How to control a servo motor?

Share and learn with other DIY members who have built their own plasma tables and accessories.
Post Reply
User avatar
Scratch
3.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
3.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 807
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:07 pm
Location: Hudson,WI
Contact:

How to control a servo motor?

Post by Scratch »

Because of a problem I'm having in another thread, I want to build my own THC basically. Or more simply put, I want to control a servo motor separately.

I want to disconnect the Z axis servo motor from my CNC table setup, and somehow control it completely separately.

That's basically what I'm doing now since I don't have ATHC. I just sit on a chair with a welding helmet on and watch the spark cutting, bringing the head up and down by eye. I'm completely used to it by now and I don't use it enough to upgrade to a new system.

So how can I manually control this servo motor to go up and down? It has the power cable coming out of it, which is easy to get to, and it has a RJ45 connector going into it at the encoder. Here's a pic:
Image

What do I need to do to make that happen?
I think I'm the oldest 10 year old boy on the forum...
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: How to control a servo motor?

Post by acourtjester »

Google the manufacturing Company and model of the servo for wiring diagram or other info.
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
rbmgf7
2 Star Member
2 Star Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 5:38 pm

Re: How to control a servo motor?

Post by rbmgf7 »

Not sure we're understanding you. You say you bring the head up and down while watching the cut. Are you doing this with a controller or physically doing it with your hands? If you're doing it with a controller, aren't you already manually moving it up and down?

Regardless, all motors (stepper, servo, etc) are driven by a driver and controlled by a controller. Depending on the configuration, the driver turns the motor a specific amount of degrees based on the step signal/pulse from the controller.
Post Reply

Return to “DIY Plasma Table & Accessory Discussion Forum”