Help with converting a Supermax mill to mach

[sandtrx]

Hi all, 

I know the destination, but am unsure of the road.   

I have a Supermax mill with an Anilam crusader 2 control, glass scales and SEM permanent magnet dc 140v servo motors on x and y (i'm not sure of whats on the z as i forgot to look.  The motors look to have some sort of an encoder on the back.   

My question is what do i need in total to get an accurate and reliable mach driven mill.   I would eventually like to add a rotary 4th as well.   Fabricating any sort of an enclosure is no problem, we have a waterjet to do any cutting that i need to do.

If someone doesn't mind spending the time to educate an idiot, i would be highly greatfull.

Matt Wilkinson
Apex Fabrication
Klamath Falls, Or

[Hood]

If the amps (drives) are ok you could go for something like the K/Flop with K/Analog or the DSPMC or even a Galil. Prices for these range from around $500 to over $2000.
Other options you have is get new drives that can accept Step/Dir signals, something like the Dugong drives from ww.cncdrives.com but you would also likely need to fit new encoders but that depends what is actually fitted to the motors at the moment.
Hood

[sandtrx]

the crusader control and the drives work fine, i am wanting to update the components to run mach.   Is there any written guides that explain the conversion and wiring process.  the dugong drives look like they'd be fine.   I do not know what kind of encoders are on the back of the motors, but there are some.  At least there is a provision to mount a new encoder.

Any assistance is highly appreciated

Matt

[BR549]

Personally IF the machine works fine I would use it untill it dies then look to convert it.

Conversions can be from simple and cheap to VERY complex and expensive depending on what you have or WANT to have when you are done.

Commercial VMCs are "cheap" right now.

I don't know of any step by step wire by wire examples of your machine . They all tend to be Unique in the way it is retrofitted.

NOW with all that out of the way lets us know if you need help.

(;-) TP

[sandtrx]

BR549,  

I should have mentioned this, but we can't get the current control to communicate via the rs232.  The people we had working on it basically gave up.  This is why i want to update it to mach.  

What is the list of things that i need to get to start.  

3 drives that can take 140V
encoders (what type)  (the motors have extended shafts on the back for the current encoders (looks like an armature with 4 brushes)
and what else?


A VMC and a turning center is on the wish list, but we need to pick up a laser first to take the pressure off of the waterjet,  so we are going to utilize this mill for a while to get started with.

[BR549]

You probably already have working drives and power supply. You just need a controller that can output the Analog signal and receive the encoder inputs. I would recomend the KFLOP controller. It already has the MACH interface for it.

In a nutshell you would remove the old controller leaving the power supplies and drives and any relays that drive the coolant, spindle,et

Then wire in the KFLOP to the the drives and bring back the encoders to the KFLOP. That would get you moving on the axis.

Next you would wire in the controls for the spindle and coolant,etc.

I would contact TOM at teh Kflop site he is VERY knowledgeable in retrofits to the KFLOP system.

BUT AGAIN add the cost up carefully used VWC s with tool changers are CHEAP these days.
(;-) TP