[Comment]

Hello Everyone! I am new to the site/forum, but I have spent quite a bit of time searching around site in the past. I just inherited a Gene Machines OmniGrid 100 Robotic Microarrayer. Since I am sure many people may not know the purpose of a microarrayer, I will give you a little background. The machine is a 3-axis biological robot used to print DNA on a series of glass slides. The print head is mounted on a 2-axis (y and z) H-frame above a 1-axis (x) platform. The system is extremely accurate and precise (micron level precision) as it utilizes a rotary servo and three linear encoders for each axis. The motors and encoders are connected to a control box which communicates with computer software through a SCSI cable. Since I cannot use the instrument for its intended purpose, I was hoping to transform it into a CNC machine by replacing the print head with a rotary tool. My current issues is that I do not know how to control the motors and linear encoders outside of the Microarraying software via the SCSI cable. I can move all axes within the Microarraying software by clicking buttons in the direction I prefer, so I thought I should start by monitoring the output sent from the program to the control box. Unfortunately, I am quite unfamiliar with SCSI connection and cannot figure out how to monitor/send the commands. If anyone has suggestions on how to do this, I would be extremely grateful. Here is some extra information that may be useful:

Computer-
OS = Windows 98
Software = Gene Machines Gridder
Connector = SCSI

Servos-
Man. = Parker
Model # = CM232BE-01314B
Serial # = 01082200148

Linear Encoders-
Model # = 003-2468-01
Amps = 100 mA

Rails-
Model # = 802-1609A

[william1384]

Hello Everyone! I am new to the site/forum, but I have spent quite a bit of time searching around site in the past. I just inherited a Gene Machines OmniGrid 100 Robotic Microarrayer. Since I am sure many people may not know the purpose of a microarrayer, I will give you a little background. The machine is a 3-axis biological robot used to print DNA on a series of glass slides. The print head is mounted on a 2-axis (y and z) H-frame above a 1-axis (x) platform. The system is extremely accurate and precise (micron level precision) as it utilizes a rotary servo and three linear encoders for each axis. The motors and encoders are connected to a control box which communicates with computer software through a SCSI cable. Since I cannot use the instrument for its intended purpose, I was hoping to transform it into a CNC machine by replacing the print head with a rotary tool. My current issues is that I do not know how to control the motors and linear encoders outside of the Microarraying software via the SCSI cable. I can move all axes within the Microarraying software by clicking buttons in the direction I prefer, so I thought I should start by monitoring the output sent from the program to the control box. Unfortunately, I am quite unfamiliar with SCSI connection and cannot figure out how to monitor/send the commands. If anyone has suggestions on how to do this, I would be extremely grateful. Here is some extra information that may be useful:

Computer-
OS = Windows 98
Software = Gene Machines Gridder
Connector = SCSI

Servos-
Man. = Parker
Model # = CM232BE-01314B
Serial # = 01082200148

Linear Encoders-
Model # = 003-2468-01
Amps = 100 mA

Rails-
Model # = 802-1609A

I just got one also, has the CNC parts but not the rolling table, but it
does have the plexiglass box / cover, I plan to just make a new table to mount
it on, and rewire all the motors / limit switches to use a regular CNC
controller, I think its going to be to much a pain in the butt to try
using it has it is, I will post back what I find out on wiring the motors.


This thing is going to be a huge fixed gantry CNC, should be fun LOL

[william1384]

Inside the control box,

(x 3) OEM670T Torque Servo Drives - get the manual in PDF over at

www.compumotor.com/manuals/OEM670/OEM670_UG.pdf

And a Astec 800w power supply, it has 60V @ 12A, 24V @ 4A and
5V @ 10A

I wonder if the OEM670T can be used with a regular CNC controller?

Here is what I got, minus the plexiglass box. -- I propped the gantry
up for the photo with a small piece of plexiglass from that box.

[Comment]

Hi William,

I'm glad to hear I am no longer alone on my project. I have come a long way from my original post, so I will try to share the knowledge. Unfortunately, my system is a bit different than yours. I have a OGR100 with OEM770T servo drives and a computer with a DMC 1730 ISA card. Since I have the computer with the DMC card, I decided to try controlling the unit without rewiring for a more standard CNC controller. Just updated the computer from Win98 to XP and installed the Galil DMC 1730 card driver. I am able to control/move the system using commands through the SmartTERM software from Galil (Software Downloads - Galil: We Move The World). The tricky part is that the controller uses its own DMC language and not G-code. Here are the options I have found. You can buy something like BobCad-Cam which has a plugin to convert from G-code to DMC code, or you can use a different Cad-Cam software and use something like Mac3 to convert from G-code to DMC code. Price-wise, Mac3 is much cheaper and appears to be the easiest option. I am currently working on getting Mac3 to control the machine, but have not had much time to spend on the project.

Since I don't see a computer in your picture, I'm assuming you do not have the DMC card. I do not think it is worth the money to buy the card considering how much of a headache you will have trying to convert G-code to DMC code. I think you should be able to use a more standard CNC controller. Although the motors are proprietary, I found that they are almost identical to the SM 232BE motors from Parker. The have some literature on their website, but they are 3 phase brushless servos.

I hope some of this information help!

[william1384]

Hi William,

I'm glad to hear I am no longer alone on my project. I have come a long way from my original post, so I will try to share the knowledge. Unfortunately, my system is a bit different than yours. I have a OGR100 with OEM770T servo drives and a computer with a DMC 1730 ISA card. Since I have the computer with the DMC card, I decided to try controlling the unit without rewiring for a more standard CNC controller. Just updated the computer from Win98 to XP and installed the Galil DMC 1730 card driver. I am able to control/move the system using commands through the SmartTERM software from Galil (Software Downloads - Galil: We Move The World). The tricky part is that the controller uses its own DMC language and not G-code. Here are the options I have found. You can buy something like BobCad-Cam which has a plugin to convert from G-code to DMC code, or you can use a different Cad-Cam software and use something like Mac3 to convert from G-code to DMC code. Price-wise, Mac3 is much cheaper and appears to be the easiest option. I am currently working on getting Mac3 to control the machine, but have not had much time to spend on the project.

Since I don't see a computer in your picture, I'm assuming you do not have the DMC card. I do not think it is worth the money to buy the card considering how much of a headache you will have trying to convert G-code to DMC code. I think you should be able to use a more standard CNC controller. Although the motors are proprietary, I found that they are almost identical to the SM 232BE motors from Parker. The have some literature on their website, but they are 3 phase brushless servos.

I hope some of this information help!

Yea when I got it, the gantry and X axis were just piled lose
into the plexiglass enclosure, no computer and no table
and sitting on a pallet, in another week or two it would have
been scraped

I have two types of servo motors on my unit, the X and Y motors
are actually labeled SM232BE-N10N, but the Z motor is one of the
custom units, its labeled CM162AE-01086.

I removed the servo motors and drivers thinking that I could just
replace them with something like the "3 Axis Electronics Kit" from
Fine Line Automation, but I think I have a big problem, even with
the motors removed the two X and Y axis rails 404600XRMS and Z
axis 404100XRMS rail are hard to move, it takes what feels like
several pounds of force to get the rails moving, but once they do
move, the movement is smooth, I am thinking that's going to be
a problem for the new motors, that it will strain them to much.

[william1384]

I got looking at the SM232BE and tried to find out how big a stepper
motor I would need to replace it, I did some Google searching and
on at least one page it said to match the "Peak Torque", and also the
physical weight of the motor, I am not sure about the weight thing
but the SM232BE has 334 oz-in and weighs 3lbs, I then did a Google
searches on stepper motors with a "Peak Torque" of 334 oz-in or more,
I found one pretty quickly the "KL23H2100-30-4B" it has a "Peak Torque"
of 382 oz-in, about $60 each.

I am going to keep looking, I also need drivers and a controller, and
trying to keep the price down.

I did some forum searching on the "KL23H2100-30-4B" it seams
that the "KL23H2100-30-4B" would need a around an 80v power
supply and drivers able to handle that 80v or more, I am going
by the "32 times the square root of the inductance in millihenries"
thing.

I also had the "KL23H2100-30-4B", "KL23H2100-30-4BM"
and "KL23H2100-35-4B" confused that's why I keep editing
this post LOL - Hope this is correct now -


KL23H2100-35-4B
Peak Torque : 318 oz-in
Inductance : 2.8 mH
Needs a 54v power supply

KL23H284-35-4B
Peak Torque : 318 oz-in
Inductance : 4.1 mH
Needs a 65v power supply

KL23H2100-30-4B
Peak Torque : 382 oz-in
Inductance : 7 mH
Needs a 85v power supply

KL23H2100-30-4BM
Peak Torque : 495 oz-in
Inductance : 7 mH
Needs a 85v power supply



So I am thinking about using three "KL23H284-35-4B" stepper
motors and reusing the 60V @ 12A power supply that came with
the Gene Machines OmniGrid, now I just need drivers and a controller,
I am leaning to the cheaper option and thinking about getting three
KL-6050 Bipolar Stepper Motor Drivers and using a cheap C10
Bidirectional Breakout Board.

Or just getting one of the kits with a Gecko G540

[william1384]

I used a digital fishing weight scale and used it to pull on the X, Y and Z
rails.

X and Y rails took about 6 to 8 pounds of force just to start moving, the
Z rail took 25 to 30 pounds of force to move, that's with the motors
removed, so there most be something gearing that down

I just went out there and removed the motor coupling and motor mount
were I could turn the Z rail shaft by hand, and I was able to, with nowhere
near the force that it took to move buy pulling on it, so It looks like one of
the 3 Axis kits with a Gecko G540 would be just fine.

I plan on starting another post when I get the kit, documenting
everything I do to get it up and running, should be fun.