Multiple spindle control

[CaryBrace]

Hi, I’m in the middle of designing a CNC that will at least 3 spindle motors. Can the controller run at least 3 spindles separately? Can it be set up to turn on, shut off and control running speed for each spindle motor?

[Doug]

If your question is whether the Buildbotics Contoller can control multiple spindles simultaneously and have each spindle doing something different, the answer is no.

If you want to describe your application in a bit more detail, I may be able to come up with some helpful ideas.

[CaryBrace]

Thanks for replying. An example of what I want the controller to do is. Turn on spindle #1 bore a hole, shut off. The carriage then move spindle #2 into position, turn on and using a thread mill thread the hole that was bored out using spindle #1. Since the spindle control is wired through the 25pin input and I saw that there is at least one more pin available for input, can it be used to control a second spindle. I don't need it to be able to do a sperate job at the same time, I just want the machine to be able to do 2 different operations without having to switch tools in the middle of the program.

[Doug]

This might be doable depending on the type of spindle controller you have. Can you describe the type of spindles you are hoping to use?

[CaryBrace]

In this case I am wanting to use 2 small 500W 0.5Kw air cooled spindle motors with spindle speed power converters. I could use VFDs if it would work better with them. I'm still designing this particular CNC and am very interested in your controller.

[Doug]

I think that using VFD's would make it more difficult.

I happen to have a 600W brushless dc motor with a WS55-220 spindle controller on one of my machines.

The WS55-220 spindle controller takes 0-10 Volts in for speed control and also has an enable pin. The motor will not turn on unless the enable pin is pulled low.

In my case, the enable pin is connected to an output pin that is configured as 'tool-enable' This means that the tool will not come on until the enable pin is active and more specifically active low. It goes low when the spindle speed is not zero and when an M3 command has been issued and goes back high when an M5 is issued.

In your case, you want to be able to select which spindle is selected, so you won't be able to use M3 to turn the spindle on and off. But what you can do is select two output pins, each of which will be connected to a WS55-220. Then to control spindle, you will control the individual output pins using M64 and M65 commands. Control would look like this:

• M64 P0 (activate output pin 0)

• M64 P1 (activate output pin 1)

• M65 P0 (de-activate output pin 0)

• M65 P0 (de-activate output pin 1)

Here's a link to the spindle kit that I have.

I'm pretty sure this will work.

[CaryBrace]

Thank you Doug. I think this will work for my needs. I will give it shot anyway and will purchase you BB 4axis unit soon.