CNC Projects
Retrofit Projects to keep machines running without feeding the Sharks
Useful Info for Shop Owners and Machinists
These pages will be for retrofitting CNC machines without spending 10-40 K to the normal retrofitters whose general goal is to keep an income stream for themselves at your expense.
We all paid a lot of money for these machines new and now that the controls are falling apart and the builders have obsoleted them, we're stuck replacing good iron because of 1 dollar electronic parts that we can't get.
The first project is a Hardinge HCNC Lathe with an Allen Bradley Control, 4Hp DC motor, 8 position flat turret, 5C threaded spindle nose.
Older Info - What not to do and save yourself some headaches
2/2/10 The latest and actually getting somewhere
EMC2 is hooked up and running with Pico's controller, servo amps and DAC card
Turret is being controlled by Kirk Wallace's setup
Need some input on using the old GE servo amp for the spindle.
GE Spindle Controls and DC Spindle Motor
Latest project: Separate out the 90 VDC power supplies, regenerative card and the GE Hyak driver from the rest of the AB control. The AC motor and controller sounds great except that you lose your low RPM and torque. You need the low RPM and torque when your roughing a part, even if its aluminum. I have been down to 75 RPM taking a 0.020 finish cut on an 7.5" diameter and you won't do that with an AC motor according to the technical sales reps. Besides, the motors and motor controllers were working fine when repairing the AB side of things got ridiculous
Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4 Pic 5 Pic 6 Pic 7 Pic 8 Pic 9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13
Added Some Things
Block layout for power supply and amps - Pic 1 Left hand side-take away the top 2 amps and that's what I need to separate out.
Schematic pages for the GE Servo amp. Need to do something about the inhibiters on it Page1 Page2 Page3
Some newer shots of the CHNC Hardinge that has EMC2 on it. Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4
Would like a copy of a PLC Turret Setup so I can learn from it
