RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Servo/Stepper on a Surface Grinder

Hi Bill,

The ELS doesn't, and will never do G-Codes. So far, it prompts at each
stage of a threading/turning operation: Move tool into work. Retract tool
from work. That's because the basic unit expects only a stepper motor on
the leadscew and a spindle sensor. Nothing more. It will eventually tell
you how much to advance the compound (set at 29.5 degrees) for threading or
can be programmed to adjust the Z while you adjust the X.

I've had requests to automate that part so it will do N passes, adjusting X
each time with a stepper on the X axis. I'm not totally in favour of that
concept since it brings it far closer to a proper CNC system. But, I must
admit, if the unit could retract the tool, return, move the tool back into
the work and do this N times, threading would be even less error prone. And
there were even requests for tapers....

But if you increase the size of your power supply, add another stepper with
belts and pulleys etc. and the drivers are already configured for the DB-25
(some sort of breakout box) to a PC, then why not add a PC and make it CNC?
Suddenly the need for the ELS is not there anymore and the whole thing is
more expensive.

I think the thing to keep in mind is that it will be a public domain board
that has a micro-stepper, an LCD display, a rotary encoder serving as a
Manual Pulse Generator and a pile of buttons. It doesn't _need_ t run ELS
software but could serve as a building block for a grinder or a
bender-shear.

Since there's a CAN bus connection it can even talk to other ELS boards and
perhaps run a small 4 roll former. Now there's an interesting project.

John Dammeyer

> johnd@... writes:
>
> So the only thing that it can't do directly is move the
> grinder over.
> Alternatively with minor software changes, perhaps the X can
> move the table
> under the grinder after each group of passes and you manually
> adjust the
> grinding depth by hand.
>
>
>
> I would think you could program it just like you would
> milling grooves on
> the top of a plate in a mill. You would be inputting the
> size, and feeds in
> the G codes. ETC. Each groove would be the horizontal
> advance of the table.
> bill
>