Mach3. G540 and Huanyang CDF question.

[Glenn Vaughn]

I am starting a build of a CRP4896. I have the Nema23 motors and the Gecko G540 electronics from CncRouterParts and have them working. I have Mach3 and VcarvePro as well. I purchased the 2.2KW spindle and Huanyang CFD from BuildYourCNC – not wired or tested yet. I want to control the spindle motor from Mach3 )on/off and speed) but cannot find any definitive information on how to do it. Does anyone here have this configuration working with the Huanyang and Mach3?

[Jimmy Phillips]

Do a Google search for Soigeneris G540 to VFD. D/l the pdf manual. It worked for me.

I don't have their STDR controller, but it is a G540 with SmoothStepper. You don't need the SmoothStepper.

Good luck,

Jimmy

[George Carlson]

You will need a relay to provide a contact closure to put the VFD in FORWARD. There are two ways to control the motor speed. You can use the charge pump in the G540 to produce an analog voltage for the VFD, or better, use the RS-485 interface and control it directly. Here's a link to a plug-in for Mach-3 for the digital interface. http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=14182.0 This method is far superior to the charge pump. You will need one of those simple RS-232 to RS-485 interfaces.

[Mike Heidrick]

If the VFD is powered up M3 gcode via modbus spins the spindle CW, M4 is CCW, M5 is stop. No relays needed. Modbus also allows speed control via mach as well. You put it in your tool path gcode, mach interprets, and sends the speed.HXZ control to the VFD. I do it with a Hitachi X200 VFD.

[George Carlson]

You're right, the run relay is not needed. I originally built my machine using the charge pump to control speed. When I found the plugin for the Modbus control, I left the relay in place. On the Huanyang VFD, I set Pd002 to 2, enabling the communications port to set the speed, but I never bothered to set Pd001 to 2, enabling the communications port to control run commands. Thanks. I think I will use the run relay to control the cooling water pump.

[Mike Heidrick]

I use a relay for my pump. I have it set to stay on for 90 seconds and to stay on if I start a job within that time period. After 90 seconds and no job the coil opens and the pump stops. You could do the same for a DC if you wanted it controlled as well.

[George Carlson]

I noticed that M5 is not issued to the VFD when the E-Stop button is pushed. The E-Stop stops the machine, but the spindle continues running. I think I will go back to the relay controlling the RUN signal to the VFD, and look into using the Multi-Outputs from the VFD to control the water pump.