Hi all,

I've been struggling to set up my C32 and Clearpath servos with incorporated drivers for months now and I'm reaching out to anyone that has set up a system the same as this.

I've been emailing CNC4PC and they've been trying to help offering I try and change cables, motors, something, something, but all I need to know is what others have done to get their system up and running.

Do you need to run +5v to the optioisolation terminals?

Do you need to run +5v to the driver/ fault monitoring circuit next to the E stop?

Is the red LED labelled 2_17 meant to be on for operation or is this showing me a fault?

Are you running the C34CP in hard or soft enable?

I know all there questions are simple enough to many of you , but I'm flat out of solutions. I've read and read manuals and feel I'm not getting any closer.


Thanks in advance guys, looking forward to any suggestions.

Hi bazpickle:
Well, finally someone in this forum is setting up a system with Clearpath motors. I am planning to use them on my next machine build, and have read extensively on their website, and operation manual. They operate just like any stepping motor, taking a step and dir signal, and have a built-in encoder and amplifier.

There are two people who have set up systems on Youtube, and used the CNC4PC C10 board, which is the most basic board available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb6QK_-I_CQ


Have you read the Clearpath manual section describing step/dir mode? They explain how to do the set-up, steps per, initial jog step value, max feed rate, and setting travel limits. After a motor has been set, you must do the auto setting routine.

Each specific motor must be run in the system automatic parameter setting mode, which is an automatic, self testing process which will run for some length of time, up to 15 minutes.

The above referenced video does a step by step set-up.

John

So the fault turned out to be 2 things.

1/ 2 faulty C34CP boards

And

2/  DIP switches. The functional position of the DIPs are as follows. 1off 2on 3on 4off. This is not the positioning instructed in the manual.The servo drivers will only hard enable too.

So servos are running and they are whisper quiet. I'm very pleased with them so far.

barpickle:

Glad to hear you got it sorted out.
From everything I have learned about the Clearpath motors, they are a quantum leap in efficiency and design. Keep us informed as you progress with your project.
Although they initially seem quite a bit more expensive than standard stepping motors, the final result in a system with this new technology is really superior to anything now on the market.

John