Messages

31

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 24, 2016, 03:55:37 PM »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY_ADgW3st8

32

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 24, 2016, 03:03:34 PM »

So, retrofit mostly done. Space is tight, especially since we added the mpg module and took up more space.







Z height finish is flawless. Not that impressed with finish but the cutting strategy was crapped and rushed. Not a bad little machine.

Just uploading a vid ....

33

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 19, 2016, 03:53:39 AM »

Chaz,

Your mill looks like a real gem. Didn't recognize the original control, is it a Fanuc? Also, who manufactured the mill? Again, looks like a gem of a machine. Looking forward to seeing the results of your retrofit! The link to the air bearing lathe is fascinating. Thanks for sharing that.

Mike

Hi, its not my mill, doing it for someone. It has (had) something called Control Techniques FNC4. Looks like a MS Dos based PC solution bringing all the neccessary cables / information back to a multitude of interface boards. Not sure if I can cross link to the my cnc forum images, but this is it.

34

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 18, 2016, 05:56:06 PM »

This was the lathe I mentioned earlier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFrVdoOhu1Q

Hood

Thanks. Ive watched it a few times (spotted yesterday). Really awesome stuff. His other vids are worth a watch too.

35

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 18, 2016, 05:45:37 PM »

Take it you have ordered a load of them then

Hood

Ye, 10 of each.

This kit is 10s of thousands .....

Im still going to research this and see what can be done.

36

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 18, 2016, 03:20:43 PM »

I don't think air  linear rails really exist as such, well there are machines with them but they are custom made machines.
It is just with yours being made of granite I thought possibly it had them as I have seen (online somewhere) a lathe that was made of granite and used air bearing slides.
Hood

They do it seems, check this (and similar). I phoned around today, got some pricing ..... all I can say is ouch but when someone mentioned repeatability of microns ....

http://www.oavco.com/ etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRZUxV90nGQ

37

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 17, 2016, 03:11:39 PM »

Make sure you post a wee vid on youtube
Hood

Will do. Im now researching air linear rails .... didnt know stuff like this existed. Any idea of costs?

38

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 17, 2016, 02:15:03 PM »

Linear Rails all around. Very interesting machine. Cant wait to see it doing some milling. Im likely away this coming week, else it would have been this weekend most likely.

39

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 17, 2016, 06:31:16 AM »

This is the machine itself.

http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/9377-Any-experience-or-software-for-Control-Techniques-FNC4-Wha-do-I-replace-it-with

40

CS-Lab / Re: IP-A and Linear Scales / Encoder not directly on motor - how?

« on: January 17, 2016, 06:29:54 AM »

Thanks. Started to do the retrofit properly yesterday. As of last night managed to get everything working. Had a few small issues, mostly own mistakes.

This is a really interesting machine, it was built in the 90s for we think Datron to buy the rights too. Granite base, really small, air bearing spindle etc.

Need to do a bit more wiring and see if we can reuse the very expensive Euchner MPG that comes from the stuff we have removed.

Some pics here, the wiring is not final, will be tidied when it goes into the case.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/79889472@N06/albums/72157663462959562