Old torchmate table retrofit

[FlushingFabrication]

I have an old torchmate table that I’m looking to retrofit with an centroid acorn and thc controller. I’m looking for some cheap stepper motor drivers that will work with the tables current steppers.

These are the specs for the current steppers
https://dl8tialdmhqzt.cloudfront.net/wp ... 4-2013.pdf

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Rich

[weldguy]

Not real familiar with Torchmates setup but are you sure that the current stepper drivers won't work with the centroid controller? Might be worth contacting them to ask and if they are not compatible they will likely have a product for you to use that they are familiar with.

[FlushingFabrication]

The current drivers are integrated into the control board. I’m just looking for a separated style driver. Amazon has a bunch of different ones, I was hoping someone here has had good success with a certain one and I’d try that.

[adbuch]

Something like this should work fine for driving your 6 amp motors.

https://www.amazon.com/STEPPERONLINE-Di ... 194&sr=1-1

I converted one of my AvidCNC tables with Nema 34 motors from Mach4 to Centroid Acorn/CNC12 and used similar drivers.

David

amazon reviews.jpg

[tcaudle]

I have an old torchmate table that I’m looking to retrofit with an centroid acorn and thc controller. I’m looking for some cheap stepper motor drivers that will work with the tables current steppers.

These are the specs for the current steppers
https://dl8tialdmhqzt.cloudfront.net/wp ... 4-2013.pdf

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Rich

What are you going to do about a THC? If? you have the normal "Smart Motor" that is a servo type motor and specail controller , you cant simply swap out the servo and it's high speed RPM for a stepper . Then there is touch-off to deal with.......If its got 6A motors than its a later model after Lincoln took over. Motors are mounted vertically with 5:1 gearheads,

[adbuch]

Tom - what are your specific recommendations for THC and material sensing for his conversion?
Thanks,
David

[FlushingFabrication]

It has the smart motor currently with a blue screen avhc. My plan was to swap that with a closed loop stepper. I have the acorn thc setup to replace it. It does say Lincoln on the table. It has a belt reduction for the X. I’m not sure what the reduction is though

[adbuch]

It has the smart motor currently with a blue screen avhc. My plan was to swap that with a closed loop stepper. I have the acorn thc setup to replace it. It does say Lincoln on the table. It has a belt reduction for the X. I’m not sure what the reduction is though

This sounds like you are on the right track! Keep us posted as you make progress with your upgrade.

David

[tcaudle]

Not that easy. The smart motor RPM is around 9000. Steppers top out at about 900 so the mechanics will have to change to get Z speeds you can use. The leadscrew on that torch lifter is a really fine thread count. To get vertical speeds you divide the RPM by the threads per inch (TPI) to get IPM.
Then you have the important touch off sensing issue: The Smart Motor, being a DC servo, has a predictable amps versus load linear value. So you can measure the motor current and sense the force its using and detect it hitting a solid object . By making that a low value during a touch off move it takes very little resistance to trip it. Steppers are not as simple. Each step is done at full current just at varying step lengths and while you can detect some changes in force from measuring current its not very linear and does not work well in the low range . You will need another method of touch off (either mechanical switch or Ohmic) . Then if it misses, something's going to break.