I am currently working on the sensors and control software. The last sensors are for the arm up/down and I could find no way to get those on the shaft that satisfied me. It is more complicated than it looks because the shaft will be covered by a rubber corrugated bellows below the gearbox and by either the same bellows or just a cover tube between the air cyl and the gearbox . . and of course the whole shaft rotates. Also I'm not crazy about the air cyl being mounted separately from the gearbox. So I had to go on hold with that until I get a new cylinder with position sensors on the cylinder itself. I have the cylinder on the way and I plan to mount it on a tube supported by the gearbox.
My secondary task was working on the software, but I am building on top of the InTurn™ motor controller and in a moment of apparent masochism, I reasoned that this was a good time to do a major upgrade to the controller and launched into that. Among other things, I changed the interface from serial modbus to plug-in modbus . . which took more than a few minutes. 
THEN, after a few brewskies, it seemed sensible to move my own development box to TCP modbus. After all the setup on MACH's side is similar to the plug-in serial, right? Well, in my setup, the "PLC" runs the modbus slave, so moving from 'serial anything' to TCP was a rewrite of a significant part of the code.
Those are my excuses. If I come up with better ones, I shall post them separately. The work is completed and working now, but apparently too late as it seems the tortoise has crossed the line.
So, Ray, if you are declaring your 'first' ATC completed including all sensors and controls, then all I can say is CONGRATULATIONS and where do I send the beer 
I accept your challenge to finish my first before you finish your second. However, I counter challenge you to see who is the first to have a completed and sold version operating in the field. I believe I have the drop on you there. 
Anyway, at the time you took the checkered flag, I was on this lap: Note that the carousel gearbox can be rotated in 90 degree increments and the drive motor will be tucked in at final assembly. It is flying out there now to make the thing easier to work on and observe the actions.
Steve,
Wow! That is an impressive bit of machinery. I don't understand it.... But I'm sure it'll make sense when you post the first video! :-)
I declared by first ATC "done" some time ago, and it's been in-service for a month or more, with no problems so far. The only "missing" piece, briefly, was spindle "stopped" sensing, which is now provided by the VFD.
My second ATC (still TTS, but could very easily accommodate 30-taper with pretty minor changes) is now completely designed, and I'm busy sourcing components, and doing CAM. If you beat me to the first "sold" unit, it won't be by very much! I'm actually designing this one for a machine manufacturer, and designed it specifically to be almost trivial to adapt for virtually ANY machine by changing only the mounting brackets and the length of the tool transfer arm, which can easily be made adjustable length. Not hardly as impressive as yours, but obviously aimed at a very different market. I actually think it's about the best work I've ever done - a number of things I've never seen done the way I did them, which is the secret to the very low cost. It can easily sell for FAR less than any ATC of comparable capacity and performance I've ever seen. And, it does not really sacrifice performance either - I expect complete toolchanges to be under 10 seconds, from spindle stop to spindle start, compared to 20 seconds on my current one. The motor-driven PDB is *tiny* - only a 2" x 3.5" footprint, 9" tall, but capable of well over 30+ ft-lbs drawbar torque (actually, it's capable of generating enough torque to just twist the drawbar right off...), but MUCH faster than my current one. The ATC is 12-tools, with a fixed carousel, only 10" in diameter, and a high-speed tool transfer arm (relatively speaking - not in the same league as yours!). The PDB, carousel, and transfer arm are all servo-driven, and there are sensors on *everything*, so virtually any fault will be detectable. Only one air cylinder in the whole thing, a small one at that, to operate the "lift" that inserts/removes tools to/from the spindle. Sensors include carousel position, transfer arm position, transfer arm tool "claw" lock sensor, transfer arm "lift" position, voltage and current for all the servo motors, and more. With luck, the prototype will be done sometime in March. Can't start fabrication until I complete the current build (biggest to date) of one of my other products.
When do we get video?
Regards,
Ray L.
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