Skip to main content

Yaskawa Auto Tuning For CNC Applications

A Very Useful Calculator For The Formulas Described In This Manual Is Attached

Prerequisites

  • Have a tuning cable. USB MicroMini bB connector to fit the servo drive.
  • This MUST be a very good cable! under 15', heavily shielded, and with ferrite filters.

USB micro-b.png


  • Download

    Make sure you have Sigma Win+ ver.7  installed and installupdated SigmaWin+with

      drivers.

    • https://www.yaskawa.com/products/motion/sigma-5-servo-products/software-tools/sigmawinplus/-/content/_6c2e204d-20bc-475d-84a3-8f471d3ccaf7_DownloadSoftware

      • image.png


    • Now
  • Copyconnect over USB folder (M:\Production\Products\Drives-Servo\Yaskawa\Software\SigmaWinPlus570a)
    • Check device manager into the usbdrives section or unrecognized device section to find the yaskawa drive. update the driver manually, looking inusing the USB folderport.
    • copied

    image.png

    over.


image.png

Click

  • Open"Search SigmaWin+Again" andthis connectwill refresh the selection to driveshow
      what's
    • actually connected.

      image.png

      image.png

      image.png




      ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

      If drivethey isdon't nothave showing,names goadd tothem device manager and find the yaskawa drive and update drivers (found on server: M:\Production\Products\Drives-Servo\Yaskawa\Software)
  • Default drive parameters are on the server: M:\Production\Products\Drives-Servo\Yaskawa\Drive Parameters, andso you shouldcan nottell assumethem thatapart while logged into several at once

    image.png

    image.png

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________





    Select the drives shipyou withwant correctand defaultclick parameters.

    • connect.

    image.png


    This is why you need the picture if connecting to multiple drives.

    image.png



    Leave the drives in tuning lesstuningless mode (Pn170.0 set to 1) if runningcutting under 200ipm  or if precise profiling is not needed.needed, however sometimes even slow machines will require motor tuning because of high inertia. A tune would not be of any benefit to slow cutting machines with moderate inertia ratios. Some machines even perform BETTER in tuningless than with a tune, due to tuningless mode's adaptability to varying loads at low speeds! 

    Waterjets are commonly left in tuningless mode due to slow cutting speeds, even if rapids are much higher than 200ipm.

    Grinders will almost never benefit from a tune for the same reasons as a Waterjet.

    Axis with widely varying loads and/or performing point to point moves, like tool changers or B axis on boring mills should usually be left in tuningless mode


    Basic Auto-Tuning

    Note: To tune a gantrygantry, modeSystem usingtuning is the only good way to go, since autotune only targets one motor at a time this is really only useful for single motor axis.

     (If you have to attempt auto tuning,tuning on slaved gantry motors try to tune an axis with a single motor and a similar drivetrain and then copy the parameters to the gantry axis after updating the inertia. alternatively you can decouple one of the motors on the gantry.gantry completely and try to autotune with only one motor engaged but this is very time consuming and often yields poor results.)


    Tuning Setup
    1. Search and connect to the drive
    2. Keep hardware enable on, but turn off drive enable. Do that with one of the following methods: 
      1. For rapidpath systems, enable the machine. Then press the Disable button under the Service -> Maintenance page. 
      2. Set "Turn Off Enable Signals upon Disable" to "Drive Enable" in Interface Config or Configure->Plugins->MachMotion. 

        Press Save and disable the software. 
      3. Or if necessary, on an apollo system you can pull the control cable out from the CN1 board on the drive.
    3. Set In Position Parameter Pn522Pn522.  This will determine how tight or loose your autotunes will be.
      1. For RapidPath calculate (PnB02) x (Steps Per) x (Resolution) = Pn522
      2. For Apollo III calculate (Steps Per) x (Resolution)= Pn522
    4. Setting it to twenty thou has been yielding good results on routers

  • "Resolution" = Max Position Error that you want to see.see before CV get's applied, you won't actually see this amount of error in your parts.  Maybe 0.001020 Inch

    • you can also use this calculator convert to thou into encoder counts for Pn522 (also attached to the manual)

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19xXUOK75FnIN3B1aj_EDSktX5nj8XN5OVXC3Y_g2d-E/edit#gid=0

    image.png

    1: 

    Input the value found in PnB02, (this is the numerator being applied to the encoder counts by the drive, it only exists on RP drives)

    2:

    Input "Counts Per Unit" from "Configure/Control/Motors" (you must do "Machine Calibration" for this axis first *See link below*)

    https://support.machmotion.com/link/1231#bkmrk-on-the-menu-bar%2C-cli-3

    image.png

    3:

    This adjusts allowable deviation during the autotune. Higher number = looser autotune,  lower number = tighter autotune. In general we are shooting for a looser tune and then we will use Mach settings later to improve performance. (0.020-0.050 recommended currently)

    4:

    This is the result in motor counts, enter this into Pn522 before tuning.




    Next step is to run an inertia calculation


    image.png

    1. Select Tuning --> Tuning to begin the tuning process
    2. Click the Execute Button.

    3. If it isn't in tuning mode already, you will have to enterdisable tuning lesstuningless mode. Press OK and then cycle power on the drive.drive or software reset.
    4. image-1590097240103.pngimage-1590097240103.png

    Make sure your drive is in the proper state!

    It should look like this, HBB or SVON will trip you up later.

    image.png

    The easy way to do this on rapid path is to disable Mach without tripping the safety relay (Hit Reset, then Disable button, not the E-Stop button). 

    image.png

    On Apollo III just unplug the Control cable from the CN1 board.



    1. Click the Execute button to calculate inertia. NOTE: If worse than(Over 400% (4:1is ratio),generally yourconsidered motorto be pretty high and will likelyprobably notrequire work.extra Calltime MachMotionto fortune.)
      2. engineering. 

    2. image.png

    3. SelectConfigure Conditions
    4. Just leave this at defaults unless something doesn't look right, if it fails try adjusting things on this page starting with the Nohighlighted Referenceselection.
      5. Input
    5. Click Option"Next"
      6. in
    6. the

      image.png

      Autotuning

      image.png

      Area
      7. and
    7. Click "Start", then click the Autotuning
      Button.

    8. Configure Conditions

    9. StandardTuning.PNG"Next"


      1. Choose "1: A moment of inertia is not presumed" (We already calculated the inertia above)
      2. Choose "1: Standard"
      3. Choose appropriate mechanism. Default use Belt Mechanism even for ball screw unless you need very rigid tuning.

        image.png

      4. EditClick distance"Servo On". (This may cause the motor to make rough humming or buzzing noise. This is common with untuned motors.)
      5. THIS STEP WILL CAUSE MOTION ON THE AXIS! Cycle clicking between "Forward" and "Reverse" buttons until the Inertia test completes.
      6. Click "Next"
      7. go ahead and run the software reset if necessaryyou're (3only revsdoing isone default)
        8. axis,
      8. Selectif "Startyou're tuning usingmultiple axis then cancel out of the defaultprompt settings"and continue with the other axis. then reset all of them at the end. it will save you a lot of time






    How To AutoTune (canOnly beattempt doneon withoutsingle thismotor option,axis)

    but


    image.png

    1:  No Reference Input  this is the typicalbest wayoption to do your first tune).

  • Select "Next"

    • YaskawaAutoTuning2.jpg

    Tuning Process
    1. Turn the "Servo ON"
    2. Select "Start Tuning"
    3. Softwareand will run a series of moves that are preprogramed into the drive. (similar to the inertia test)

      2: Position Reference Input This allows you to jog the machine from Mach while autotuning, only attempt this if Option 1 fails repeatedly. (In general system tuning has proved to be a better option.)


      Click the Autotuning button.

      image.png

      1: inertia

      "0" Will run an inertia calculation again as part of the autotune.

      "1" Will skip the inertia calculation: choose this option because we already did it earlier


      2: Mode selection 

      "1" Use this one by default

      "2" Use if 1 doesn't yield good results, in the past it's been seen to perform very closely to standard

      "3"  Use like Option 2


      3: Mechanism Selection

      Set to match the mechanics of the axis.

      "1" Belt mechanism refers to a long flimsy belt running the length of the axis with a pully on either end. (think of a light waterjet)

      "2" Ballscrew mechanism should usually be used by us, this will also apply to rack and pinion axis

      "3" Rigid Model refers to a weight directly coupled to the motor, (think rotory tool changer without any gearing)


      4: Distance

      This is how far the motor throughwill go during the tune, usually default is fine. just be on the lookout for astronomical numbers.



      5: Defaults?

      Always check this on the first tune, only uncheck it if you are trying to stack tunes by picking up were the last one left off. (usually only done in a very high inertia situation)

      Click "Next"



      Click "Yes"

      image.png

      Click "Servo On"

      image.png

      Click "Start Tuning"

      THIS STEP WILL CAUSE MOTION ON THE AXIS! Click "Yes"  

      image.png

      Wait for the axis to finish it's pre-programmedpreprogramed moves

      4. moves.
    4. (It might sound like death but that's ok)

      image.png

      Click "Finish"

    5. The

      Go driveahead isand tuned

      6. run
    6. Clickthe "Finish"software againreset toif exityou're only doing one axis, if you're tuning mode
      7. multiple
    axis
    then cancel out of the prompt and continue tuning the other axis. then reset all of them at the end. it will save you a lot of time

    If tuning fails it could be caused from one of the following reasons:

    The position tolerance is too small. Increase Pn522 to allow for more position error.

    Inertia could be too high.


    Final Parameter Setup
    1. Turn off model following by setting Pn140 digit 0 to 0. 
    2. Set feed forward gain Pn109 to 0%. unless you are trying to work around very High inertia, then try 75%
    3. CheckWrite the followinginertia parametersratio into the install binder (Installer only)


    If you have a Sigma 5 drive this is your only good option image.png



    If you have sigma 7 drives don't use this section, skip down to "System Tuning".


    First, autotune all single motor axis using the methods above.

    Then check position error on all axis that driveat the toolsame usually X, Y and Z,IPM. (Exclude things like tool changers).

    1. Pn100 (Speed Loop Gain)
    2. Pn101 (Speed loop integral time constant
    3. Pn102 (Position Loop Gain)
  • Pickusually the Highestmax value for Pn101 and the lowest for Pn100 and 102 from all axes values.
  • Then make all included drives match each parameter. 

    • Pn100- Lowest 

    Pn101- Highest 

    Pn102- Lowest

    System Tuning

    Manually Setting Inertia Parameters

    On a gantry machine or other arrangement where multiple motors are physically connected together, you can't use a standard inertia tune to calculate moment of inertia.  

    See the attached date sheets for motor information.  SGM7A motors start at Page 75speed of the Sigma-7slowest document.axis) this SGMXAreading motorsshould startbe attaken Pagewith 78the machine performing a sustained feedrate move (not during the accel or decel sections of the Sigma-X document that can be found at this link, it was too large to attach to this document.  With some digging, these sheets will give you the "Rotor Moment of Inertia" and "Rated Torque".  In the example below we're working with a SGMXA-25A... motor.motion)

    image.pngimage.png

    PayConvert attentionfollowing error from counts to theinches exponents.  Onusing this motor the inertia is listed in the sheet as units of ×10^4 kg∙m2 so you would enter in =3.19*10^-4

    Search the internet for "Sigma II Parameter Calculator"formula or use the calculator in the link (also attached sheet.to the manual)

    (Counts Per Unit)/1000 = X

    (Position Error) / X = Position error in thou

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19xXUOK75FnIN3B1aj_EDSktX5nj8XN5OVXC3Y_g2d-E/edit#gid=0

    image.png

    1: 

    Input "Counts Per Unit" from "Configure/Control/Motors" (you must do "Machine Calibration" for this axis first )

    2:

    Input the max position error you observe during a sustained move, (not during the accel or decel sections of motion)

    3:

    Write this down and compare all the axis

    Since you don't have system tuning available on sigma 5 you have to adjust Pn109 to match the position errors however Pn109 tells the drive to add a buffer to it's commanded positions shrinking the following error.

    therefore you have to pick the drive with the lowest position error as the standard and then increase Pn109 on the other drives to match. hoping that they don't become too tight and start running poor motion and/or overshoots on corners. (try to stay below 75% )

    Position Error in thou is the gold standard, all axis must match at the same IPM to have a well tuned machine



    System Tuning (Sigma 7 Drive feature ONLY!)


    First, autotune all single motor axis using the methods above.

    Then check position error on all axis at the same IPM. (usually the max speed of the slowest axis) this reading should be taken with the machine performing a sustained feedrate move (not during the accel or decel sections of motion)

    image.png

    Convert following error from counts to inches using this formula or use the calculator in the link (also attached to the manual)

    (Counts Per Unit)/1000 = X

    (Position Error) / X = Position error in thou

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19xXUOK75FnIN3B1aj_EDSktX5nj8XN5OVXC3Y_g2d-E/edit#gid=0

    image.png

    1: 

    Input "Counts Per Unit" from "Configure/Control/Motors" (you must do "Machine Calibration" for this axis first )

    2:

    Input the max position error you observe during a sustained move, (not during the accel or decel sections of motion)

    3:

    Write this down and compare all the axis



    Position Error in Thou is the gold standard, all axis must match at the same IPM to have a well tuned machine


    Pick the Axis with the best result (usually the loosest tune and highest position error) as the standard and adjust all other axis to match.




    If you downloadhave enough USB cables and ports connect all your drives at once, If you are tuning a gantry you must at least connect a USB cable to both gantry drives.

    They should show up like this with the sheetnames fromyou already gave them

    image.png

    Connect to all of them

    Yaskawa recommends setting Pn408.3 to 1 on the internetslave drive of a gantry (needs a bit more testing)

    Make sure an inertia ratio is already set


    Select "system tuning"

    image.png

    Click "OK"

    image.png


    this will pop up if you mayare needstill in tuningless mode, click ok to unlockchange sheetsthe to make modifications. parameter

    Navigateimage.png

    to


    the

    It Inertiashould Tablook andlike enterthis

    image.png


    Next bring in the inertiaother anddrives ratedby torque fromrepeating the data sheet.

    The cells with fill color are expected to be filled by you.  Tp, Tf, Δt, ΔV, Motor Rated Torque and Motor's Rotor Inertia.  Don't use the Motor model number drop down since it's for Sigma-2.process.

    image.pngimage.png

    Torque

    If tuning a gantry click "Adjust Equally" if no gantry Click "adjust individually"

    image.png




    If you picked "adjust equally" you must select the master Axis as "Base" with the first click and VelocitySlave Profilesaxis willas be"Applicable" gottenwith fromthe asecond

    trace

    image.png

    in

    It SigmaWin.should look Connectlike this with both axis adjusting equally

    image.png




    If you are adjusting individually it should look like this

    image.png




    Now click "ChangeModifiy" to the drive and setup a trace similar toset the settingstuning below.  Note that you'll trace and record both axes to get inertia values for each.  They could be different 

    For better results, center up the Y axis on the gantry and match pinion engagementsparameters on each side.drive (On Thisa gantry the slave drive will getmirror the 2 motors in as close to the same setup physically as possible. master)

    image.pngimage.png

    image.png

    Trace with Speed(yellow) and Torque(purple)

    Measure horizontally along the approximate centerline of torque during acceleration.
    Enter into Tp (Torque Peak) % of torque during acceleration (Ch:2 - D)

    Measure horizontally along the approximate centerline of torque showing the friction during the move at speed.
    Enter into Tf (Torque Friction) % of torque at end of acceleration during move (Ch:2 - C)

    Enter into ΔV RPM, the RPM during the move at speed.  I don't have a horizontal line here on the trace above, I just approximated the motor stabilized at 3100 RPM during the move looking at the scaling on the left. 

    Measure speed vertically from start of movement to end of acceleration
    Enter into ΔT time (ms) spent in acceleration (A-B Distance)


    Enter in the calculated Pn103 for each motor and program those in the drives. 

    System Tuning for Gantry

    1. Manually calculate the inertia (Pn103)
    2. Do a system tune. Ramp up till it gets noisy. 
      1. Example values: FF 170, FB 48.
    3. Pull back the tune till it sounds good.
      1. Try to minimize following error. 
    4. Graph following error.
      1. Check the following error both axes. 
      2. Increase the FF gain by 10s on the non gantry axis to make the following errors match. 


    Custom Tuning

    1. Enable Tuning Mode
    2. Run Auto Inertia test (Pn103)
    3. Custom Tuning
    4. Make following errors match


    Advanced Tuning

    If additional tuning is required, you can run through the same procedure above but modify selections on Mode Selection and Mechanical Selection. 

    You may have to play with Pn100-Pn102. But MachMotion strongly recommends keeping the parameters matching in both drives. 

    1. Pn100 (Speed Loop Gain)
      1. Increase to help make the machine more smooth. 
    2. Pn101 (Speed loop integral time constant
      1. Increase to reduce rigidity and noise. 
    3. Pn102 (Position Loop Gain)
      1. Increase till following error stops decreasing. 

    You can also go through Chapter 8 (Tuning) of the attached manual ("Sigma-7 Manual Analog-Pulse.pdf"). 


    If auto tuning does not work, you may have to try manual tuning. 

    Manual/Automatic Gain Switching (Sigma X)

    image.pngimage.png

    Manual

    Use GainTuning Switching

    Mode 2 or 3 for CNC applications (Mode 3 is better, less overshoot, turns on Modal Following Control)

    Pn139.0When dictatesusing mode 2 or 3 leave Friction compensation enabled

    Use whichever Mechanism Selection matches your machine

    feed forward level (FF) is the same as Pn141 (which uses an assumed decimal 500 = 50)


    Next write some G-code that will bring the all the axis up to full speed for the same distance and then stop, wait a couple seconds and then repeat, going the other way. An M99 at the end will allow the program to keep looping until you stop it. Make sure you use G90 for the safest results!



    Make sure all axis are traveling the same distance!! otherwise Mach will interpolate the move and slow the axis traveling the shorter distance and your tune will be inaccurate!!!


    Example G-Code using block deletes to select which typeaxis of,will move or be ignored.

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    M1

    /1 G01 G90 X20  F500 
    /2 G01 G90 Y5   F500 
    /3 G01 G90 Z2   F500 
      
    G04 P3.

    /1 G01 G90 X35  F500
    /2 G01 G90 Y-10 F500
    /3 G01 G90 Z-13 F500

    G04 P3.

    M99

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


    Ensure every axis is in fact reaching the commanded feedrate before matching the position error!!


    Push cycle start in Mach and let the machine start cycling

    click "start tuning" on each axis and the DROs should turn green

    image.png

    Make your adjustments during the g-code pause, if any,you Gainadjust Switchingwhile ismoving, active.sometimes the drive will throw an error

    Option

    Use this calculator to determine the proper position error target for each axis.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19xXUOK75FnIN3B1aj_EDSktX5nj8XN5OVXC3Y_g2d-E/edit#gid=0

    image.png

    1: 

    Input the max position error In inches! you observed earlier during a sustained move, (not during the accel or decel sections of motion)

    2:

    Input "0:Counts ManualPer GainUnit" Switching"from allows"Configure/Control/Motors" (you must do "Machine Calibration" for this axis first)




    Watch "Position Error" in Diagnostics>RapidPath>Motors and start adjusting "Feed Forward Level" until Position Error reaches the target produced by for that axis 

    Next bring up "Feedback Level" until the axis get's noisy and then back off till it quiets again (usually 10 units or so)


    image.png

    Next bring up feedback load until the axis get's noisy and then back off till it quiets again (usually 10 units or so)


    Press feed hold to stop motion.

    Click Finish on each axis

    image.png


    Cycle drive power or software reset to finalize the new parameters



    CV Feedrate and theory

    The theory's applied in the creation of this manual are simply trying to match the lag of each axis in inches! so that in theory one could cut a circle at high speeds and while it might be smaller than programed it would still be a circle and not an egg. The job of the drives to provide smooth motion at the required speeds with equal lag in inches.

    We are therefore depending on Mach to sendprovide anthe EtherCAT signalprecision to the drive that can swap between the 4 Gain parameter sets:

    Gain Set 1: Pn100, Pn101, Pn102

    Gain Set 2: Pn104, Pn105, Pn106

    Gain Set 3: Pn12B, Pn12C, Pn12D

    Gain Set 4: Pn12E, Pn12F, Pn130

    This allows Machsaid to swap to different Gain values on the fly to get different response and performance behaviors for different operations. (EX. Rigid Tapping, Laser Etching, Smooth Shape-Cutting, etc.). Mach will be able to do this with M-Codes (TBD by Andy).

    Automatic Gain Switching

    Option "2: Use automatic Gain Switching pattern 1" will automatically cycle the active Gain Set between 1 and 2 when the condition set in Pn139.1 is true.

    image.png

    Pn139.1 dictates the condition that needs to be true in order for Automatic Gain Switching to take effect. We currently plan to use "4: Position Reference output is 0 and position reference input is off". This will allow us to swap to a softer set of gains when the motors are not in motion and eliminate the harmonic hum.

    There are settings for the specific conditions of Automatic Gain Switching that can be accessed through Tuning>Advanced Adjustment>Gain Switching. This will bring you to the dialog below. There are 4 fields to input data into:

    1. "Waiting Time" dictates how long the condition of Pn139.1 must be true before the gain switching activates.
    2. "Switching Time" dictates how gradually the changes in between Gain Sets 1 and 2 ramp down. (This may need adjust if the process of switching gains causes a clunk or a hum)
    3. "Gain When Stopped" dictates a percentage of Gain Set 1 that will be applied to Gain set 2 when the switch happens. (Usually this is will be obsolete because Gain Set 2 will be manually changed to desirable values).
    4. "Set" will modify the Pn139.0 to value "2: Use Automatic Gain Switching" and adjust the value of Pn106circle to be the percentageproper size, that youis selectednot the drives job.

      Mach has two tools for this, acceleration and CV feedrate. on a fast rigid machine (like a good router) acceleration should be pretty high, probably over 60 and ideally match across all coordinated axes, though this doesn't appear to be completely necessary.

      CV feedrate is needed to obtain part precision by overriding the commanded feedrate during angle changes since most post processors don't slow feedrates for angle changes. 

      It is turned on and scaled  the MachMotion plugin and can be viewed in fieldthe 3.

      5. "Wizards"
    tab

    advanced CV (G64.2) is necessary once you start cutting above about a couple hundred IPM since corners start rounding.




    Without advanced CV motion is smooth, just not accurate at high speeds. We also see a pronounced entry mark from the Z, the tool appears to be finishing the ramping leadin while cutting

    G5.1 R0 is full CV mode,  activates G64   (full gas, does not slow for angle changes, use on files trying to program arcs with only G01 moves)

    G5.1 R1 slows some for corners, activates G64.2   (Uses the full "path error tolerance" amount in the MM plugin, is full gas within G64.2)

    G5.1 R10 slows completely for corners, activates G64.2   (Slows down much more than than an R1 will, is full brakes within G64.2,  this is a nice middle ground between R1 and G61)

    G5.1 R5 is halfway between R1 and R10

    sometimes it's nice to use a pound variable and let the operator adjust it as needed on the dashboard.   G5.1 R#501

    image.pngimage.png

    9103

    image.png

    image.png


    Back to top