DDCSV1.1 4 Axis controller

[Joules]

3D printing can improve your cable management.  I have just completed the wiring loom for the 4 axis stepper drivers.   A mate of mine used to build commercial ROV's, he generally smiled at my wiring, well it paid off as I raised my game, cheers Drew   



My own simple design clips, figured 16 would be enough, I went onto use 32 so far.  Takes about 8 minutes to print 16 and the basic design can be altered to handle other services or incorporate clips for attachment as required.



It adds a bit of time to the wiring, but vastly improves the appearance and rigidity of it.  Get those rats nests under control and know what cables are going where.   

[awemawson]

Very nice Jules - makes a nice neat layout 

Now can you please add Hellerman sleeves to those wires on the D-Type sockets, I'd have shot my wiremen if they'd left them naked like that

[Joules]

  I knew someone would comment on those after I posted the image.  Printed boots in the works now.

[Joules]

After appropriate chastisement.  I am correcting my ways....   Boot designed.



Printed and fitted.



As I should have done before I posted the first picture   

p.s  The front and rear pins are doubled up to spread the current through the connector so sleeves would only come down to the top of the pin.

[awemawson]

Very neat, but the idea of the Hellerman sleeves is to ensure that there are no stray strands between ways, and no hairs of solder either. The sleeve is threaded on and pulled over the joints one by one as they are made. They also give a little support to the wire, not that that is needed in your application.

... still very neat covers though 

[SwarfnStuff]

WOW Jules,
   That last pic is a work of art.  Now where are the rats going to nest?
John B

[Joules]

LOL, don't worry John, things here needed a speed up and back on a temporary arrangement to try getting the machine back up and running.  Your rat's nest is behind the fold down panel.



I state this is a temporary arrangement      I now have the router XYZ up and running from the controller.   I'm really happy with the stepper drivers as they are running very cool with the hybrid motors on the router, they heated up some with the old none hybrid steppers I used for testing.  Todays job is try and finish the wiring for the VFD and get that under control from the DDCSV.  Once thats complete it's onto tweaking the settings to get things dialled in and think about how this will all translate to a CNC mill.

[awemawson]

Very neat Joules 

So what's your overall impression of that Chinese controller - is it up to snuff ?

[Joules]

I've just completed the install.  I have a bad (weak) stepper on my Z   



I am very impressed by the controller, once I deciphered the VFD manual I now have full speed control from the controller via the 0-10v output and spindle on/off - M3/M5.  The controller has plenty of options for altering settings related to its operation, you really need to read through the pdf manual a few times to take in all the settings.  Extremely easy to program and navigate, you can tab through the settings using the X+ key.  For setting the spindle options I was hopping between the home screen, config and 5 tabs to spindle settings.  Still lots to learn.



Compared to a PC and software, not really much to compare, this thing boots in about 10 seconds from cold and is ready to run whatever you have stored on the flash drive.   I really like the option to set soft limits for a machine, no messing with limit switches (you accept the risk though if it looses steps)

My double co-ordinates are machine setting in small, and everything else.  You can scroll through the G54-59 to Mach (Machine) and zero in my case everything is zero'd in the centre of the router bed.

To sum up, it took me weeks to setup Linuxcnc when it was EMC2, this has been done in just a few hours.  I will be getting another to do a future mill install.  Even my cheap stepper drivers have been fine so far and they should be good for NEMA23 3.1nm sized motors.

    says it all really, talk about it in a few months.



OK, behind the panel is not that bad.  Editing the g-code on a tablet in a text editor is also a breeze, so those simple changes can be done at the machine very quickly.

[awemawson]

That's good to hear Jules.

The reason I ask is that I 'feel' another biggish project coming on 

I'm  probably going to liberate a fair few square foot of workshop space in the near future and have in mind to build a CNC machine from scratch. Currently I'm toying with getting a small bench top diddy CNC mill as a test bed, and finally getting to grips with Linux and LinuxCNC by playing with it before getting serious with a self build. Previously I've totally failed to make any inroads into get LinuxCNC running and it's a failing I want to rectify.

So if anyone has a Denford Novamill sized doorstop they want shot of I'm your man - doesn't necessarily have to work just be mechanically sound and hopefully reasonably equipped.

[Joules]

Turns out my bad stepper was a bad delrin nut, it had tightened up and stalling the lead screw.   Heated the alloy carrier to 155 ℃ and cycled the leadscrew, freed it up a treat.  Just had to re loctite the nut in as the heat had released it.   Had a thermocouple in the carrier so I knew what temperature I was at.  Now flooding the bronze bushes with oil as they got dried out as well.

I also sussed out how to send XYZ to my zero position from the controller before shutting the machine down.   

    Looking good

[Pete.]

You have managed to glue Delrin nuts into a carrier with Loctite? What grade was it you used? I had to pin a Delrin nut to stop it slipping.

[Joules]

In that case Pete I will wait till morning and see if it falls out.  I think if the nut has a less than perfect finish in an unpolished bore, the loctite will probably hold it pretty firm.

The loctite in question was some clone product from the local farm shop used to glue tractors back together   

[John Stevenson]

Joules,
That setup is looking very impressive. I feel we are rapidly getting to where the hardware is advancing faster than software. Bit in the news today where Intel are stopping development of the Atom chip and concentrating on the ARM chip.

The unit I have just shipped in from China whilst only being 2 axis as its for a lathe can handle encoders, tool turret, coolant, spindle, Chuck and oiling. It's basically a Fanuc 0T clone for sub £400.

We live in interesting times   

[Joules]

Pete, just done my testing and running the Z into each end stop, the nut is well fixed with my loctite.  Pretty sure its all keyed into the imperfections than physically glued the Delrin.

[RobWilson]

Loooookin  mighty fine Joules 

Rob

[Pete.]

Certainly is

Next time I make a delrin nut I will turn the OD rough and loctite it in.

[Joules]

Pete, it still needs to be a pretty close fit.  A smooth bearing with a cross hatch cut with a scribe will do, but the more surface area locked the stronger the bond.   Cheers lads, might have a mill making it's way up North for a CNC conversion.  Looks like I need to order another controller, already have the stepper drivers, Oooh yeah will need to figure what motors I am going to need too.

Another CNC thread coming soon   

[Will_D]

... The controller has plenty of options for altering settings related to its operation, you really need to read through the pdf manual a few times to take in all the settings.  Extremely easy to program and navigate, you can tab through the settings using the X+ key.  For setting the spindle options I was hopping between the home screen, config and 5 tabs to spindle settings.  Still lots to learn.

Is this the same pdf thats available on the net or is it on a CD?

Really enjoying this thread as I am slowly succumbing to the CNC virus.

[Joules]

Will, I used the pdf you posted the link too.

[nrml]

It's good to hear from someone who knows what they are doing that this little box is up to scratch. I really ought to get mine up and running. I wonder if these boxes will wipe out the demand for Mach3 and Linux CNC from a significant portion of the DIY CNC market as word spreads around. I am amazed that neither has made a serious effort to adapt to modern platforms. I wouldn't bet against them going the way of Nokia unless they have something amazing in the pipeline.

[Joules]

Thanks nrml, that's quite a compliment.  Believe me alot of this is new ground for me I am biting the bullet and moving into CNC machining on a small-ish scale.  So I didn't consider myself a competent person   

Yeah, when the word gets out I think these little controllers are going to make some big changes to established CNC hardware and software providers.  I was chatting tonight with someone I look up too in regards CNC machines and we discussed similar thoughts.

[John Stevenson]

Well Thursday night I had to pop up to Sheffield to collect some magazines and as Rotherham where Joules lives is only 3/4" away on the map decided to pop in and see this controller and his 3D printing.

First off the controller.
Knew roughly what to expect having had read the book and seen the pictures but in the flesh it looks a class package. First thing that struck me was the wiring on the revers which is shown on here. After having wired up countless CNC controls over the years what struck me was he's not got enough wires. It looks very skimpy but on close inspection there are enough.
4 dedicated to the VFD for switching and feed and 6 dedicated for step and direction on each driver plus the odd ground signal. Mustn't forget the 24v input either and that's it.

Joules, like me doesn't believe in limit switches. If you don't know where you are you should be making marmalade and not machining.
Only thing I'd add would be an e-stop
Are you listening Joules ???

Colour me impressed.

So for a simple system like this you have this controller, 24v power supply, three stepper driver and three stepper motors.

That's it - nothing else unless you count the VFD.

No big bulky computer and monitor, no keyboard or mouse to get in the way. No breakout board, no windows license, no Mach license or optional outside controller.

On cost alone you are quids in using one of these.

I can see these being a game changing piece of kit. Can't wait to get mine.

On the 3D printing side, being as I own a UP Plus 2 I knew what to expect but after seeing the attention to detail that Joules put in both in design and printing it far exceeded anything I have done. The graduated micrometer adjustment for the Quorn was an exact work of art, the pictures in the Quorn thread do not do it justice.

Don't know if it has ever been made clear but Joules does this, design and prototype printing for a living so if anyone wants anything doing please get in touch. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

I know of two things I'll shortly be sending for design and get the STL files

[Joules]

Thanks John, the cheques in the post...

I have spent all afternoon in my finest Yorkshire accent shouting  "EEE STOP" it didn't do nowt 

OK, OK I'll get one of those red nose jobs for kicking when all hell breaks loose.

Corrr, another two wires to add...  Tut !!

[Will_D]

I have spent all afternoon in my finest Yorkshire accent shouting  "EEE STOP" it didn't do nowt 

Seriously though, a simple voice recognition system that would respond to a loud shout of "STOP" in your chosen accent would be much better than trying to hit the big red button.

One voice controlled e-Stop could shut down multiple machines in your shop or all shop power except for the lights.