Hi,

Is it possible to use Mach 4 with the ESS on a laptop? Or do I need a desktop ?

Yes, the ESS takes over all the critical timing duty from the PC and therefore the timing abilities of the PC and laptops in
particular no longer present a hurdle they once did.

I run my machine with a dual core Atom miniITX board with on chip graphics, a very low power/performance PC but it does an
entirely adequate job.

I haven't tried one of the LattePandas yet, but with 4/64G and Windows 10 installed all for $209.......

https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1585.html

Craig

Hey,

I've got most of the components now. I'm just missing the cables that go from the motor to drivers (that should arrive this week).
So, I have:
2x DYN4 Series drivers from dmm-tech
2x 0.4kW DST servo motors from dmm-tech
1x Ethernet Smooth Stepper
1x MB2 from cncroom

I was wondering about the MB2 board, do I need to connect all 3 ports to the board ? I have cables that can connect the drivers directly into the ports, and then I only have 1 port left for the MB2 board.
Is it better to connect all ports to the MB2 board, and then connect the drivers to MB2 ? Then I'd have to cut the cable, and figure out which wires go where ?

Thanks in advance for all the help

If you aren't plugging all 3 cables into the MB2, then you wasted your money on the MB2.

Yea, I realize that. But I won't be using the full potential of the MB2 board anyway.. I need a E-stop and maybe some limit switches(?).
If I read the documentation right, all those signals go through the 1 cable. I was just thinking of making life abit easier for myself, by using the connectors I got with the drivers.

Hi,

If I read the documentation right, all those signals go through the 1 cable. I was just thinking of making life abit easier for myself, by using the connectors I got with the drivers.

The whole point about using a breakout board or boards is to provide buffering for the ESS. In buying the MB02 you have paid a premium
for the protection it offers....why then would you bypass that to 'make it easier on yourself'?

If you had felt inclined to do that why didn't you buy just one or maybe two C10's for a fraction of the money?

Craig

Ok, I'll be using the MB2 breakout board.

A quick question about the DYN4 Servo drive from DMM-Tech.
I'm in Europe, where we use 220-240VAC/3x400VAC.
Do I need a converter to 110VAC or can I run the driver from 220VAC single phase?

Hi,
the DYN4 servo drives have 320VDC link voltage which is derived from 220-240VAC single phase.

Craig

Hey Craig,

I've been trying to wire the motors up to the MB2/ESS last couple of days, but I can't seem to get it running with Mach4.
I tried using the USB cable to the DYN4 driver, and that worked fine.

What I've done so far: (I'm using breadboard jumper cables, to connect to the idc26 connector, that's connected to the DYN4 drive)
XS+(on MB2) -> pin11(idc26 connector)
XS-(on MB2) -> pin23(idc26 connector)
XD+(on MB2) -> pin22(idc26 connector)
XD-(on MB2) -> pin10(idc26 connector)
Y301(on MB2) -> pin15(idc26 connector) = this pin is configure as active low on Mach4, for the enable pin
24v(onMB2 -> pin16(idc26 connector) = 24VIN pin on the driver
GND/0V(on MB2) -> pin1(idc26 connector)

Any help on this would be really appreciated.

TJoensen

Hi,
couple of questions....

You say pin11(idc26 connector) for instance but the DYN4 IO connector is not idc26 it is a DB25 connector.  I am not
sure but I think the pin numbering is different between idc26 and DB 25.

Can't tell from the MB2 manual what the output voltage of the XD+/XD- pair is. Can you put a multimeter between XD+ and XD-
and toggle by issuing a positive X axis move followed by a negative X axis move.

If the output swing is 24 V then DO NOT HOOK theses outputs to your DYN4 driver. The step/direction inputs of the DYN4 are expecting 5V
swing. If you applied a 24V swing input signal it will damage the input opto coupler of the drive.

Craig

Hi,
another source of confusion is the status of the Enable signal. I have attached the pin description from the DYN4 manual.

Would you measure the enable pin (pin 15 of the DB25 connector) to internal ground (pin 0 of the DB25 connector).
It should be 24V when you wish the servo to run. From your description of its status you may have to change the polarity
of this signal in the ESS plugin.

Craig