Adding fourth Axis to Hurco VMC / Options?

We have a very low volume project that requires a fourth axis/indexer to be used. New ones from Hurco are $11K+. In this case that doesn't make economic sense. I see many non-Hurco brands for sale on the used market that are very affordable and look almost new in many cases. . (like ebay) we would like to maintain the ability to program conversationally. Is it possible to do this with a non-Hurco fourth axis like a Haas or some other "generic" brand indexing table? If it is, what is needed to pull it off?

Do you want a fourth axis or an indexer. Very different animals.

we'd be mounting the indexer on its side with the table vertical. a fixture would be mounted on it. the parts (picture a 6X4X2 box shape) would be loaded into the fixture and various machining operations performed at several locations on each side of the part. holes, slots etc. the part would rotate or index between the various machining operations. Youll have to excuse my ignorance I'm a boss...

So it sounds like an indexer would work for what you want. HAAS indexers would be probably the best bet for price and quality, These can be controlled from Mcode or through the RS232 port on the machine. Full 4th gives you programmable feed timed with an additional axis on the machine. The Hurco price would just be for the interface then, add 20K for the 4th on top of that.

to the best of your knowledge then we would still have conversational programming capability while using a Haas indexer or somethign comparable?

Nope. indexer will need to be controlled by calling an Mcode (if the machine has one) or dprint statement if the Hurco is capable of that, all other programming can be done with the conv. programming.

Here is good advice! Hurco and Haas are like water and oil, not a good match. Rather go for Nikken or Kitigawa, they are Hurco compatible and you will have the least amount issues and hassles.

The price for the Hurco table is for everything. An H200 table kit includes everything to make the table run on the current range of machines. 11k will be all in.
It's a full 4th axis.
If you just need an indexer, there is a port on the machine to drive that directly. All you'd need to do is add the table and pneumatic valves. Alternatively, you can add a rotary table with programmer to the indexer port for programming odd angles.
The indexer port doesn't need M codes in conversational - it uses the index pulse command in a position block.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Advena_SA

Here is good advice! Hurco and Haas are like water and oil, not a good match. Rather go for Nikken or Kitigawa, they are Hurco compatible and you will have the least amount issues and hassles.

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What part of low cost wasn't clear :)

For 11K complete it would be silly not to go that route for a full 4th.

Thanks everyone for the advice. The project we need the indexer for is very low volume. Obtaining a full fourth axis, even though it may seem economic at a glance, would be a waste of $$. My intention is to find a compatible indexer at a low price that will serve this particular need. The advice posted here has given me what i need. Thanks again. Dave

If you need the pinouts of the socket, let me know your machine type and I'll sort them out and a list of what they do for ya.

The pulses in the Conversational "position" mode are perfect for indexing a rotary table.
I am looking at duplicating what we had at work, We took a Troyke RT and added a stepper drive ( Slo-Syn) and each pulse moved the RT "X" degrees.
(I am looking at 12 degrees for pentigon tombstone work)
If you use a programable unit as Bloke mentioned , the steps could even have different angle movements.

Rich

I used the HAAS 5C Indexer (older stepper model) with the basic Hurco interface.

To put it simple, the Hurco will send a cycle start to the indexer and wait until a cycle complete is received.

Each move of the indexer can be any programed value... But this is a dumb interface, no positional info is exchanged between Hurco control and the Haas control box.... and the Haas unit its self is actually an open loop control.

This means the Operator must be sure the units are in sync any time a program is aborted mid cycle. Works just fine as long as your people stay sharp.

I do most of the 4th axis programs in NC mode so I don't have to send the spindle home every time I index. The G-code is either M20 or M25 (the other code will take the spindle home.) When hexing parts I retract .05" and index, then move to next cut start, MUCH faster than doing this in conversational.

Bloke,

Hey I saw your offer to help get this fellow up to speed with a Hurco 4th axis/indexer.

I have and MB3 VMC (nice older machine). I believe it can take a full 4th axis. What would it take to get indexer/axis capability on this machine?

Thanks,

An MB3? Crikey!
Normally for this, you'd need it to be running BX software, you'd need to add a servo amp and solenoid valve for the brake and a wiring harness to suit.
You'd also need to find a copy of the software to run the 4th axis.
Having never fitted a rotary table to an MB3, I have no idea what version this would be.
I've fitted tables to MD3 machines and they were easy enough.
I think we only did one MB3 in the UK.

There are stand-alone programmable Indexers that are sometimes to be found on ebay. They work well although they require the extra work of pushing one more button.

Hi, I know this is an old thread, but hopefully you can still give me some info. So I have a 2008 Hurco VMX24 and I need to add an indexer to it. Would a Nikken CNC-200 LF work as an indexer running off the pulses from the machine? (I really need to avoid the expense of adding a true 4th axis, just need an indexer) If that won't work what Nikken models would work of the pulses from the machine?

Thanks God bless...
Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bloke

The price for the Hurco table is for everything. An H200 table kit includes everything to make the table run on the current range of machines. 11k will be all in.
It's a full 4th axis.
If you just need an indexer, there is a port on the machine to drive that directly. All you'd need to do is add the table and pneumatic valves. Alternatively, you can add a rotary table with programmer to the indexer port for programming odd angles.
The indexer port doesn't need M codes in conversational - it uses the index pulse command in a position block.

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American made indexers go visit them in California

https://www.indexdesignscnc.com/