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Offline SimonD

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Boxford 160TCL
« on: April 08, 2008, 05:15:36 PM »
Hi,

I have just purchased a Boxford 160TCL and will convert it to MACH3, I have had a read through numerous posts on here be people who have already converted either a 160 or 125TCL and was wondering if anybody has a wiring diagram or any documentation they could let me have?
The machine has an automatic turret and I understand that MACH3 can control that quite nicely although I have not found out how yet!

I will probably use Gecko drivers for this conversion as I have been caught out with low voltage driving of steppers on my milling machine.

Has anybody converted the switch panel to run using the ModIO ?

Also any things to watch out for or gotchas would be appreciated!

Thanks
Simon
Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2008, 05:32:49 AM »
Simon,

No real gotchas, it is a straitforward conversion.
Fit new, modern steppers - size 23, 4 wire is easiest.
Break out board with spindle speed control e.g. CNC4PC C11, if needed.
5V dc for an active breakout board.
24V dc for emergeny stop circuit (and limit switches and safety interlocks if needed)
Power supply for Geckos, 28V works, more volts for higher speed.
If your turret has tool position monitor, you will need more I/O. Not realy needed, you can use it open loop easily.
Smoothstepper is looking promising for more speed and lots of I/O for panel switches.

Ian


Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2008, 01:49:31 PM »
Ian,

Thanks for the reply...

Out of interest what is wrong with the standard steppers? a Stepper is a Stepper isn't it? I understood they have 400 step/rev steppers as standard which I would imagine are better than 200 step/rev?

I hadn't heard of the Smoothstepper, it does look very promising!

How is the tool position monitor done? what do I need to look for when it arrives (hopefully tomorrow!)

Do I need to create my own emergency stop circuit or can I use an existing one from the machine? 
Is there anything I need to retain in the machine or is it simply best to replace it all?

Thanks
Simon
Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2008, 04:50:30 PM »
Simon,


" I understood they have 400 step/rev steppers as standard which I would imagine are better than 200 step/rev?"

As I understand it, the circular steppers fitted were unipolar driven at 1/2 step, hence your 400 steps/rev. Modern motors are mostly square and can be driven bipolar in microstep mode, mostly 8 or 10, so you get upto 2000 steps/rev. Microstepping gives a much more reliable system at low revs 0-300 rpm.

"How is the tool position monitor done? what do I need to look for when it arrives (hopefully tomorrow!)"

I don't know - at a guess, binary read LEDs.

"Do I need to create my own emergency stop circuit or can I use an existing one from the machine? "

Design your own to link to your new sy6stem.
 
"Is there anything I need to retain in the machine or is it simply best to replace it all?"

Spindle drive card and you can probably use the 24v DC power supply to start with.

A gotcha I forgot. If you replace the steppers, get the shaft diameter the same as original.

Ian

Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2008, 05:04:52 PM »
Ian,
Many thanks, all good info.

It feels like Christmas Eve here at the moment  ;D
I can't wait until it arrives, I have been told it was picked up today so should be here tomorrow.

I have no doubt I will be asking for information on how to wire up the E-Stop. I have been reading good things about the CNC4PC stuff and am on the waiting list for a SmoothStepper. When it arrives I will start the shopping list!

Thanks again
Simon

Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2008, 08:26:10 AM »
Well, She arrived this morning!

It would appear that the steppers are bipolar. I say that not because of any marking on them but because the driver board is using the "Easy-Power" GS-D200S bipolar driver!
Currently nothing works and I can't work out why. The light comes on and everything seems ok but nothing is working.
There is a "Power Reset" button. Should this light be on or off? currently it is on.

The inverter is a Lenze 534 E3. I am currently trying to work out how to test if it is working. I have checked all the fuses and all seems ok.

My current thinking is that the "Power Reset" light shouldn't be on but isn't resetting correctly.

Thanks
Simon
Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2008, 10:47:30 AM »
Simon,

Usually, when my 125 won't start it is because I have forgotten to twist the emergency stop switch to reset it!

Enjoy your new toy and this group likes pictures, resize them to 640 x 480.

Ian

Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2008, 11:22:22 AM »
Turns out it has double interlocked guards with 2 microswitches on each guard. Whilst opening one of them I noticed no "click". I disconnected the microswitches and checked them and sure enough one of them is faulty. I reconnected the one which was ok and bypassed the other one and fired her up.
She worked a treat, manual operation only. I can jog it on the buttons, run the spindle both ways and rotate the turret.

Now I have to clean her up a bit as she has obviously been sat for a while as you can see in the pics. Under the mild surface rust the guide ways look like new, you can still see the hand scraping marks.

Turns out it is a 1990 machine going by the date on one of the boards.

Does anybody know what the pin configuration is for the 37pin serial connection?

Here are some pics showing the condition as received.
Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2008, 04:36:29 PM »
Simon,

I hope you will both be very happy ;D
Googling GS-200S gives this :-
http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/SGSThomsonMicroelectronics/mXvszty.pdf
After you have digested this information, this driver is step/dir and with a suitable BOB, can be driven with Mach from a PC. So you could just remove the Z80 interface card and with a bit of luck, link into thse drivers and the machine should work, all be it only in 1/2 step mode.

The 37(?) pin "serial" may be a connector for the 34 pin 1MHz bus that was an Acorn Archimedes interface. You might not need to work out the configuration, just remove it.

Great pictures - let us see more as you proceed with this. Can you measure the diameter of the steppers and see what size they are? They look a bit big for 23 size but it might be the angle you took the pictures.

Ian

Offline SimonD

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Re: Boxford 160TCL
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2008, 05:50:17 PM »
Ian,

The steppers are 57mm diameter. so yes, I think they are Size 23.
That PDF was what lead me to believe it was a bipolar driver. I have the manual for the Inverter now too thanks to Google.
I have just about stripped the cabinet now (writing down the wiring as I go!) Everything looks like it will clean up really nice. Most of the rust is very superficial.

Simon