
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Jon Elson" <elson@p...>
>> > To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
>> > Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2004 1:26 PM
>> > Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] gecko burned again
>> >
>> >
>> > >
>> > > Keith Clark wrote:
>> > >
>> > > >Well, the y axis gecko drive burned again this morning. This
>> time
>> > > >there are no loose wires. I was doing very little with the
>> machine
>> > > >and had just turned it on when during a y axis G0 move, the
>> drive
>> > > >burned up. I assume this is an indication that the Gecko
> cannot
>> > > >handle the motor I am using. This is an old topic and I have
>> asked
>> > > >for help with this problem before. The mill is a Bridgeport
>> Series
>> > > >1 CNC originally controlled by Boss 6 but now using Anaheim
>> Nema 42
>> > > >high torque stepper motors and Mach2 software with a Campbell
>> > > >breakout board.
>> > > >
>> > > >At this point is seems reasonable to try another brand drive?
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > I think you need to retire that MOTOR. There is nothing wrong
>> with
>> > > the Gecko drive, when used with good motors. But, one of its
>> weaknesses
>> > > is that shorts to ground, or just plain internal shorts in the
>> motor
>> > > windings
>> > > will pop transistors in the Gecko drive. I think you'll find
>> the Rutex,
>> > > Xylotex,
>> > > etc. drives all have this same weakness. After blowing TWO
>> Geckos on
>> > > the SAME motor, doesn't that tell you something? Why didn't
> the
>> X or Z
>> > > drivers blow? Why always the Y axis?
>> > >
>> > > Explanation: Your Y motor has an intermittent short. How much
>> you are
>> > > doing with it doesn't make much difference. I assume the
> motors
>> heat
>> > > up, even when idling. The heat probably causes the short to
>> develop
>> > > every once in a while, when the winding expands from the heat.
>> > >
>> > > Jon
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Addresses:
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>
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>
>
>
> Addresses:
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> URL to this group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO
>
> OFF Topic POSTS: General Machining
> If you wish to post on unlimited OT subjects goto:
> aol://5863:126/rec.crafts.metalworking or go thru Google.com to reach it
> if you have trouble.
> http://www.metalworking.com/news_servers.html
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jobshophomeshop I consider this to be a
> sister site to the CCED group, as many of the same members are there, for
> OT subjects, that are not allowed on the CCED list.
>
> NOTICE: ALL POSTINGS TO THIS GROUP BECOME PUBLIC DOMAIN BY POSTING THEM.
> DON'T POST IF YOU CAN NOT ACCEPT THIS.....NO EXCEPTIONS........
> bill
> List Mom
> List Owner
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>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
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