Re: Click Automation Steppers

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Tyson S."
<timbercutter@y...> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I know this poor horse of a subject really gets beat to death,

but

> for us newbies it's SOOOoooo hard to understand it all. Here is the
> link,
> http://www.clickautomation.com/products/index.php?

func=show&pid=410&cid=159

> I hope it works since it won't fit all on one line, but here is my
> question, Will this stepper motor work with a Gecko drive? If so am

I

> right in thinking somewhere around 50 volts or so for a power

supply?

> and the spot for it would be on the X axis (about 3.5 feet long) of

a

> CNC router/plasma? I would use rack drive on the machine and some

kind

> of toothed belt gear reduction from the motor to the gear rack drive
> system. Don't know how much gear reduction yet because I still need

to

> figure that stuff out. And is the price OK for this size of motor?

Thanks.

>

The motor will work fine BUT (to stick my nose where it hasn't been
requested) I have to question several parts of your plan:

3.5 Ft? That's okay for a small wood router for doing signage and
decorative plaques but for plasma? Plasma is a technology that is
not made for cutting small things expecially where there is any
detail. Also the requirements for plasma cutting and routing are a
lot different. Plasma needs speed but there are no cutting forces
involved and the torch is light so the structure can be smaller and
lighter. The router needs torque but less speed and a larger gantry
structure. Unless you want to vastly limit yourself on your plasma
cuts a 3 X 3 cut area is too small. Standard material is 4 X 8 and
you can get by with a true 4 X 4 cut area and index the material if
you set the table up right.

You will need 35 to 250 IPM for plasma (depending on the plasma size
and the material thickness). For a router you need 10 to 60 IPM. If
you design a dual purpose machine then you either have to compromise
or build it to handle both functions. Then there is the fire, smoke
and heat of plasma VS the dust of routing. The plasma process
creates a lot of smoke and fine metalized (vaporized steel) that
floats and gets into everything. Dust extraction is different than
for routing since the whole cut surface has to be involved with
plasma as opposed to judt at the cutting tool for routing. A shop
vac on a hose to the cutting head will not work for plasma

The current "hobby" type (translated: stuff we can afford) stepper
drivers are in two basic groups. Those that will handle 2A at 35 to
40 VDC and those that wil handle up to 7A and 80VDC (gecko's).
Microstepping is a good feature. As long as the motors are under the
max current rating of the chosen drive any of the chopper based
drives will work. Newer motors typically are lower impedence and
higher current. The nameplate voltage rating is a guide to the
impedence. That basically is the voltage you would apply to the
motor with out current control to get the rated current draw.

Jon is correct about the torque dropping off dramatically at higher
speeds (RPM) so take that into consideration. Practical max RPM's
for steppers is in the 800 to 1000 RPM range so if your numbers work
out so you need 2000 rpm to get the upper move rates then you
probably won't get there.

My combo router/plasma table is 100% plasma now. I am working on
building a separate router table. I know all the arguments about
space and money but I stil think it's better to have separate
machines to do radically different types of cutting.

Now, I will withdraw my nose!

TOM C