Electronics

[allan]

Fully understand what you're saying.

I threw two trailer loads of rubbish to the dump? I was sick of looking at machines and parts.
My workshop is clean of, what I call,"brain clutter".......

Which copier machines have the Nema 23 steppers? I never really taken much notice?
Most printers steppers motors wouldn't move the skin off custard.

I would most likely stay with Win7 and go USB interfacing.
I can program TurboCAD and hopefully interface to that software.

I have a CNC machine parts list in my head,ready to sort out and order... soon I hope.....

Yea the nema 23 motors will work, a B601 got a good couple of motors on it.
They are weak on the machine because of current limiting set with a voltage reference fed to the stepper driver thru a couple a resistors.
So you can put a lot more current thru those motors to get them produce so good torque.

When i first started checking out the operation and how to drive these motors i got a TB6600 driver and used an Arduino to simply send a clock signal.
The current is set with dip switches on the driver itself and found that the motors you can get of the bigger KM machines works well.
Beats paying for new motors.

I used a dualcore running LinuxCNC using a printer port. Works real well.
So you have the CAD down to create a .DXF vector output. Now just for the CAM. For 2D and 2.5D there should be free to use software out there like FlatCam.

[NeoMatrix]

Yea the nema 23 motors will work, a B601 got a good couple of motors on it.
They are weak on the machine because of current limiting set with a voltage reference fed to the stepper driver thru a couple a resistors.
So you can put a lot more current thru those motors to get them produce so good torque.

When i first started checking out the operation and how to drive these motors i got a TB6600 driver and used an Arduino to simply send a clock signal.
The current is set with dip switches on the driver itself and found that the motors you can get of the bigger KM machines works well.
Beats paying for new motors.

I used a dualcore running LinuxCNC using a printer port. Works real well.
So you have the CAD down to create a .DXF vector output. Now just for the CAM. For 2D and 2.5D there should be free to use software out there like FlatCam.

I feel I will go with comerical stepper motors and drivers. I want something to do the job right first time. It will help remove trips an traps out of one area of the design and debug stage.

I thought about building my own stepper motors. I have half of the materials here, its only a thought at this stage.

I found my old stepper motor project PCB kits yesterday. It was 2005 I first started this project. I said to the missus wow, how time flys...

Software is an issue... I would like some shareware first to get a feel for *.DXF conversion to G-code.
I've software coded my own PDF viewer from the ground up, it converts DXF format, so worst case I could put six months into coding it to handle CNC style G-code.... I'm only interested in 2D code projects for now.

One step at a time....

NB. If anyone in Oz is has some copier big stepper motors for trade let me know. I might slide a carton of beer you're way...
Minimum size Nema 23. Perfer Nema 24,34. I'll require a minimum of five motors.

Send me a PM.

tnx...

[NeoMatrix]

Re. CAM G-Code Software.
Allan....
I know your a Linux user, but you may like to have a look at WinX and Fusion360.

Fusion360 from AutoDesk is currently free to use for home Hobby CNC users.

The below video length is long 1:10 min.
htttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJmb4vD53VA
YouTube

Fusion360 does object modelling and CAM tool path G-Code in one software package.

First impression it looks quite good...

------------- Update -----------------
Have a look at these house render images done with Autodesk 3D modelling.
You can look around the rendered house by using the mouse...
(click to the image right until you reach the last image, it goes into walk through mode.)

htttps://gallery.autodesk.com/a360rendering/projects/63332/contemporary-industrial-functionality-?searched=
Contemporary industrial functionality.|Autodesk Online Gallery

[allan]

Yea Fusion360 is real fun. Drawback is it only works when online... Been modeling with it for almost 2 years now. Got a couple of hundred if not more than a 1000 hours on SolidWorks.
Used the Fusion360 CAM, worked well and was easy enough to setup the correct post-proccesor for LinuxCNC. Made a mini mill out of a 3D printer using a pencil grinder, cutting wood and polycarb parts.
Mach3/4 is a good control option if you don't want to go the Linux direction and then there is the super cheap GRBL Arduino options.

Doing those renderings must take a lot of time.

Real nice project to take on.

I have been using NanoCAD as a replacement for Autocad. Works just the same for me. You can export .DXF with it.
https://nanocad.com/products/nanoCAD/

[allan]

Here is some alternatives for Free CAM. Have not tried any of them.
As long as it generates G-code then it should be good.
Found that the header and footer on the plain text g-code files sometimes needs to be edited if the post processor does not work the way you want.
Easy to do.

https://www.downloadcloud.com/cnc-cam-software.html

[allan]

Hey for anyone that likes to play with electronics. Here is the most simple but very educational simulator with an interface a baboon can use.
Crocodile clips. Supporting docs not in english but easy enough without it. The graph scope function is good fun.

I want to learn more about Digital to Analog Converters or DAC's. And this helps me get my head around it without struggling with heavy simulation tools. Crocodile_Clips_v3.5.exe - Google Drive

Here is a simple 4 bit LED dimer... Introduction to ADC.ckt - Google Drive

[BillyCarpenter]

Hey for anyone that likes to play with electronics. Here is the most simple but very educational simulator with an interface a baboon can use.
Crocodile clips. Supporting docs not in english but easy enough without it. The graph scope function is good fun.

I want to learn more about Digital to Analog Converters or DAC's. And this helps me get my head around it without struggling with heavy simulation tools. Crocodile_Clips_v3.5.exe - Google Drive

Here is a simple 4 bit LED dimer... Introduction to ADC.ckt - Google Drive

I just come to this board to ask an electorics question. I have an assciates degree in electronics but I need a 2nd opinion on something.


Everything was working fine on my pinball machine that I'm building but then the relay board shit the bed. The board has 16 seperate relays with 3 terminals each. The middle terminal is the supply voltage (5-24 volts). The terminal to the left feeds back to the contactor and supplies it with 24vdc when the relay closes. These are normally open relays.

Anyway, I can hear the relays clicking but I get no output voltage. This seems to be a common problem with this product. I need to use something better. Someone suggested using a mosfet (type) relay. What else could I use to replace the relay board?



PS - What exactly are you wanting to know about a digital to analog converter? I remember covering it in school.

[slimslob]

I just come to this board to ask an electorics question. I have an assciates degree in electronics but I need a 2nd opinion on something.


Everything was working fine on my pinball machine that I'm building but then the relay board shit the bed. The board has 16 seperate relays with 3 terminals each. The middle terminal is the supply voltage (5-24 volts). The terminal to the left feeds back to the contactor and supplies it with 24vdc when the relay closes. These are normally open relays.

Anyway, I can hear the relays clicking but I get no output voltage. This seems to be a common problem with this product. I need to use something better. Someone suggested using a mosfet (type) relay. What else could I use to replace the relay board?



PS - What exactly are you wanting to know about a digital to analog converter? I remember covering it in school.

Sounds to me like the contact rating of the relays was not sufficient for the actual load.

[BillyCarpenter]

Sounds to me like the contact rating of the relays was not sufficient for the actual load.

The relay board that I'm using came recommened by those in the know...supposedly. I'm not sure how much current the contactors are drawing. There's no load on the contactors because the only thing I'm interested in is getting that "clunk" sound to imitate a real pinball machine.

I did install a diode between the postive and negative of the coil because when the electromagnitic field collapes back into the winding, it produces a high voltage/current that can damage other circuitry. By installing the diode, it has a discharge path and solves that problem.

[allan]

I just come to this board to ask an electorics question. I have an assciates degree in electronics but I need a 2nd opinion on something.


Everything was working fine on my pinball machine that I'm building but then the relay board shit the bed. The board has 16 seperate relays with 3 terminals each. The middle terminal is the supply voltage (5-24 volts). The terminal to the left feeds back to the contactor and supplies it with 24vdc when the relay closes. These are normally open relays.

Anyway, I can hear the relays clicking but I get no output voltage. This seems to be a common problem with this product. I need to use something better. Someone suggested using a mosfet (type) relay. What else could I use to replace the relay board?



PS - What exactly are you wanting to know about a digital to analog converter? I remember covering it in school.

SSR's comes to mind Solid State Relays. What is the heaviest current used? Inductive loads and the inductive nature of the relays can cause bad carbon buildup. Reverse voltages can cause arching.
There are cheap Chinese SSR's available. Quick search produced this. Acircuit diagram would help a bunch.
Single Phase Solid State Relay DC-DC SSR-40DD 40A DC3-32V DC5-60V | eBay
Just tinkering with the theory would like to understand pure sine wave inverters a bit better.
Ever used Crocodile clips?