Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: panaceabeachbum on February 16, 2008, 09:30:22 AM
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here is the machine I am going to retrofit next http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=310021367668
any thoughts appreciated
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My thoughts on the machine in question are that you are wasting your time, you will never do anything with that piece of scrap. The only course of action is for you to pack it into a sturdy case and get it shipped over to me in Scotland :D
Seriously though, it looks like its going to be a great machine, will be a lot of work but when finished you will get a very nice sense of achievement.
I see there are motors on it, do you know what kind of drives it has if their are any fitted?
What are the turning dimernsions, spindle bore etc?
Hood
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The motors are 3 phase brushless GE , I was told all the wiring in the 4 foot wide 4 foot tall electrical cabinet on the back is intact and nothing has been removed from it, looking at the pics of the inside of the electrical cabinet it doesnt appear anything has been removed but I dont see anything I instantly recognize as drives/amplifiers as compared to my milltronics machining center . Its due to arrive friday evening around 7pm . It originaly had a fanuc 10 controller. Very excited to get it here
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Dont see the pic of the inside of the cabinet on the auction, is it a pic he sent to you or am I just blind?
Hood
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its a seperate pic the fellow sent me, The machine was up against the wall and the door would only come open about 8" so he lowered his camera down in the cab and took half a dozen pics.
I wonder if the drives/amps are not present if the Rutex drives for brushless 3 phase motors will work or if I might do better to buy commercial drives? I dont have a ton of money to throw at the project but I have set a budget of about $5k initialy
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Its hard to tell from the pic what size things are but I would imagine the motors to be quite large. On the lathe I did I tried all sorts and ended up throwing a load of money down the drain trying to run my HUGE DC servos off the normal drives that you see around here. Ended up getting Allen Bradley Ultra 3000 DSD30 drives and 10Nm(88lb in) continuous 4075 servos, actually one of the drives is a Giddings and Lewis drive but its exactly the same as the AB one just a different name, think they are both rebadged ElectroCraft drives. I got mine from eBay, Allen Bradley stuff doesnt come up very often here in the UK but when it does it usually sells cheap which is good for me :)
Hood
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The motor sticking off the right end which is for the z axis says 66lb in, not sure on the x axis or tool turret but I am guessing the z is the largest . The spindle motor is 30hp I believe.
Here are a few more pics
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/002.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/003.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/005.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/006.jpg)
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(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/010.jpg)
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Think you will have to go with more industrial type drives if your motors are that size.
Hood
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I think I would be chasing MHP for a full parts list and a wiring diagram before I did any buying. Armed with this I would chase down a Fanuc 10 control from the scrap machine dealers and then buy the ladder software off Ebay to update the ladder. MHP may even let you have it if you ask nicely.
Fanuc 10's are very common and cheep. It may be worth buying a scrap machine with one on.
Just my opinion :)
Graham.
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MHP was absorbed by Hurco around 1991 and I am having a hard time finding much of anything on the machine. I did find a company that services MHP and they want $15k to come out and fit a new controller and get it up and running . Centroid qouted me a little over $14k for a retrofit package from the motors out, all the wiring harnesses , drives controller etc.
The machine does have the original wiring diagram with it and I think with a little patience I can map out everything and get it up and running. I figured commercial drives would be needed to get the speeds I need with the size of the components/machine. If I can control the proper drives with Mach then the rest of the functions should be fairly easiy. I am always up for a challenge
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Does the lathe have servo drives? or are they gone.
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I have to agree with Hoods first post. Tell me where to pick it up and I will come get it so I can get it to him. ;D
This should make one sweet machine! Do have more pics of the existing controls or is that all there is?
Brett
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(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/011a.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/012a.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/013a.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/014.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/015.jpg)
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(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/016.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/017.jpg)
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does that look like an A-1 type spindle nose?
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Now I just need one of those new fangled smooth stepper boards :)
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You can get Kollmogan drives on eBay at good price when they come around,they can be programmed to run most motors even with resolver feedback. They come in all sizes.
Maybe you should try the new dynomotion controller with the Mach plugin;
http://dynomotion.com/
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Yes it certainly looks like an A1 spindle nose, very similar to my lathes although mine is listed as a C8.
You have the spindle drive there so that should be a good thing.
SmoothSteppers should be on sale in a month or so, the Beta testing has gone exceptionally well and it will be perfect for this kind of retrofit I think, allowing you to use high count encoders.
Hood
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MHP was absorbed by Hurco around 1991 and I am having a hard time finding much of anything on the machine.
Ok, it must be a different MHP to the one's here in the UK, Geo Kingsbury do MHP in the UK, but that sounds like useless information.
Graham.
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In the event the drives are not present I think I will use the drives from automation direct
http://www.sureservo.com/sva_2100.htm
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While I'm planning on using some of these on a retrofit coming up soon, I think they may be small for your beast. Don't take my word for it though. AUD has a free download of servosizer. You can plug in all the variables and see if they will do what you need them to.
Brett
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I think your right , the 2300 should be about right according to the calculator
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machine is due to land here at the shop in 3 short hours, can hardly wait
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Yeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
Brett
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2hp blower motor on the 30hp spindle motor
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/l1.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/l2.jpg)
32 inches between tailstock and spindle, looks like hydraulic tailstock has 5" travel
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/l3.jpg)
here is the data sticker on the drive for the spindle motor. I need (hope) to run this machine at 230v , unsure if drive can be rewired or If I will need a new one
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/l4.jpg)
(http://www.thompsonmachine.net/img/mhp/l5.jpg)
here are the insides of both the elec cabinets, no drives
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That is one big DC motor. At least the cabinets are very clean!
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with the help of hood and chaoticone I got this machine all finished up . Runs like a top