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Author Topic: Help me retrofit a VMC with ATC to Mach 3  (Read 4017 times)

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Help me retrofit a VMC with ATC to Mach 3
« on: August 22, 2015, 11:58:20 AM »
Well the topic all rhymes!

Hey all- gonna need some help on this one. I've decided to sell my old router and upgrade to true second hand VMC, and add a 4th axis later. I have my Mach 3 now so well setup thanks to guys on this forum like hood, hoss and CNC2010 bloke so I can't thank you enough.

Anyway a nice (but old) VMC has come up I want to get but the controller is super old and may be busted.

It has ATC and I wanna make this work.

Can some one tell me for a reasonable price where I could purchase a kit that will plug into the existing drives and spindle?
Or would it be more economical to buy a complete servo motor kit and drives from another vendor, like gecko for example.

I did loads of research and keep banging my head against a wall and I don't have money to get it wrong. People talk of drive kits like kflop but I don't want to use their software.
Can someone suggest where I can go to buy it all in one place, I should be ok with wiring it up after provided I get what I need for motion and to use the in built ATC.
Thanksguys.
J.

Offline Hood

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Re: Help me retrofit a VMC with ATC to Mach 3
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2015, 03:58:36 PM »
What someone calls a reasonable price and someone else calls expensive is debatable :)
For me the CSMIO/IP-A would be my choice, also the MPG module (just the module and not the pendant)  and the Enc module are preferable and the Enc module is a must if you want tapping.


As for the ATC, it will depend on how it works and is controlled as to how you would adapt it but almost certainly it can be done without too much problems.

I use the CSMIO/IP-A on my Chiron and I love it :)
Hood
Re: Help me retrofit a VMC with ATC to Mach 3
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2015, 07:54:13 AM »
Hood bro thanks again for your advice.
If it makes it work without headache then I really don't care about spending a couple of grand on making a machine amazing.

I notice it plujgs right into mach 3... fantastic!

As I use probing routines and digitizing quite a bit, as well as centerfinding for my 4th axis.

I hear with this setup you can plug into the original servos and drivers so you dont need new ones? (With CSMIO)
Or do i need to buy new servo motors and drivers as well?

Also: I wouldn't know where to begin with the ATC. How the hell do we set that up? Hood I might have to pinch some of your time on a skype call when I finally get the machine if I buy you a few... whatever floats your boat. :D

Rigid tapping i will probably go for but i tend to use single point at the moment, i just hate breaking taps in important things. :) But I'll probably have it there as the day I don't have it is the day i'll need it.

Offline Hood

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Re: Help me retrofit a VMC with ATC to Mach 3
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2015, 08:58:45 AM »
The CSMIO/IP-A sends out analogue commands to the servo drives/amps wich is almost certainly what yours will require, so no need for new drives/motors if the ones you ave are working.
The CSMIO/IP-A needs 5v differential feedback from an encoder so if your drives are resolver then you may need additional encoders.
 Having said that often servo drives can output differential signals for feedback even if resolvers are used for the drives feedback.

What make/model of VMC is it?

Hood
Re: Help me retrofit a VMC with ATC to Mach 3
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2015, 04:37:45 PM »
Ok, it has taken me this long to find it.
A 1998, Hartford HV-50. The biggest issue is probably that its 6.2 tonnes. But it looks like (I'll confirm today) that it will fit in my garage, as my ceiling height is only 2.1 meters.
I have contacted CSMIO, so if all the details line up I'll pull the trigger. It will give me something to do for 6 months.

I'm gonna need a solid helping hand to get through this though boys, and I can only promise in return to share the information I have learned with others. I'll probably video ALL of it on my gopro, and upload a series of long ass videos so people like us can watch at 1 am when we are considering doing the same :)

These are the two contenders...
http://www.machines4u.com.au/view/advert/Hartford-Vertical-Machining-Centre/255290/
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Machining-Centre-VMC-Cincinnati-Milacron-/331685300978?hash=item4d39fc0af2:g:BcwAAOSwKIpV-46W