incremental rotary encoders for moving the Z and X axes in manual mode

[sq2eer]

Hello Maxim, I put photos of how I have the headstock encoder installed in my lathe and what encoders I have to move the Z and X axes in manual mode and photos if I could see it, the question is whether it is possible to connect to your controller

greetings Jacek.

[kachurovskiy]

Hi Jacek, interesting idea. Encoder you have on the main spindle appear to be the right one. For the axes, usually a different type is used: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004437852504.html

Reason is that your encoders have no holding power and will easily be disturbed by vibrations, especially if the handle you put on them is weight-imbalanced (like the one on the last picture).

Pin-wise there's little difference between https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004437852504.html and what you have except PPR (pulses per revolution) - optical encoders usually have 300-1200 pulses while handwheels have 100-200 which is more suitable for this application.

Let me know what you think. Cheers!

[sq2eer]

Yes, I know that the encoder with the knob alone will not pass the exam, so I plan to make an adjustable brake with felt (I do not know if the translator translated the word "with felt" well) but if your controller can handle the 720 imp/rev encoder in the spindle and 1000 imp/rev rpm in the "knobs" of the Z and X axes

[kachurovskiy]

Sure, ESP32-S3 can handle that.

Question is whether you think it's still safe to operate the lathe in this manner - doing 700 pulses with one hand motion will send your cross-slide 70cm away at 1mm step and you might not have intended that. You could stop it by pressing but by the time you reach it the damage could already be done.

[sq2eer]

I thought that in manual mode, 1 turn of the knob corresponds to 1 turn of the lead screw
at 1000 imp/rev this would give high resolution.
For me, the Z-axis feed screw has a pitch of 3mm/rev, it is a trapezoidal screw, I was thinking of replacing it with a ball screw with a pitch of 5mm/rev
and in the X axis I have 2mm/rev and I would like to replace it with a ball with a pitch of 4mm/rev, of course, it could be rounded to 2 decimal places, i.e. to 0.03 mm for the Z axis and 0.02 mm for the X axis before replacing the screws. What do you think.

[kachurovskiy]

That's an interesting take, indeed if we model those pulse generators as handles for the actual lead screws things get safer and more natural.

How should it work when Z is being moved and ELS gearbox is ON? Z is supposed to stay in the thread at the end of the move.

[sq2eer]

I thought to just replace the axis shift buttons with encoders but without setting the feed pitch, only 1 encoder turn 1 screw turn or add buttons or encoder as a switching option

[sq2eer]

hi, once I tried to build such a driver myself, I even designed a printed circuit board, but nothing came of it, I'm too weak to write programs, my driver is still with lcd DWIN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKvhEHLMDHk
good night until tomorrow.

[kachurovskiy]

Here's how I have it implemented provisionally - https://photos.app.goo.gl/4Mmwj32RNvKGZkbV9 - I don't happen to have spare optical encoders but they have the same wiring I think.

[sq2eer]

Hello Maxim, this is what I would like to have, I understand that it will be possible to connect 2 encoders, one for the Z axis and one for the X axis, my encoders have A, B, and Z signals so they will fit I have to finish another project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pTekg34ozYand I will buy your driver to modify my lathe
Regards Jacek.

[kachurovskiy]

There's not enough pins available to connect the Z signal for encoders, just A and B. I'm not selling in EU yet so no hurry :) Nice project.