Adding an indexer

[khaos]

Now as I look in my control box I see that I don't have a 5th controller for it.
3055 Great. So anyone know how much a gecko drive cost for a 7.2 PRS standard machine?
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[myxpykalix]

Joe,
When I bought my indexer from shopbot I got the controller and the indexer and I think it was 2K+. Check the other posts in the indexer column and i think Jay Wyant set his up for less than $500.00 but i'm not sure.

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[khaos]

That is what my indexer looks like. I bought it new from SB. It was close to 2K. Am I missing a piece of the delivery?

[myxpykalix]

I bought mine when i ordered my bot so they installed the controller and the wiring. The controller with the red arrow is the one for the indexer. So as far as I know you get the controller, indexer, wire, tailstock and 2 pieces of aluminum tracks. I can't imagne that they would sell a indexer without the controller. Call them monday because it's possible they forgot to pack it?

[myxpykalix]

http://www.shopbottools.com/accessories.htm that lists all you get with the indexer. Check that against what you got.

[richards]

Joe,

The Gecko G202 and G203v drives are available directly from Geckodrive.com for about $150 each w/shipping. The G203 is red and the G202 is black. The G202 uses 5V for the COMMON signal, and the G203v uses 0V for the COMMON signal, so you need to match the stepper driver to your existing stepper drivers. (I'm guessing that you have G203v stepper drivers, but I haven't peeked inside a PRS-Standard control box.)

[Brady Watson]

Joe,
Contact SB & see if you in fact did get everything you should have.

Guessing by your Wago question, I think you are running a Standard. If running a 4G, with black or Red Geckos, then you just need a Gecko. Buy the same G20x driver that is in your control box! SB sells Geckos and may be able to give you a better price than Gecko direct.

-B

[gerryv]

Wow, sure glad I read this post. I was about to order Aspire and one of these assuming that it was a complete setup including the driver, cable and whatever is needed. There's no mention that I can find anywhere that I also would need other stuff and no listing or pricing for it.

Joe, could you let me know how things pan out for you?

Thanks much, Gerry

[Brady Watson]

Gerald,
If you order an indexer from ShopBot, you get everything including motor, mounts, t-track, tailstock, One-Way chuck, motor cable and appropriate driver. Plus other goodies I can't remember right now.

I'm not clear on what Joe ordered exactly since the last I heard SB was going to start offering indexers for PRS Standard machines. The transition period from the old PRT-style indexer to the new PRS style indexer is blurry, but for the past few years, SB ONLY sold Alpha indexers & none with Standard motors. If Joe's control box looks like the pic that John posted, then it is an Alpha machine. If not, it's a Standard machine. I'm not clear on whether Joe has a Standard (black/red label) or Alpha (black/violet label) motor for the indexer. This should be clarified as you cannot use a Gecko with an Alpha motor and expect it to function properly.

As we all know...sometimes things get botched in manufacturing, misplaced or mis-appropriated. The best way to clear things up would be to call SB directly and find out what you received and how you can get your issues resolved.

-B

[Brady Watson]

Just for clarity

Alpha Indexer:


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PRT Indexer:


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A PRT Standard Indexer that I installed a few years ago for a high school:


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[khalid]

if u go to cheap option..see my 4th axis here;)
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/33571/36250.html?1227797954

[khaos]

This is what Santa brought me in my indexer package.


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I apologize for the crappy picture but the SB image NAZIs wanted it that way.

[Brady Watson]

That's a PRT/PRS Standard indexer, judging from the Wago cable end. Are you sure that you only have 4 drivers in the control box?

You DO have a PRS Standard, don't you? (You never clarified this crucial piece of info)

-B

[gerryv]

Naive Question:

What am I missing? with any other CNC equipment three controllers are needed to drive three axes, four controllers for four axes, etc... why does the shopbot need a 5th controller to drive the 4th axis? Expanding on that, is there maybe a 4th driver in the PRS box as standard equipment in case someone wants to go to a 4th axis (i.e. indexer)? My experience has been a bit more with mills and lathes but I can't see why there would be a difference???

[scottbot]

Gerald,
The X axis uses 2 controllers.
One for each side.

[gerryv]

Ah, that explains it. My buddy only uses one so I was seeing it from that perspective.

Thanks much,
Gerry

[khaos]

DOH! Yes its a PRS Standard.

[jdervin]

Joe--

Just like you're describing, my PRS standard was accidentally shipped without the 5th controller (Summer 2007). I called ShopBot and they sent me the missing component.

[myxpykalix]

I should have included these pics with the first ones i posted. It shows the model numbers for the different motors i have. Mine is a PRT Alpha 2006.

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