Step By Step Help Needed . EL8 Leadshine to PI 5

Hi all,For context: I'm currently building the control system for a Samurai 120 CNC machine (please see the attached photo).Machine electronic hardware configuration:

• 3 × Leadshine EL8 EtherCAT servo drives
• 2 × 400W Leadshine motors with optical encoders and battery backup
• 1 × 400W Leadshine motor with motor brake, also with optical encoder and battery backup
• 1 × Beckhoff EK1100 EtherCAT coupler
• 1 × Raspberry Pi 5 for control

Current progress:

1. Successfully installed LinuxCNC on the Raspberry Pi 5
2. Updated to the latest version
3. Installed CIA402 using Rodw’s guide
4. Configured the Pi as an EtherCAT master

Where I need help: I'm struggling to understand how to configure LinuxCNC to communicate with the servo drives in a basic setup.From what I understand, LinuxCNC relies on three main configuration files:

1. .ini

   – Loads the user interface and references the

   .hal

   file

2. .hal

   – The Hardware Abstraction Layer, which defines machine characteristics and connects components

3. .xml

   – Extracts and defines information from the servo drives

I found Marco Reps’ GitHub repository, which uses a similar configuration. I downloaded all the files and attempted to launch LinuxCNC using the "el8" configuration, but it failed to load.
 Could someone please provide a step-by-step  on how to configure Linux CNC for my current setup? Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

I intend on eventually using the probe basic user interface as I an touchscreen this would work well with. https://samuraimachinetools.com/cdn/shop/files/IMG_9964.jpg?v=1722652171&width=1445
 

Hello Will,I am also new to the world of LinuxCNC and servos. It can be a lot to take in. I have been working on a Marco Reps clone box as well and have a thorough walkthrough for the process so far. I'm stuck on getting gantry mode working but it looks like you won't have that problem. I have also provided two config files. The modello config is setup as a gantry mode, but I have tried a probe basic config with 3 axis in trying to master/slave the gantry servos via RS 485 cable rather than in LinuxCNC. That should work for your system. You will still need to comment out various bits in the files regarding the LS510 VFD and the xhc-whb04b handheld controller if you are not using this hardware. I am leaving for vacation today but let me know how you get on.

Hi Shemj,Thank you so much for your help with getting the EtherCAT drives set up! Following your guide, I’ve successfully managed to connect all three drives, and they’re now running with the Probe Basic interface. The only step left is calibrating them to get the correct mm/rev on each axis.I’d really appreciate some suggestions on how to connect the spindle drive:

• Current setup:
  • The machine’s three axes are using EtherCAT, connected through a daisy chain of Ethernet cables.
  • The spindle came with a 1.2 kW generic Chinese servo motor and drive, which has a 15-pin RS-232 serial connector.
• Questions/options I’m exploring:
  1. Using Beckhoff hardware:
     • I have a Beckhoff EK1100. Could this be used with the appropriate module to control the spindle servo drive?
  2. Using a Mesa board:
     • Would connecting a Mesa board to the Pi via a USB-to-Ethernet adapter work, or would that introduce unnecessary complications?
  3. Alternative hardware setup:
     • Replace the Pi 5 with something like an Odroid H4 (dual Ethernet ports). That way one port could handle the Mesa board and the other the EtherCAT drives.
  4. Replacing the spindle drive:
     • The supplied spindle drive is an XCSD-20A from cncservocontrol.com. Are there any EtherCAT-compatible alternatives that would work with my motor?
• Motor details:
  • Model: 80ST-M04030LBP
  • Power: 1.2 kW
  • Current: 5.2 A
  • Voltage: 220 V
  • Torque: 4.0 N·m
  • Speed: 3000 rpm
  • Encoder: 2500 PPR

If anyone has advice or suggestions on the best approach to integrate the spindle motor/drive, I’d be very grateful! 

   

I used a servo motor and that type of servo drive for the spindle motor of my lathe.
It is not ideal. The thing is that linuxcnc just sets a spindle speed and the servo motor
does a really quick acceleration to get to that speed. There is no ramping up/ramping down
like an axis motion.  Someone of course solved that, just didn't know about it forum.linuxcnc.org/10-advanced-configura...op-on-m-stop-command

Controlled by analog +- 10V, Beckhoff has many EtherCAT modules for that, EL4xxx series.
Mesa and EtherCAT works well together on different network adapters. Not USB network adapter, USB isn't real-time.
There are many N150 with multiple adapters, and the Odroid H4 plus isn't a bad choice either. If you can choose, choose an Intel network adapter.

EL4xx or Mesa + other computer or EtherCAT servo drive.

Your motor is a very common motor so any EtherCAT servo drive of the right size should in principle work. Ask seller though.
You do want a drive with the PV mode (Profile Velocity). That way the drive will be able to ramp up and down
the rotational speed in a controlled way.