Addition A – Slave axis configuration example
With bigger machines you often need to use so called – slave axis. It is about that the physical axis of
the machine is powered by two motors.
We implemented in CSMIO/IP-S device the slave axes function with additional option to adjust
geometry of a machine. Geometry regulation is very useful if you want to set perpendicular axes
precisely.
To understand the rule of slave axis configuration we will use a very common example
•
XYZ 3 axis plotter
•
Transmission of a drive - toothed bars
•
X-axis (gantry) controlled by two motors both sides with pulleys.
•
Used phrases: master axis (main) and slave axis (slave).
Defining axes used in Mach3 program
In „Config
Ports and Pins” menu, enable the X, Y and Z-
axes. Slave axes are A, B or C.
We do not enable the slave
axes here
. CSMIO/IP-S controller supports slave axis
autonomously and activating it as a normal axis may cause
conflicts.
Axis scaling and configuration
We assume that the machine is properly configured as it was described in chapter 10. In
„Config
Motor tuning” menu we only configure the Y-axis (master), slave axis is configured
automatically. It is important that master and slave axes have the same steps number per millime-
ter,
so you cannot use motors with different encoders or different pulleys.
Activation and choice of
slave
axis
Slave axis function is set in plugin configuration window
–„Config
Config PlugIns” menu by clicking on „config”
next to CSMIO-IP position.
In the example the axis that has two drives is X axis and
its assigned slave axis is B axis (A-axis is free, if we
would need a rotary axis in the future).
In „ Slave Axis Configuration” group we choose B as
„Slave”, set the mode for now to „No correction” and
„Geometry Correction” to 0.
C S - L a b s . c . – C S M I O / I P - S - C N C C o n t r o l l e r
Page 92
