[Nth]

I just picked up a Light Machine Company Pro-Light 1000 mill w/ATC. It has a black control box which houses the PSU and drivers. I didn't get the computer interface card with it but wouldn't use it anyways. I plan on converting it to Mach3 and still keep the control box and original circuitry. So far I'm liking what I'm seeing with optocouplers protecting computer interface, TTL level I/O, and the use of name brand ICs. I've already began creating a schematic for the box and even have Mach3 controlling some motion on the mill.

What I lack is the basic knowledge of the original computer software and its interaction with the mill. Since I've never used it I don't know what all to look for in the interface. There are 25 signals of which I have about a dozen figured out. So if anyone can answer these questions or has any information they thing would be helpful please post.

Questions:

What can the software detect from the mill? So far I've found the following:
--x/y/z home.
--x/y/z limit.
--lid open.
--e-stop button.
What can the computer control on the mill? So far I've found the following:
--x/y/z direction.
--x/y/z movement.
--enable
--half step/full steps
Can the software switch on/off the Acc2 plug independently?
Can the software switch on/off the Acc3 plug independently?
Can the software control the RPMs of the spindle?
Does the software display the RPMs of the spindle?
Is there anyone with this machine and access to an oscilloscope that can measure the pulse width it produces to the steppers? It seems to need ~15us or more to properly trigger but it could just be a grounding problem on my test setup too.
When powered on and enabled are the steppers suppose to have power to them to "lock" them in place? This makes them produce a slight hum noise even when not moving.
Which way does the machine home? Is the bed to the back or front, left or right?
Anyone know the pitch of the ball screws or the gearing of the stepper to ball screws? It is belt driven and uses 200 step steppers.
Are the ports on the saddle with the ball bearings in them for oil?
Is 10w30 non-detergent oil good enough?
Where does one oil the spindle bearings?
And most importantly, is there anything I should know about this mill in the care/use department?

Thanks!

[kweierbach]

Nth I have a prolight 1000 mill that I haven't gotten it running yet. so I can't help You on some of your questions I don't have the tool changer on mine. I would like to see your pinouts on the computer LPT and the black box side that you know. to see if I can get mine running.I will be using EMC2 not mach3 But I should be able to do what you did with mach3. thanks in advance for anything You can tell me. Kevin

[Nth]

I'll post a writeup when I get it to a working point. At the moment I'm stalled tracking down the source of some terrible feedback going to the mill's outputs when enabled and the steppers are plugged in. From the look of it, it is coming from the driver's chopper and is severe enough to trip TTL signals. This instantly trips e-stop, home limit or extreme limit in mach3. I believe it to be a signal ground issue but haven't had time to track it down.

[kweierbach]

Nth
have you seen what Shannon_Haworth is doing with a spectralight mill his web site http://build.spaceopera.org/site/ maybe he can be of some help
kevin

[Nth]

That link was helpful, thanks. http://build.spaceopera.org/site/str...ock/index.html is what I was stuck on. It is just hard to believe that that much interference is allowed to leak back to the computer from the controller. I thought I traced something wrong. I'll add some filters caps to the outputs and see what happens. Something tells me that the control interface cards may be using slightly higher voltage levels to communicate. The more distinct the signals the less you have to worry about interference. Without an original card to test it's all theoretical.

[Nth]

Small update of things I've figured out so far.

Can the software control the RPMs of the spindle? <- Yes.
Which way does the machine home? Is the bed to the back or front, left or right?, <- Front Left.
Anyone know the pitch of the ball screws or the gearing of the stepper to ball screws? <- Steppers are 200 steps, gear ratio is 2:1 and the pitch of the ball screws is 5 tpi equating to 4000 steps per rotation.
Are the ports on the saddle with the ball bearings in them for oil? <- Yes.
Is 10w30 non-detergent oil good enough? <- 10w nd.
Also the inputs to the computer suffer really bad feedback from the chopper when the motors are on. Well over 10 volts peak to peak. Use smallish filter caps on them.

My X stage is apparently blown at the l298 driver. I've ordered new l298's, l297's, and diodes for the control box. I'm going to rebuild all the drivers for piece of mind. Shouldn't take but a couple hours and has a total bill under 15 bucks. Just have to wait for the slow boat from China. Till then I'll focus on the ATC and spindle controls. I'm also thinking of throwing on some encoders to track the movement.

[Pattherat44]

Hi, I have a Prolight 1000 with an ATC, I am volunterring at the local High School and need information on installing the ATC and what the parts look like to determine if any of mine are broken. Can any of you help?

[Nth]

Sure. The ATC is an air powered system which consists of 5 solenoids, 9 pistons (4 sets of 2 for the tool stations), a drawbar, 3 sensors (2 proximity and one pressure), and a PIC driven PCB controller. The solenoids and controller are housed in the back of the machine, tool stations sit on the bed and drawbar is mounted in front of the spindle motor directly above the spindle head. Anything specifically troubling you?

[Pattherat44]

I removed the pnuematic drawbar before I found out that the air pressure needed to be at 80psi. I did this while testing the machine and running the spindle caused an overload popping the circuit. When I removed it and looked at the parts I can't determine how it is supposed to work. I don't understand how the collet or drawbar is pulled up as there is no attachment between the drawbar and the pnuematic head. Thanks.

[Fastest1]

Were there washers between the top of the spindle and the bottom of the drawbar bolt? Belleville washers? There must have been some form of spring there. It doesnt take much movement to hold a tool in place.

I removed the pnuematic drawbar before I found out that the air pressure needed to be at 80psi. I did this while testing the machine and running the spindle caused an overload popping the circuit. When I removed it and looked at the parts I can't determine how it is supposed to work. I don't understand how the collet or drawbar is pulled up as there is no attachment between the drawbar and the pnuematic head. Thanks.

[Pattherat44]

Yes, I would say there were about 20 beveled washers or maybe only some of them were beveled I'll have to take another look. It I put them in apposing each other they would act as a spring. There also seems to be a pin up in the pnuematic machanism that doesn't allow the spindle to turn. Which ends up being the reason the spindle didn't turn and caused the circuit breaker to pop, which instigated my taking the whole thing apart maybe this is draw up with the correct air pressure. Thanks for the feedback.

[Pattherat44]

Nth, how did your controller rebuild go. There's a chance I may need to do similar work on the School machines in the future. They all still run on old ISA boards mounted in the computer and this is conenct to the control box.

[Nth]

I've only ever looked in the head of my machine once but I think the drawbar is held up (closed) by a spring and the piston only pushes down on the collet to open it. I know the collet doesn't need air pressure to hold a tool as I ran my mill without air before.

[Fastest1]

Pete I just had a brain fart and came back here as quick as possible. I have a RF30 not the RF45. It is a round column mill. If I had the 45, I would be happy. Especially cnc'd. Sorry, maybe now you see why I dont want to convert it. But it cuts well and had very little use or set up either.

[pete from TN]

Well that does make sense... altho my pal Art might argue with you still.. Yeah I thought you had an RF45 dovetail column mill and wanted an 0704 which as I said does not make much sense to me but oh well.. The RF31 I used to have is a great little mill and I kinda wish I still had it but I would probably keep it manual if I did. Good luck man.. peace

Pete

[44 Echo]

This is my final try...

I've had a TMC-1000 (old ProLight 1000), for a few years, even posted here a couple of years ago, but no luck. If I don't figure it out this time, it's going in the trash, or wherever these things go when they become giant paperweights (on the sale list and/or E-Bay) Anyway, here we go:

1. It used to work, I used it at work almost every day.

2. One at a time, the axis drive motors quit working.

3. When in Manual Mode, I can get the Spindle Motor to rotate.

4. If I give it an axis motion, I can hear the hum change pitch. The contoller counts as if it is moving, yet nothing moves. If I hit the "space bar" on the screen, it sounds like a hard stop is being hit.

5. If I open the cover, the indicator tells me, so that seems to be working.

6. Yes, I pulled the "E" Stop.

Again, one last try...

Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks,

Jerry

[pete from TN]

I have seen you post about this a couple times now and would like to help but I do not know anything about that mill. It sure looks like a nice little machine and I would hate to see it thrown in the trash. I would be inclined to say that if you cannot get the original control working it would be relatively easy to convert it to run on modern step and direction control with stepper motors either the ones it already has or some new ones of the same size and power. You could easily run that whole machine off a G320 or some of the keling inc. drives and get probably more speed and power than it ever thought about having when it was built and of course modern software and capabilities. It really comes down to either finding someone who is an expert on that particular machine or upgrading it to modern control. I would opt for the latter because in the end it might actually be cheaper and result in a more capable expandable machine that a lot of people on here can help you with. Have you tried to contact the manuf. name for a discussion group or something....? Peace

Pete

[44 Echo]

I have seen you post about this a couple times now and would like to help but I do not know anything about that mill. It sure looks like a nice little machine and I would hate to see it thrown in the trash. I would be inclined to say that if you cannot get the original control working it would be relatively easy to convert it to run on modern step and direction control with stepper motors either the ones it already has or some new ones of the same size and power. You could easily run that whole machine off a G320 or some of the keling inc. drives and get probably more speed and power than it ever thought about having when it was built and of course modern software and capabilities. It really comes down to either finding someone who is an expert on that particular machine or upgrading it to modern control. I would opt for the latter because in the end it might actually be cheaper and result in a more capable expandable machine that a lot of people on here can help you with. Have you tried to contact the manuf. name for a discussion group or something....? Peace

Pete

Pete, Thanks and sorry for hijacking the thread. I am just at my wits end. yes, I tried contacting the manufacturer and they want an arm and a leg just to look at it. Also, I don't have the money to convert it, but I might have a few bucks if it was a simple fix.
Thanks again,
44 Echo

[Nth]

Don't ever trash it. If you live anywhere near Ohio I'll take it off your hands but I'm going to guess you'll be keeping it .

When you try to move an axis does the axis motor sound sort of like a grinding that changes pitch and the axis may twitch a little and possible jump a tad? How good are you with electronics/soldering specifically.

[44 Echo]

Don't ever trash it. If you live anywhere near Ohio I'll take it off your hands but I'm going to guess you'll be keeping it .

When you try to move an axis does the axis motor sound sort of like a grinding that changes pitch and the axis may twitch a little and possible jump a tad? How good are you with electronics/soldering specifically.

I just want to fix the little guy, and get him working again. I used to use it to fabricate prototype parts at work. I brought it home, after they decided to get rid of it. It was having sporadic issues, with the X axis whenever I brought it home, and then kaput, they all went!

Anyway, if you tell me what to do, I've got MAD skills. I have a small solder station, and know how to solder PC boards, without leaving cold solder joints. I have a "solder sucker" and know how to remove old components. I have a can of flux remover...

Yes, when I fire the unit up, the axis motors have like a high pitched hiss to them, and then if I tell one to move, I hear a chug, and then the hissing noise changes pitch.