The CNC conversion project which was running for the last 8 months has finally finished. I am going to post photos and details about this project here. Here are the photos of the machine before and after the conversion. More photos to be posted later.

Zafar

These are the specs we achieved with this retrofit.

X-axis travel - 1515 mm
X-axis rapid speed - 20,000 mm/min (radial arm)
Y-axis travel - 2035 mm
Y-axis rapid speed - 7,500 mm/min (bed installed on machine base)
Z-axis travel - 400 mm
Z-axis rapid speed - 3,000 mm/min (quill)
Repeatability for X and Y axes - 0.05 mm
Maximum load tested on Y axis - 2,500 kg

Used Mach3 with smooth stepper ethernet and arduino modbus. AC servo motors on all three axes. 5.5 kW on Y-axis, 3 kW on x-axis, 1 kW on Z axis.

This is one impressive machine, Zafar! And you did a good job with it. Like to see your work - always something special and unusual machines.

By the way, why Arduino and not an industrial PLC?

Dan

You seem to get some nice machinery to work with and put a new twist on it
Hood

Thanks for the compliments Hood and Dan. Arduino is used just for Feed Rate Override and function buttons on the control panel. Don't need a commercial PLC for it.

I am planning to post a build log for this machine here. There are tons of pics and vids for this project on my PC. Let me sort and edit the photos and then I'll start from the beginning.

Zafar

Wow..nice to see the machine here...

Wow..nice to see the machine here...

Forgot to tell that it's Khalid's machine. And I would have refused to start this one altogether if Khalid wasn't there. His help was a big contribution towards this project.

Nice to see an industrial sized machine instead of the wee stuff usualy posted.
Looks good.
RICH

Ok. This is how it started.

Customer want to convert their radial drill into CNC. They need to drill holes in medium carbon steel upto 1600 mm dia and upto 150 mm thickness. That's roughly 2.5 tons or weight and they want repeatability of 0.05 mm between holes with that. They have a low budget for this so can't go for a new CNC machine. The drill they want to convert is an Italian machine. Manufacturer in Italy says that this can't be done and offers them their new CNC model (budget constraint!).

Here is the photo.

Came up with this initial design. Add a linear table to the base, this will be our Y-axis. Lock the radial arm at 90 degrees to the table and use it as X-axis. Now we have a cartesian coordinate system instead of polar for the radial drill. Put ball screws and servo motors on X and Y axis. Another set on Z-axis too on the quill. Next step will be to calculate and design the linear table, ball screws, bearing blocks, servo motors, their mounting on the machine etc., etc., etc.