@AnalogKid , @dl324 , @Gophert(when you're allowed back), thank all of you for the help so far getting me to where I am. And anyone else that wants to join in.
I'm building a circuit for an EDM. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_discharge_machining What is called a sinker EDM. There is another form called a wire EDM, but a sinker is what I'm building. After running them when still working I'm trying to come up with one that will work like a brand name one called an Eltee Pulsatron. I ran many different machines from old, old ones using vacuum tubes to the newest style using CNC controls. And the Eltee was the easiest to use. It was self regulating, by just switching different values of capacitors on the controls it set it's own frequency of sparking. The sparking between an electrode and the work piece is what cuts or burns the desired shape in any metal or conductive material, no matter how hard or soft.
Never being able to find a schematic for the controls in the machine I started to learn about electronics, and am still learning, thanks mostly to the members on this site and a few others. There are a few DIY versions of these machines and I have bought most of the plans I could find over the years. But they are all lacking in how the controls work. Like most of the older machines I ran they have too many parameters in the controls that need to be set by an operator. And most people that want a DIY machine have never ran a real one. So they buy a set of plans and spend money to build one, only to have it not do what they expect it to do. Not because the plans a really flawed, but because the controls are so hard to set to get it to work. I've been working for many years to get to the point I'm at, and hope this will be one that works.
What I'm doing is what I've seen called, "step by step" logic. No clock as such involved in the logic. Many will say it's unconventional use of logic, and to most standards it is. But it looks to my self taught eyes to do what is needed. It uses voltages in a few parts of the circuit, checked by comparator's, to toggle on and off mosfets to control the output to the electrode. By switching different capacitors in or out of the power circuit, the time and frequency of the discharge is automatically set to suit. Instead of the operator hoping they get it correct. Other than the capacitor switches there is only two other controls, that are not as important to the operation, gap voltage and ram servo speed. Those are not as precise to the machining process and listening to the "sizzle" of the sparking will tell you when it's close to optimal on those controls.
So after all of that explanation, I'd like you to look at the schematics. I'll explain step by step how I see it working, so ask any question you have. This is my first design of anything like this so tell me where it looks wrong, if you will please. Thanks.
I'm building a circuit for an EDM. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_discharge_machining What is called a sinker EDM. There is another form called a wire EDM, but a sinker is what I'm building. After running them when still working I'm trying to come up with one that will work like a brand name one called an Eltee Pulsatron. I ran many different machines from old, old ones using vacuum tubes to the newest style using CNC controls. And the Eltee was the easiest to use. It was self regulating, by just switching different values of capacitors on the controls it set it's own frequency of sparking. The sparking between an electrode and the work piece is what cuts or burns the desired shape in any metal or conductive material, no matter how hard or soft.
Never being able to find a schematic for the controls in the machine I started to learn about electronics, and am still learning, thanks mostly to the members on this site and a few others. There are a few DIY versions of these machines and I have bought most of the plans I could find over the years. But they are all lacking in how the controls work. Like most of the older machines I ran they have too many parameters in the controls that need to be set by an operator. And most people that want a DIY machine have never ran a real one. So they buy a set of plans and spend money to build one, only to have it not do what they expect it to do. Not because the plans a really flawed, but because the controls are so hard to set to get it to work. I've been working for many years to get to the point I'm at, and hope this will be one that works.
What I'm doing is what I've seen called, "step by step" logic. No clock as such involved in the logic. Many will say it's unconventional use of logic, and to most standards it is. But it looks to my self taught eyes to do what is needed. It uses voltages in a few parts of the circuit, checked by comparator's, to toggle on and off mosfets to control the output to the electrode. By switching different capacitors in or out of the power circuit, the time and frequency of the discharge is automatically set to suit. Instead of the operator hoping they get it correct. Other than the capacitor switches there is only two other controls, that are not as important to the operation, gap voltage and ram servo speed. Those are not as precise to the machining process and listening to the "sizzle" of the sparking will tell you when it's close to optimal on those controls.
So after all of that explanation, I'd like you to look at the schematics. I'll explain step by step how I see it working, so ask any question you have. This is my first design of anything like this so tell me where it looks wrong, if you will please. Thanks.