Drive fault detection indication

[airnut]

On my 3 axis G3 in the input screens there are X, Y, and Z motor fault options and no inputs for the 4 or 5 axis. I am trying to think ahead and plan in the future for a 4 or possibly 5 axis upgrade so I can incorporate the necessary wiring and hardware in the bundle now.

I think I have figured out that these inputs if triggered by the drives produce an error on the panel and stop the controller execution of everything. Is that true Y /N?

Also, Such error will need to be cleared by resetting the offending drive either by power reset or a reset command to the drive via a panel mount reset button. At this moment I don't see a input to reset it on the input screen so I am planning on a external momentary panel button. Any Suggestions?

Can someone also please advise if you do get a Masso upgrade to 4 or 5 axis if the input screen is changed to include these extra inputs in the options screen?

Thanks.

Steve

 

[zombieengineer]

@airnut

I have a 4 axis Masso and it has Motor Alarm Input X, Y, Z & A as configurable inputs. I suspect the other inputs will become available when you upgrade your controller.

From the Masso documentation.

Drive Alarm
When a Stepper or Servo drive goes into an alarm condition the Drive can signal Masso which will put the system into Feedhold and stop the spindle. The Drive alarm indication will be displayed on the screen. you drive must be capable of providing the required signal and they be connected to Masso. To clear the alarm first clear the fault with the drive and home the machine to clear Alarm indication on Masso.

 

[airnut]

Zombie, Thank you for that. It makes sense that the upgrade would provide the additional inputs. So I will build for 5 inputs.

In my case there is a reset output on the drives. I hadn't considered homing to clear the panel, I guess that makes sense as well. I haven't got that far yet but do we then go to last block to restart the program?

What dedicated buttons would you suggest on the control panel to make life easier? RE: program start, reset, Etc. ?

Steve

 

[zombieengineer]

@airnut

My system is a hobby CNC mill so needing a control panel with various buttons isn't really high on my priorities (as compared to a production environment where a cycle start or similar is quite common). You may want to consider a button for "Go to Home" and "Go to Park"

Documenting my adventures in exploring the Masso controller features in the 'Machine Conversion' area:

• Sherline Mill - VFD to Speed Controller Isolator (commercial spindles come with isolation as standard)
  
• Connecting Geckodrive G540 using G3 20 Pin Side Connector (yes - an escapee from the PC CNC controller world using parallel ports).
  

Need to start a new article about configuring the Automatic Tool Length calibration on a Sherline mill (excellent conductivity [<2?] between the spindle head stock and milling bit, electrical conductivity stops at the Z axis dovetail. The head stock is electrically grounded to the earth pin of the mains plug [via spindle motor] - what does that mean for implementing Automatic Tool Length?)

 

[airnut]

Zombie,

Awesome stuff my friend, I like your approach to solving problems. I only wish I was as advanced as you are. Working on it but a long way to go.

Steve

 

[airnut]

Need to start a new article about configuring the Automatic Tool Length calibration on a Sherline mill (excellent conductivity [<2?] between the spindle head stock and milling bit, electrical conductivity stops at the Z axis dovetail. The head stock is electrically grounded to the earth pin of the mains plug [via spindle motor] - what does that mean for implementing Automatic Tool Length?)



Sounds like it needs a very flexible bond wire attached to the spindle and the frame or back to the control ground.

Steve

 

[zombieengineer]

Quote from Airnut on January 21, 2021, 4:44 pm

Sounds like it needs a very flexible bond wire attached to the spindle and the frame or back to the control ground.

Steve

The cable is bolted to the head stock carriage using a crimp eyelet that has been bent at 90 to the carriage, basically the wire points out the back of the Z axis horizontally and droops under its own weight. The trick is to have a large arc in the wire and ensure there are no pinch points where it can snag.

The bit that concerns me is the electrical isolation issues as I have had direct experience with a control console (early 1990s build) where the steel chassis when not properly grounded had a "decent tingle". The explanation I was given by the industrial electricians was this was due to stray voltages due to high frequency harmonics and a electrical ground strap would fix the problem (it did). A bit of research indicates some EMI suppression circuits can result in stray voltages if not properly grounded (around 50V AC - enough to fry electronics).

I am following the circuit from the Masso documentation tool setter page with one minor modification - a 100 mA fuse on the ground wire connection as this will be a permanently electrically connected. The touch block only makes electrically contact for a fraction of a second. If the fuse blows I might fry a single Masso input as opposed to the power supply and anything connected to the power supply (stepper motor drivers and Masso controller).

My other alternative is to use a small DC-DC isolated power module and an optocoupler. This is a neater, more idiot proof solution but requires creating a printed circuit board.

Me paranoid about electrical safety? Maybe...

 

[airnut]

In my experience the bonding of a electrical panel can be critical and the lack of bonding can cause immense problems. I sold a house to my niece and it needed to have some gas work done on the furnace. In order to do the work the contractor needed to remove the bond wire that went around the valve. This was also a part of the panel ground system as they simply used the water pipe as a bond wire. They did not get the bond wire jumper tight when they left and that left the panel without bonding . The neutral bus is also wired to the white side of the panel which meant that any 220 appliance in the home was floating in relation to earth ground. When my sister in law got there to help clean and organize the kitchen she some how got across the sink and the stove and it just about took her out.

On one other occasion a friend owned a dairy, His cows were all getting shocks as they were being milked. The cause was the distance to the pole for the ground. The panel was not properly grounded in the barn but the ground was conducting back to the pole from the cows feet.

Bottom line make sure the shop panel is bonded and that bond is conducting all the way to the machine. I suppose a fuse just for the kicks of it would not hurt in less it was open for some reason when you tried to find a tool height. In which case you would likely destroy an endmill.

Steve