Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: f45 on December 05, 2011, 05:02:04 PM

Title: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: f45 on December 05, 2011, 05:02:04 PM
Hi,
I have a Boxford VMC 190 Mill and the TCL 160 Lathe using old DOS software over the serial port.
Can I control the machines which MACH3 user the serial port ??

Or do I have to convert them to new hardware and then use a parallel port ??

 
F45
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on December 05, 2011, 05:07:26 PM
You need to use the parallel port or one of the external controllers that are available.
How much new hardware you will need to get depends on what the drives etc are, if they accept step/dir then it may just be a case of rewiring but afraid I am not familiar so cant say. A few pics of the hardware may help.

Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: f45 on December 12, 2011, 10:01:12 AM
Hi,

++ Hood thangs for you replay.

Is there any one there have update a Boxford VMC 190 Mill + toolchange to MACH3 ??


F45
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: angel tech on December 12, 2011, 10:27:17 AM
I've converted both machines to Mach3, are you uk based if so i'll pm you my phone number.
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Tweakie.CNC on December 12, 2011, 10:35:34 AM
Hi f45,

I converted a small Boxford VMC a couple of years back and details are here http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/14.htm (http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/14.htm)

Tweakie.
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: f45 on December 12, 2011, 10:56:04 AM
Hi,

+++ angel tech
I live in Denmark, please send a private message whitch you phone number and will call you.

+++ Tweakie.CNC thangs for you link :-)

One of my concerns is the Automatcic toolchange, have to intergrate i in MACH3,
shut I user a PLC using MODBUS og just a Macro i MACH3 to controlle it ?

F45

Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Tweakie.CNC on December 12, 2011, 11:11:17 AM
Hi f45,

You need to do a search but there are plenty of threads here concerning the setup and operation of ATC's.

Tweakie.
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on December 12, 2011, 11:12:21 AM
I did a toolchange ladder for a guy with a Boxford mill but not sure what model it was, will see if I can find out as it may be the same.
Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on December 12, 2011, 12:46:05 PM
Just looked back through my info and it was a VMC 300 that I did the PLC ladder for so probably not the same.
Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: novafeng on February 08, 2015, 02:03:48 PM
Hello All

I am new to the forum and am looking for some Help with converting a Boxford 160TLC without ATC and a Boxford 190VMC to run on Mach Control

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: cheryl on February 27, 2015, 11:42:47 AM
Hi, sorry i canot help in the same boat myself.
Do you know what spindle motor is in the Boxford 190VCM? and how i can control it with Mach3

Desparate for info
Cheryl
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Len-Tikular on March 14, 2015, 02:06:40 PM
Me too guys,
I have just recently got myself a TCL160 Non homing version with a Mitsibushi inverter. Looks like 1994 era.
All working and in good condition.
I would like to convert to Mach3 also however I'm very concerned about the automatic tool changer.
Seems like this is a tough egg to crack.
Has anyone actually managed to get this to work seamlessly into Mach3, if so I sure could use the help.
Meanwhile I'm reading the manuals (I have the originals) to see what this wee beastie is capable of.

Regards

Georgie
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on March 14, 2015, 03:11:23 PM
Do you have any info on how the turret works? Is it a stepper or a DC or even an induction motor?

Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: angel tech on March 14, 2015, 03:28:35 PM
stepper through a worm with a ratchet mechanism for location.
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: angel tech on March 14, 2015, 03:30:56 PM
here's a link to it's bigger brother

http://www.boxford-software.com/spares/250240menu.html
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on March 14, 2015, 04:48:01 PM
Should be simple enough to do then, just set it up as a rotary axis, have ecah tool position defined as degrees, have the axis overshoot, reverse then reset the coords.

Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Len-Tikular on March 17, 2015, 10:05:00 AM
Sounds all very complex that to me Hood my friend. I can easily wire in some steppers and install driver boards etc etc but programming and understanding it is beyond me.
I have completely upgraded my Chesters bench mill to mach3 and have made my own flat bed CNC running with Mach3 and Aspire but I know my limits. I might leave it for now and concentrate on getting the lathe working as it was originally intended. So I have a problem.

Right now I have the TCL160 running under XP and have all functions bar the DRO update on screen.
The DRO's give garbled or no data at all.
They do not respond to axis movement in any direction.
The Spindle speed DRO also remains at zero. Irrespective of speed or direction.
This lack of positional feedback makes it impossible to do any homing with the tools.
Now this is all very odd because it is clear that the machine knows where to position the facing tool and the parting tool because I programmed a test cut on a rod 25 mm long.
It face, it surfaced and then it parted. Something somewhere is correct.
What I need is someone who is conversant with the machine and it's electronics to give me some pointers.
I do have a spare processor board but sadly it does not work at all. No axis movement no spindle movement.
I'm will to donate that to anyone who would like a dabble.

Regards

George
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Len-Tikular on March 18, 2015, 08:25:53 AM
Firstly, I appologise for the multiple posts I have made on this thread, If any are repeated I,m sorry.


I think I have made my decision to convert the TCL160 for Mach3 operation.
I'm resigned to the fact that I do have problems with the electronics as fitted and that the software is very old.
I would like a little advice on the steppers currently fitted. The are operated in half step mode giving 400 steps per revolution.
Is it worth changing them for more modern steppers ?

Secondly, what Lathe software is available at reasonable cost ? What do others users use that have a converted TCL1160?

Regards

George
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on March 18, 2015, 02:20:21 PM
I think you may be meaning the stepper drives rather than the steppers themselves?
If so then if the ones you have now work then I would just stick with them for the time being, cyou can always swap out for newer ones at a later date.

If by Lathe software you mean CAD/CAM then there is really not too much about that is free or very cheap.
Fairly cheap is Dolphin which I used to use and I liked a lot, it has a few annoyances but produces good code once you get into the swing of it, the CAD side however I did not like at all, so I never used that side of it.

I now use BobCAD and V27 has really come of age, once you get to grips with it it is very fast and produces excellent code/toolpaths. The CAD side again I am not to keen on, it is very powerful but a bit clunky and slow to use, especially when you have been used to the SolidWorks/Cubify/Alibre way of doing things.
 

Dolphin is probably the cheaper of the two but I think BobCAD can be got for  just a wee bit more.

I have recently signed up for the Beta testing of OnShape CAD and I am really liking it, it is cloud based so you need to be connected to use it but it is very similar to Solidworks. It is well worth a look as it has a free version which is the same as the paid for versions but you are limited to only 5 open files at one time, for most people just using it for designing models for their Lathes/Mills, that would not be a problem.

Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Len-Tikular on March 18, 2015, 03:43:48 PM
Thanks Hood
All 3 stepper drives and motors do work! so as you say I may as well keep them and go for a driver board from CNC4U
That's probably the easiest route so I may do that as a first attempt.

I use Vectric's Aspire Software with Mach 3 and it smashing on my flat Bed CNC and my Bench Mill but it cost me all of my pocket money.
They have just upgraded from V4 to V10! (Some big changes hence the big number jump) and that will set me back another £250.00 :-( 

The point with Boxford's software for the TCL160 was although it's 1990 it did work! A bit Clunky but it did work, it even operates the 8 way tool changer and that's my worry when converting to Mach3.

So for now, I'll buy a driver board and get it running and you can help me with the toolchanger when the time comes, :-)


Thanks

George


Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Hood on March 18, 2015, 05:50:15 PM
Mach has Lathe wizards, personally I do not think they are that great and the ones I occasionally use I modified slightly.
There is also the NFS Turn Wizards they work with the same licence as the NFS Mill Wizards but not sure if you can buy individually or not.


I will certainly try and help with the turret, my VB code will work but it will not be neat ;)

Hood
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Len-Tikular on March 19, 2015, 06:25:12 AM
Just signed up for ONshape, it looks good indeed.

George
Title: Re: Boxford VMC 190 CNC Mill and TCL 160 CNC Lathes
Post by: Len-Tikular on March 21, 2015, 09:54:13 AM
I'm about to remove all the gubbins from my TCL160 this afternoon and start the conversion.
I will fit a new control PCB and use  3 new MSD542 micro stepping axis controllers.

The book says the steppers fitted are half stepping mode giving 400 steps per revolution. The windings are wired in parallel. I think for ne I will leave them fitted although I do have 3 spare 2Nm steppers I could use. Does anyone know if these are ball screws that are fitted to the X and Z axis ?

If I take it steady, I will leave the control electronics intact and just disconnect the stepper motors from the main pcb and hook them up to my new controller. That way I can still have control of the Tool turret and the Spindle motor from the original front panel of the machine.

Any pointers will be very welcome.