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IndustryArena Forum > Hobby Projects > RC Robotics and Autonomous Robots > Doing some machining with a GM S-420F (RH controller)
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46

    Doing some machining with a GM S-420F (RH controller)

    Hello everyone,

    I'm new to your community and to Fanuc robot.

    I am a complete beginner. I am right now studying in automated engineering production but I haven't do any robotic course yet,
    in the near future I have two course to do.

    For brief story :

    I recently bought a Fanuc GM S-420F with RH controller at a cheap price.
    I have all the documentation about Karel programmation and the robot (maintenance, electrical, mechanical, etc)
    but not really about how to do an action exactly. I have too much docs... I don't know where to start!

    I bought a router motor and I would like to do some machining with it. I am planning
    to do only wood and aluminium if everything goes well.

    I try the trial Cut3D from Vectric to try what code I can have. I found a postprocessor who output a code that is X-Y-Z
    somewhat G-Code like in CNC.

    I use K-Floppy and DOS Box to send programs to the controller.

    I would like to know how to put the tooling zero reference to the raw material. If I am able to put the zero
    on the raw material, my code is supposed to work correctly and the robot should move like said in the code created by Cut3D?

    Here some pictures of my little baby.
    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/P8270125.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/P8270131.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/PA230003.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ot/router1.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ot/router2.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    690
    Oh damn... from now on, each time I look at my humble machines I'm going to feel like crap; that robot arm is justo too cool!, I'd love to see your neighbors' faces when they walk by and see that monster moving around.

    Sadly, I can't help you with yours doubts about it, but I just couldn't close my browser without congratulating you for such a fine acquisition. Good look with it! I hope you post some videos of it sometime.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    0

    Unhappy Moi aussi chez un S420F

    Salut Quebecois Sti, ben t'ai chanceux d'Avoir tout les manuels car dans mon cas j'en ai acheté un sans manuel pis la je capote. Je suis entrain de faire une intégration dans procedé de palletisation. Tout est fonctionnelle le control le robot aussi. J'ai un bonne base dans les Controller RJ-2 mais la avec cette vieille console je sais pas trop par ou commencer. Peux-tu me guider un peu, es-tu proche de Québec? je suis sur la rive-sud de Quebec. Donne moi des news. Tu peux me rejoindre à [email protected] thank you !

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    0
    Salut Quebecois Sti, comment ca va avec ton projet de robot. Donne moi des news j'ai besoin de parler avec un gars comme toi, Je suis sur un projet moi aussi avec S420F y faut que je parle avec qcq'un qui connait ça un peu. Je connais les controller FAnuc RJ-2 mais cette vieille console là pas pantoute. [email protected] bye!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    Quote Originally Posted by Walky View Post
    Oh damn... from now on, each time I look at my humble machines I'm going to feel like crap; that robot arm is justo too cool!, I'd love to see your neighbors' faces when they walk by and see that monster moving around.

    Sadly, I can't help you with yours doubts about it, but I just couldn't close my browser without congratulating you for such a fine acquisition. Good look with it! I hope you post some videos of it sometime.

    Thank you ! Yes I suppose that my neighbour look at me like a weird guy haha.

    I got some news, I just finished a course with ABB robots but I was expecting to more understand mine bot but ABB and Fanuc are kind of really different programming.

    Right now, I got everything, I just need to know how to move to a position from a teached frame (the vice one, $UFRAME). I need to configure the origin of the tooling too ($UTOOL).

    I find how to configure the $UFRAME but it seems not to works, in the docs it talks about JOGFRAME.

    When try to configure the UTOOL, its hard to measure correctly, specially in millimeters!

    If anyone could help please let me know, thanks!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    3447
    How much did you score your arm for?

    Quote Originally Posted by Quebecois_Sti View Post
    Hello everyone,

    I'm new to your community and to Fanuc robot.

    I am a complete beginner. I am right now studying in automated engineering production but I haven't do any robotic course yet,
    in the near future I have two course to do.

    For brief story :

    I recently bought a Fanuc GM S-420F with RH controller at a cheap price.
    I have all the documentation about Karel programmation and the robot (maintenance, electrical, mechanical, etc)
    but not really about how to do an action exactly. I have too much docs... I don't know where to start!

    I bought a router motor and I would like to do some machining with it. I am planning
    to do only wood and aluminium if everything goes well.

    I try the trial Cut3D from Vectric to try what code I can have. I found a postprocessor who output a code that is X-Y-Z
    somewhat G-Code like in CNC.

    I use K-Floppy and DOS Box to send programs to the controller.

    I would like to know how to put the tooling zero reference to the raw material. If I am able to put the zero
    on the raw material, my code is supposed to work correctly and the robot should move like said in the code created by Cut3D?

    Here some pictures of my little baby.
    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/P8270125.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/P8270131.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/PA230003.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ot/router1.jpg

    http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ot/router2.jpg

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    Sorry, I don't understand your question "How much did you score your arm for?"

    I am french canadian and I don't find the meaning of score... you talk about the how it cost to me ?
    AXYZ Millennium router CNC: https://goo.gl/gxvdcA
    Glass cutting CNC table: https://goo.gl/VrDqGD

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    3447
    Quote Originally Posted by Quebecois_Sti View Post
    Sorry, I don't understand your question "How much did you score your arm for?"

    I am french canadian and I don't find the meaning of score... you talk about the how it cost to me ?
    Sorry, I meant how much did you purchase your machine for? I'm bidding on ebay for one right now. I don't know if i will win it, but it comes with a 24,000rpm spindle attached .

    Specs:
    Make: Fanuc
    Model: S-420FD
    Mfg. Year: 1994
    Features/Specifications:
    Reach: 94.5" (2.4m)
    No. of Controlled Axes: 6
    Motion Range:
    J1: 330 deg.
    J2: 115 deg.
    J3: 130 deg.
    J4: 480 deg.
    J5: 260 deg.
    J6: 720 deg.
    Max. Load Capacity @ Wrist: 265 lbs.
    Drive Method: Electo servo drive by AC servo motor

    Includes:
    Fanuc System R-J control (F-18548)
    Type: A05B-2301-B003
    Mfg. Year: 1994
    Hours: 29983.8
    Fanuc Teach Pendant
    Type: A05B-2301-C300
    Connector cables
    Ekstrom-Carlson FIMEC HMSSD-0900 spindle motor
    Speeds: 18,000-24,000 RPM

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    mine is a RH controller (older), yours is newer (RJ)

    a RJ in good condition is about at least 5000$ on the market

    looks in excellent condition the one you mention on ebay

    for the spindle, you can get a good chinese one with american bearing (with drive) for about 1000$
    AXYZ Millennium router CNC: https://goo.gl/gxvdcA
    Glass cutting CNC table: https://goo.gl/VrDqGD

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    3447
    Quote Originally Posted by Quebecois_Sti View Post
    mine is a RH controller (older), yours is newer (RJ)

    a RJ in good condition is about at least 5000$ on the market

    looks in excellent condition the one you mention on ebay

    for the spindle, you can get a good chinese one with american bearing (with drive) for about 1000$
    When it comes to programming, does it accept standard G code? What do you use for a Cam program?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    There is no G-Code on a robot. You need to create a program to receive a kind of G-Code. But, the software RobotMaster exist for simulation and machining for robot. In short therm, the soft have a post-processor that convert the simulation/machining to KAREL/Fanuc code. The licence of this soft is very expensive (someone told me about 25K$). I tried to find one "free" working on the net but unsucessfuly I don't find it.

    Be sure when you buy the robot that you have all the documents (prefer in electronic version) and have the the program to shoot code to robot. I don't know too much about RJ since I have a RH...
    AXYZ Millennium router CNC: https://goo.gl/gxvdcA
    Glass cutting CNC table: https://goo.gl/VrDqGD

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    3447
    Quote Originally Posted by Quebecois_Sti View Post
    There is no G-Code on a robot. You need to create a program to receive a kind of G-Code. But, the software RobotMaster exist for simulation and machining for robot. In short therm, the soft have a post-processor that convert the simulation/machining to KAREL/Fanuc code. The licence of this soft is very expensive (someone told me about 25K$). I tried to find one "free" working on the net but unsucessfuly I don't find it.

    Be sure when you buy the robot that you have all the documents (prefer in electronic version) and have the the program to shoot code to robot. I don't know too much about RJ since I have a RH...
    So the robot is useless without the software?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    Not useless but you will have to purchase by Fanuc or find online the programs for it. It can be very tricky and expensive by Fanuc to get the licence.

    I will suggest that you ask on a well know forum about that : Welcome to Robotforum Community

    you will find plenty of informations on it.

    Basically you don't need a software to program, only a good editor like UltraEdit or even Notepad can do it. The problem is to have the soft to send the code to the robot, like me : I use the prog "kfloppy" for emulate a floppy by the RS-232 and to send the code to the controller. But RJ is newer and it may be possible directly, I don't know how they work.

    Hope it helps
    AXYZ Millennium router CNC: https://goo.gl/gxvdcA
    Glass cutting CNC table: https://goo.gl/VrDqGD

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    2985
    I don't know about ABB or Fanuc but I have a very small amount of experience with motoman robots. Their controller will accept x,y,z moves and calculate which robot axes to move so that you get a move only in the direction you want. If they have something similar, I would think it would be pretty easy to use a normal 3D CAM program to spit out some code it would take. There is no real advantage to using a robot for 3D machining though. You have 6 axes, may as well use them! Now you are talking about some crazy programming, making sure you are not running into the part while machining it, calculating coordinated motion in all 6 axes while simultaneously maintaining cutting speed and avoiding collisions while pulling it all off. I would like to have a robot for fun, but I don't look at it being a realistic machining alternative due to the complexity of programming.

    Matt

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    23

    any news?

    hi

    long time nothing written here :-)

    Can you mill now?
    best regards
    martin

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    Hello Martin,

    Heres the other forum I explain more on it :
    Doing some machining with a GM S-420F (RH controller)

    Actually, I don't get enough time to work more on it. Suppose to get more time this summer.
    AXYZ Millennium router CNC: https://goo.gl/gxvdcA
    Glass cutting CNC table: https://goo.gl/VrDqGD

  17. #17
    Dear Sir,
    Recently I brought Fanuc S-420FD Robot without circuit diagram, Is it posible anyone can help me with circuit diagram, thanks, Abi ([email protected])

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    46
    hello, contact me by email, I will see what I can do. ([email protected])
    AXYZ Millennium router CNC: https://goo.gl/gxvdcA
    Glass cutting CNC table: https://goo.gl/VrDqGD

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