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General Mach Discussion / Advice Needed- retrofitting lathe to CNC
« on: January 13, 2017, 07:01:38 AM »
Hi everyone,
I am considering converting this lathe to CNC. I want to convert this lathe into a gang tool production lathe for making small parts in plastics and wood. Part size will be 16mm dia. max and 70mm long. The initial questions I have for you all are as follows:
Collet Closer: Having the ability to advance the stock through the spindle is essential, which is why I chose this lathe. Is there a mechanical way of operating the lever, without relying on compressed air? Like a large stepper motor or servo? If air is the best option, what recommendations do you have for setting this up and integrating it into the control.
Spindle Motor: Would it be advisable to use a servo motor as the spindle drive to simplify controlling speed, on/off etc?
Linear Guides: What size would be best for this setup? The bed is only about 60cm long and I will not need to have guides nearly that long, would HIWIN MGR15 be appropriate? Also, could I mount the guides directly to the bed or would they be too close together? Would it be better to mount them to a plate that then gets attached to the bed? I am concerned about mounting them precisely, as the only machinists I have access to are not known for precision work. Is it really true that the guides themselves are not straight enough to mount directly?
Ball Screws: recommendations for the exact specs and where to locate them? For the Z axis should it be in the center of the bed or in the front?
Stepper Motors: size?
Planning to use Mach 3.
Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions,
Justin
I am considering converting this lathe to CNC. I want to convert this lathe into a gang tool production lathe for making small parts in plastics and wood. Part size will be 16mm dia. max and 70mm long. The initial questions I have for you all are as follows:
Collet Closer: Having the ability to advance the stock through the spindle is essential, which is why I chose this lathe. Is there a mechanical way of operating the lever, without relying on compressed air? Like a large stepper motor or servo? If air is the best option, what recommendations do you have for setting this up and integrating it into the control.
Spindle Motor: Would it be advisable to use a servo motor as the spindle drive to simplify controlling speed, on/off etc?
Linear Guides: What size would be best for this setup? The bed is only about 60cm long and I will not need to have guides nearly that long, would HIWIN MGR15 be appropriate? Also, could I mount the guides directly to the bed or would they be too close together? Would it be better to mount them to a plate that then gets attached to the bed? I am concerned about mounting them precisely, as the only machinists I have access to are not known for precision work. Is it really true that the guides themselves are not straight enough to mount directly?
Ball Screws: recommendations for the exact specs and where to locate them? For the Z axis should it be in the center of the bed or in the front?
Stepper Motors: size?
Planning to use Mach 3.
Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions,
Justin