Hello Misan
I have checked the all-in-one ClearPath brushless servo system and while I find the technology very impressive, their prices are stated to be around $250 for a NEMA 23 sized servo. :(
I have also checked the thread at cnczone.com, very interesting, although again, this all seems to be at a very experimental stage and still a few years away from the point where it can be applied to our RepRap 3D printers or home CNC machines.
Regarding the linear hall sensors, I confess I prefer by far a simple optical encoder solution which provides a direct binary output, instead of an analog value that requires a precisely calibrated, temperature-stable and noise proof amplifier as well as an ADC channel and additional processing muscle.
I see you are using this combined motor+optical encoder in your prototype and I checked its price on AliExpress, it's < $30. It also only requires an 8-bit AVR MCU for closed-loop control.
![qzuA7z9.jpg]( "qzuA7z9.jpg")
I really think that kind of solution is more likely to be less expensive to manufacture and implement than the linear hall sensor-based ones. Obviously for CNC applications we would need a properly dust-sealed assembly, which adds to the cost, and partly explains the price of the ClearPath solutions.
Frankly Misan, I admire you for your pioneering work in this area, I hope you don't mind my comments above which may have sounded a little bit negative, I am afraid.
To summarize, I think the optical encoder solution, properly sealed, is the way to go here, simply because it offers a digital output and does not require any analog glue circuitry and ADC conversion and postprocessing.
I have checked the all-in-one ClearPath brushless servo system and while I find the technology very impressive, their prices are stated to be around $250 for a NEMA 23 sized servo. :(
I have also checked the thread at cnczone.com, very interesting, although again, this all seems to be at a very experimental stage and still a few years away from the point where it can be applied to our RepRap 3D printers or home CNC machines.
Regarding the linear hall sensors, I confess I prefer by far a simple optical encoder solution which provides a direct binary output, instead of an analog value that requires a precisely calibrated, temperature-stable and noise proof amplifier as well as an ADC channel and additional processing muscle.
I see you are using this combined motor+optical encoder in your prototype and I checked its price on AliExpress, it's < $30. It also only requires an 8-bit AVR MCU for closed-loop control.
I really think that kind of solution is more likely to be less expensive to manufacture and implement than the linear hall sensor-based ones. Obviously for CNC applications we would need a properly dust-sealed assembly, which adds to the cost, and partly explains the price of the ClearPath solutions.
Frankly Misan, I admire you for your pioneering work in this area, I hope you don't mind my comments above which may have sounded a little bit negative, I am afraid.
To summarize, I think the optical encoder solution, properly sealed, is the way to go here, simply because it offers a digital output and does not require any analog glue circuitry and ADC conversion and postprocessing.