SuperMill Improvements
Newzed
Posts: 2,503
I have made extensive revisions to SuperMill. I changed the 2:1 belt drive on the Y axis to direct drive, replaced the old Gecko controller on the X axis with a new IB 463 controller, and changed the stepper motor in the X axis to a STP-MTR-23055. Now all three axes are using the same type controller and same type stepper motor. Backlash compensation on the X and Y drives is the same.
I spent a good two weeks or more drilling countless test holes and making numerous etch patterns to check the travel and backlash compensation. Yesterday I made an etch pattern for the Propeller LQFP chip and it fit perfectly. Today I drilled 49 holes horizontally with an .025 drill. I checked it with a 64-pin socket strip from Digikey and all 49 pins dropped right in. The pins on the socket strip are .020 diameter so if the mill is off, which it doesn’t appear to be, it can’t be off by more than a few ten thousandths. I then reversed the travel of the X axis and went back to X = 0. I redrilled the starting hole of the 49-hole pattern and the drill went in cleanly, which means that the backlash compensation is dead on, or so close that the error is undetectable.
After all the checks and testing was done, I decided to make a Prop LQFP board. The board size was 4.1 x 2.25. Since Y travel of SuperMill is only 1.750, I had to do it in two sections, which meant using registration pins. I drilled three .125 holes just to the left and right of the board proper, spaced vertically at .300, .800 and 1.300. I drilled and etched the top section, then reregistered the board,
moving the .800 holes to the .300 hole position. For registration pins I used the shanks of four of my Dremel tools – they work perfectly.
I have attached a picture of the finished board. The PS/2 connector and the DB15 connector dropped right in, and the LQFP chip fits perfectly. The accuracy and repeatability of SuperMill after all the modifications was better than I hoped for. I don’t think you will be able to tell where the etch patterns in the top section and the bottom section meet. Also, I might mention that the bottom left and bottom right holes of the DB15 connector were drilled when I did the bottom section, as well as several other holes.
Next project – to see if I can modify the registration process so I can make a 4 x 3 board.
Sid
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Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.
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Comments
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When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST
That is impressive.
You're right about the seam.
I can't see it.
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- - - PLJack - - -
Perfection in design is not achieved when there is nothing left to add.
It is achieved when there is nothing left to take away.