1987 Bridgeport Production Center Interact 412 to Mach3 Conversion

[JHChoppers]

We knew the ATC was messed up when got the machine as indicated from the previous owner, so I decided to investigate it first.  I needed to move the Z Axis up so the Tool Ram would have clearance to move under the Spindle Nose and we could get access to all ATC parts easily.  A floor jack and some blocks of wood were used to hold Spindle Head while the Z Brake was disconnected.  The Spindle Head moved up and down with ease using the jack. 

[Sam]

Nice clean shop you've got. Certainly one to be proud of.

[JHChoppers]

4 Mach3 Outputs are used to drive the Pneumatics Solenoids: 1) Master Air Enable, 2) Tool RAM Extend, 3) Spindle Air Blast and 4) Tool Release.   4 Mach3 Inputs are also used to read the switches for these actions: 1) Ram Home, 2) Ram Extended, 3) Tool Release Home and 4) Tool Release Extended.  A fifth input will be used to verify the pneumatics system has air pressure before the ATC can be initialized.  (I haven’t hooked this input up yet, the BP412 has a pressure switch and it checked out with a DVM…)    A Mach3 Test Screen with macros was created to test/debug the pneumatic part of the ATC.  
The stock 20 years old air filter and air oilier were replaced with a new filter/oilier.  There was an air pump/charge box?  Not sure what is was or its functionality, but it was leaking air like crazy, so it was removed.

This video shows the ATC Ram and Carousel moving with Mach3 using our test screen:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8tLJ4iP9Ix4&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8tLJ4iP9Ix4&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1</a>

This video shows the ATC Tool Release moving with Mach3 using our test screen:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/o9DrgaQSEAs&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/o9DrgaQSEAs&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1</a>

Below is the Mach3 test screen, Control electronics and pneumatics

[Overloaded]

Hi Joel,
Sorry if I overlooked it.....but are you using the original axis motors and drives ? If so, what are they ? If not, what do you have planned ?
Looking good so far.
I'd like to have one of similar size..........some day maybe.
Regards,
Russ

[JHChoppers]

Russ,

The current plan is to use the Stock Servos with new Digital Encoders, the stock encoders are analog.  I have been working on Axis part off and on during the conversion, trying different encoders (400 CPR and 1000 CPR) and Servo Drivers (Gecko, Viper, CNCDrive)  I haven’t come up with the best combination yet in terms of performance (holding force, acceleration, max speed, power supply considerations, tuning and integration into Mach3) still in the evaluation phase….

Here is a picture of the X Servo before I changed out the Encoder:

[JHChoppers]

The BP412 ATC only holds up to 12 tools.  Mach3 supports up to ~256 tools and offsets.  Most of the programs we write will use less than 12 tools, sometimes more than 12, and from program to program the tool list is not the same 12 tools.

To get around the ATC 12 position limit and utilize the Mach3 Tool Offsets, we created a table to list the tool numbers that are loaded in each ATC position (0 meaning empty).  So the ATC position is not the same as the tool number being used.  During a “M6 Tn” change, our Tool Change Macro looks at this table to see if and where the tool is located in ATC.  If we find the tool, the carousel is moved to that position and the tool is loaded using the Mach3 Tool Offset value.  If the tool is not found, the program will stop and prompt us to load the tool manually in the spindle. 

This allows us to load up the ATC with the tools needed for a particular program, as each  tool is loaded into the ATC, we just update the DROs in the Tool Table.  (This has probably been done before, however I thought it was useful to mention)

Below is the Mach3 Tool Table:

[JHChoppers]

First off, Modbus in Mach3 ROCKS (they should sell it as an add on for $50.00)  

We are lucky that our BP412 has a 6000 RPM 10Hp Fanuc Spindle Motor.  The down side is it will take a LOT of power to just to run the Spindle and finding a VFD to run a 10Hp motor with single phase input power might be a challenge.  

We ended up using a SpeedStar PC-75 (yes the means 7.5Hp), they make a 10Hp one, but the power input requirements for 10Hp is 220VAC at 72Amps, even the 7.5HP has a max power draw of 54Amps (I only have 50Amps dedicated for the Machine, hoping to keep up under 40Amps).  Also the Spindle Motor is rated at 200VAC, so the VFD Parameters were adjusted to limit the output voltage to 200VDC.  This thing is a monster, as shown in the picture.

The VFD support 485 Modbus, so can set the target frequency and monitor the current speed and power draw of the spindle in real time and display it on our Mach3 Screen!  Getting the Mach3 Modbus working was fairly easy after watching the videos, but getting the VFD Speed integrated into the Mach3 system  was guess work i.e. “M6 T1 S3000” (Note: for now I only running the Spindle at a MAX of 3000 during this testing phase, we’ll crank it up as my confidence grows in the system)  The key things to get it integrated, is to the Max Speed in Pulley to 3000 RPMs and the MAX ADC Count (for our VFD, that means MAX output frequency 100.00Hz = 3000 RPMs)

Here is a test video of Mach3 Controlling the VFD while Monitoring Speed and Motor Amperage:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/QUB8hFWrnfw&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/QUB8hFWrnfw&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1</a>

Below are Pictures of the VFD, Motor Plate and Mach3 Config Screens

[cnc-it]

Really nice build...I would not recommend going single phase though! These machines were built to run 3 phase..that head takes some moving...!
By the way hang onto the spindle motor and drive if you can..you have around $10,000 of high quality Fanuc gear there. You would have to spend some serious money to get anything that worked better!
My advice for what it is worth would be to buy a Galil card and some mitsubishi drives/motors off Ebay and stick with the fanuc spindle motor/drive combo.
It looks like a low hours machine...well worth spending on

Just my humble opinion... looking forward to seeing it finished

John.  

[cnc-it]

You could do rigid tap with the Fanuc set up and Galil card..but not with the VFD..
John 

[Dan13]

Very good progress. Keep up the good work.

Daniel