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Author Topic: Boxford VMC190 on mach3  (Read 4758 times)

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Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« on: February 15, 2015, 01:43:51 PM »
Dear sir/madam,

I am relatively new to forum and to CNC.

Basically I have both a Boxford VMC190 and a TCL160.  I have been trying to convert the Boxford VMC to Mach3.

I decided to start on upgrading the VMC190 first (maybe bad decision?).

My purchases thus far have been:-

1. Smoothstepper board and house in seperate box (the intention is to use one smoothstepper to control both machines).
2. 5axis CNC Breakout Board off fleebay
3. THB7128 Stepper motor drivers boards off fleebay.

I housed the smoothstepper board in it's own case with it's own power supply.  I wired the old stepper motors to the above driver boards using the original power supply and connected these to the 5axis CNC breakout board.  I disconnected the power to the original stepper motor drivers.  I have not removed anything from the machine thus far. 

Top and bottom of it, I can get the machine to run for all 3 axis using Mach3 but I also have an autotool changer facility on this machine which runs off a separate PLC.  Firstly, I cannot see an option on the 5axis CNC Breakout board for tool change, even if I could see an option I am struggling to understand where to feed this switch to on the VMC.

Is anyone knowledge on the forum that can help with this query?

I have photos of the internal of the machine which I can post on here if that helps.


Regards


Steve
« Last Edit: February 15, 2015, 01:47:35 PM by swood1 »

Offline BR549

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Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2015, 03:47:23 PM »
The Tool Chnager TLC has to TALK with Mach3 directly it does NOT run of the breakout board. It probably talks serial  via rs232 or if you got real lucky Modbus.

You will have to program mach3 to talk what ever language it needs to communicate with the PLC.. You would give it a command to GOTO tool#6 and the PLC would drive the ToolChanger to Tool#6 and give you a return message "tool change complete" then Mach3 can continue.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

Offline Hood

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Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2015, 04:37:05 PM »
Did a ladder for a guy that had a Boxford VNC 300 I think.
The original PLC wasn't much use if I recall so he got a DL06 PLC from Automation Direct.

Hood

Offline BR549

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Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2015, 05:49:22 PM »
If I rememeber correctly the original PLC used serial Rs232 and had an ODD protocol about it. The BL06 would be a great idea.

(;-) TP

Offline Hood

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Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2015, 06:05:49 PM »
I remember looking at the original ladder docs and they were not the best, lots of corrections and comments and .... well even before looking to see how the PLC communicated I said no thanks :D

Hood
Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2015, 03:57:35 AM »
Hi all,

I am not 100% sure of what PLC is within the machine for the Tool Changer.  Does this photo clarify anything? 

Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2015, 03:58:50 AM »
And full insides of machine (prior to me adding 5 axis board), I am wondering if I made the right decision on the board. 

Offline Hood

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Re: Boxford VMC190 on mach3
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2015, 05:19:28 AM »
If I recall the PLC is propitiatory and integrated with the other control circuitry.

Hood