DIY Servo motor controller
[Jim Fong] sent in this demo of his version of the UHU servo motor controller. [Uli Huber] has actually shipped over 2500 controllers for the servo. He doesn't charge much for the chips, and only asks for something like a token beer in return for his work. I used [Jim]s boards in my mini mill controller, so I know he does good work. This servo controller really is a big deal. It can handle high power, and servo motors are *the* way to build a fast milling/robotics setup.
If you're into Cons, you might be interested that the first round of Shmoocon tickets went up for sale today - looks like they're already out, so keep your eyes open if you want to go. It's a decent con that takes place in DC. I know that I'm planning to be there.
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Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. am i trippen balls or is that cnc mill a sign from god i wan just about to order some expensive as shit parts to build my own thx so much for saving my ass peace out
Posted at 6:17PM on Nov 1st 2007 by Alex McCown
3. By servo here do they mean stepper?
Posted at 7:58PM on Nov 1st 2007 by kcbanner
4. Very nice... I have been looking to start playing around with servos. kcbanner... servos and steppers are two different beasts. A servo is basically a DC motor. A stepper is a motor that takes incremental steps.
Now... lets see it play music!
http://images.myonlinesite.com/cnc/use/20070830/videos.html
Posted at 8:42PM on Nov 1st 2007 by Adam Ziegler
5. [3] no. A stepper motor is an open-loop system, which means there is no position feedback. You can lose track of position if you push it too hard. A servo system is CLOSED loop: there is an encoder that keeps track of rotational position. Steppers are simpler and cheaper. Servo motors are less cheap, but can really fly.
Posted at 10:01PM on Nov 1st 2007 by MacMarty
6. I have seen mentioned a few closed loop stepper systems (encoder added)
Posted at 11:00PM on Nov 1st 2007 by Adam Ziegler
7. That was very cool. If I might make a small suggestion, it would probably be useful to attach the suction right to the cnc mill.
-Crystal
Posted at 8:41AM on Nov 2nd 2007 by crystal amaia
8. I couldn't find exactly how many motors one board can control ... is it one or two?
Posted at 9:25AM on Nov 2nd 2007 by Nate
9. Don't servo's use stepper motors along with encoders?
Posted at 10:31AM on Nov 2nd 2007 by jimdandy
10. Servo motors do not use steppers with encoders.
Servo's use standard DC motors (or brushless) with an encoder on the back. Or a pot that tells the motor how much it has left to turn.
Posted at 4:36PM on Nov 2nd 2007 by Alexander
11. Crystal (post#7)--
I just finished the cnc conversion over the weekend and haven't had a chance to add a vacuum attachment to it yet.
I have another cnc mill that uses a locline vacuum attachment http://www.embeddedtronics.com/micromill.html.
I might use the same concept for the gantry mill.
Nate (post#8)--
Each servo driver board is for one motor. You would have to build three of them for a 3 axis cnc mill.
Jim
1. That's pretty stylin'.
Posted at 5:14PM on Nov 1st 2007 by Johnny B. Goode