Supermax YCM CNC info?

Hi, I've purchased a Supermax CNC mill and looking for information on it.

I believe it's a model YCM 1 1/2 or something similar, however all the docs I've found are for manual machines with leadscrews and this has ballscrews, servos and a Anilam Crusader II controller. I'm not sure if it was a conversion but I've seen references to CNC machines like this coming from the factory.

In particular I need to know how to disassemble the saddle, but any drawings/manual/photos or tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

Ball screws or lead screws make no difference. They assemble the same, but you do not want to screw the nut off of the ball screw, the ball bearings will fall out and are a PITA to repack.

Nice machine, set up for manual/CNC, my machine is almost identical. The best of all possible worlds. No hand wheels shown in the picture, but it was originally equipped with hand wheels on the X and Y axis. That does appear to be a factory installation, they built a bunch of these in the '80's. These were built by Topwell in Taiwan and were imported under a number of different brand names.

Removal of the saddle is a bit of work. Remove the linear scales. Remove the X motor and housing from the table, remove the ball screw support brackets from both ends. Loosen the gibs, slide the table off to the left. The ball screw remains attached to the yoke. Be sure to support the table as you remove it. Now you can remove the ball nut and ball screw as a unit from the yoke.

It's roughly the same procedure to remove the saddle once the table is off the machine.

Thanks - I've removed the table roughly as described, but the issue I see is that like you say it required access from both sides, in particular to remove a plate holding the X ballnut into the yoke. On the Y axis I only have access to the front where the servo is mounted, after removing the motor, belt and pulley I just see pressed-in bearings. With a leadscrew I could just unscrew it from the nut but yeah I don't want to loose the balls so I think I need to free the nut from the yoke instead?

I've seen a thread about a different machine that suggested it was necessary to pull the knee so that the Y ballscrew could be removed from the back, but I'm really hoping that not required, especially as all the instructions I've found on doing so assume the saddle is off and you can access the knee internals...

I have never had mine apart, but I'm pretty sure you can reach the bolts that hold the Y ball nut from the cavity in the knee. You can reach this from the bottom if you raise the knee near the top. I think there is also an access plate on the front of the knee.

I have attached a parts pdf that might be helpful.

On my Supermax 1 1/2 VA with Bandit control, there were 2 socket head cap screws holding the Y axis nut to the mount. I did have to go up from the bottom of the knee as Jim stated. It required a few contortions of my arm if I remember correctly (more so to re-install). Raise the knee and then you may need to position the saddle a bit to make it easier to access. Here are some pictures if it helps.

Attachment 474034
Attachment 474036
Attachment 474038

Thank you both, I had a look under the knee and it seems very promising, should be able to free the ballnut and pull the screw out the front.