[bevins]

Hi guys,

<Edit> BOSS 9 </EDIT>

It has been sitting for 5 years or so, and was told it was running when they removed it to put in a VMS. I can get it for next to nothing. I have been researching and have been told I could use the existing servos and add just the servo drives. Remove all electronics and existing controllers and put in drivers and a controller. I have built a wood router using steppers so I am familiar with what has to happen and when and have had electronic training, schooling and field experience.

I have a few questions that I cannot find the answer to.

What servo drives would I need for the existing bridgeport servos? I would use Mach3 so I would need a type of breakout box also. This all seems pretty easy as I did it before with steppers, But I cannot seem to find it.

Problem is I don't have 5,000.00 to put down on ajax system. There must be a less expensive way. I just need leads to which drivers would work with Bridgeport servos. Can anyone help with this?

The motor and cnc is wired for 480v so I would have to rewire the motor and provide a VFD to drive it. 220 single phase vfd to 208 3 ph for the 2 hp bridgeport motor.


Can I sell the existing equipment I take out? Is there a market for it?

A nice gentleman from Ontario helped me on the phone getting things straightened out in my head and going in the right direction.

It is at least BOSS 9, and I am going to try and power it up after a few mods to fit my electrical supply.


Thanks in advance,

Bob Bevins

[legendboy]

I used granite vsd-xe drives in my r2e3 retrofit

[kewl_cat]

I used granite vsd-xe drives in my r2e3 retrofit

X 2

Plus you can drive 2 servos with one drive in DualDC mode.

[Dstamp]

"...What servo drives would I need for the existing bridgeport servos? I would use Mach3 so I would need a type of breakout box also. This all seems pretty easy as I did it before with steppers, But I cannot seem to find it.

Problem is I don't have 5,000.00 to put down on ajax system. There must be a less expensive way. I just need leads to which drivers would work with Bridgeport servos. Can anyone help with this? ...."

I've just recently had success using Viper servo drives from Larken CNC in Ottawa. I gutted an 80's era import knee mill and replaced controls with Mach3, the Viper cards, US Digital encoders and a Larken breakout board. I haven't finished fine tuning the control settings, but watching this thing run on its own for the first time was very gratifying. If I had known how easy it was going to be when I started I would've finished it a lot quicker but I was very intimidated by the electronics portion of the retrofit. Once I started the electronics retrofit went much faster than I expected because the documentation from Larken automation (BOB and servo wiring diagrams) clarified a lot of what I was unsure about. Mainly, the BOB wiring diagrams provided the missing link in my level of understanding.

I started with the panel layout on a bench;


I put it into the cabinet for final wiring, but decided the debug process would be a lot easier with it outside, so I made a temporary wall mount and ran the rats nest to it. At this stage I was able to make the x, y & z run with jogging and sample programs from Mach wizards.


Once it was running, I cut back the excess wire between vipers and BOB and re-arranged some of the panel layout. This layout has not been optimized for RF or other noise immunity yet.


There were several delays in getting it to run the first time, but all due to my own oversights or mistakes, no issues with the purchased components.

I

[bevins]

I have the machine in my shop now. I purchased a VFD which I am in the process of wiring up and I am going to convert it from 460v 3 phase to 220 single phase.
I will post some pics.

Attachment 181015

[Dstamp]

Is it possible you could use the existing drives with mach3?

Any way you go, it's probably way simpler than it seems now, or at least you'll think it was simple when you're done and its making widgets for you. At least that's my experience, my only regret is that I didn't plow through sooner.

Do you plan on clearing off all of the overhead enclosure?

What is the spindle? Kwik switch or something similar?

[polaraligned]

Problem is I don't have 5,000.00 to put down on ajax system. There must be a less expensive way. I
Bob Bevins

The AJAX AllinoneDC drive and PLC is $1759.

Too much money to get a pro quality machine?

I tried the Granite drives 4 years ago...JUNK. I sold them. Your motor power connects through a DB9 connector on the drive. What a freaking joke. Maybe they have upgraded their drives in the last 4 years.

By the time you get finished buying drives, BOB, and everything else from some hobbiest company, you could get the AJAX and have an industrial control that is readily upgradeable to 4th axis, probing, and all sorts of other goodies. Not only that, the AJAX will control your spindle, BOSS oil pump, your coolant, and your air brake/speed control if your machine has them. Try piecing that together with hobbiest parts. The AJAX is the DIY version of Centroid and has 30 years of development behind it. You also can upgrade to CNC11 for control software in the future and get away from that Mach. If you do, you will never go back.

Oh, I almost forgot, the AJAX will support a plug in encoder on your spindle and do rigid tapping. Don't try that with a Mach powered machine. By the time you get finished with all these options with a "pieced together" machine, you would realize that the AJAX is the best bargain out there for what you get. You need to ask yourself also what your time is worth, and do you want to be making parts or troubleshooting.

You don't need the pendant or the MPG from AJAX, but it is really nice to be able to add them at a later date- and all you have to do is plug them in.

I learned my lesson on my first mill conversion that I did with Gecko's....it is just not worth purchasing hobbiest quality stuff for a machine that gets used.

[samco]

Take a look at linuxcnc.. Free. With mesa hardware (say 5i25 + analog interface daughter board 7i77 for $239) you could use your existing amplifiers. There have been quite a few that have done that. (and you can mount an encoder on the spindle and rigid tap...)

edit add
Plus you would have an industrial class closed loop system. (linuxcnc also has integrated ladder logic - no extra hardware needed)

LinuxCNC.org

sam

[bevins]

The AJAX AllinoneDC drive and PLC is $1759.

Too much money to get a pro quality machine?

I tried the Granite drives 4 years ago...JUNK. I sold them. Your motor power connects through a DB9 connector on the drive. What a freaking joke. Maybe they have upgraded their drives in the last 4 years.

By the time you get finished buying drives, BOB, and everything else from some hobbiest company, you could get the AJAX and have an industrial control that is readily upgradeable to 4th axis, probing, and all sorts of other goodies. Not only that, the AJAX will control your spindle, BOSS oil pump, your coolant, and your air brake/speed control if your machine has them. Try piecing that together with hobbiest parts. The AJAX is the DIY version of Centroid and has 30 years of development behind it. You also can upgrade to CNC11 for control software in the future and get away from that Mach. If you do, you will never go back.

Oh, I almost forgot, the AJAX will support a plug in encoder on your spindle and do rigid tapping. Don't try that with a Mach powered machine. By the time you get finished with all these options with a "pieced together" machine, you would realize that the AJAX is the best bargain out there for what you get. You need to ask yourself also what your time is worth, and do you want to be making parts or troubleshooting.

You don't need the pendant or the MPG from AJAX, but it is really nice to be able to add them at a later date- and all you have to do is plug them in.

I learned my lesson on my first mill conversion that I did with Gecko's....it is just not worth purchasing hobbiest quality stuff for a machine that gets used.

Yup, I recently looked into the Ajax system. I am in the process of converting to single phase with a vfd and changing tranny pri's to see if this actually works. If it does then I can use linuxCNC, I allready have mesa boards 5 and 7i77. That is not for the faint of heart. I cannot find anyone that has the exact same machine as me that has done it. The easiest option would be to fork out the 2,000.00 plus for the ajax, not 1700 and change, the BP encoders wont work with the Ajax system so would have to purchase thre 200.00 encoders, machine the brackets so it is not that easy.

dont know which option but need to power it up first to see the state of the machine.

[Hood]

If planning on using Mach you may wish to look at the CS-Lab products, I am currently retrofitting a Chiron FZ12S with their analogue output version. No rigid tapping yet but encoder feedback to Mach for axes and spindle encoder so it should be a possibility soon, if not then definitely with Mach4.
Hood

[bevins]

UPDATE!!!!

I removed the wires coming from AC IN from the contactors and going to the R2E4 controls.. I ran two wires as single phase 220 into the vfd input side.
Disconnected the motor wires from the heaters and connected them to the 220 3ph side of the vfd.

Powered up and the spindle ran fine.

I then proceeded to change the jumpers and AC in wires on transformer T2. IT is labeled great. T2 however I had to look harder but found the terminations in a manual of schematics.

After I connected the primary wires of the trannies to the incoming single phase 220 in parrallel and the machine powered up fine. Ran through its diagnostics
and I was able to home the machine and jog each axis no problem.

Next step is to figure out the drip feed and feed it some gcodes......

[bevins]

IT is drip feeding and I am cutting parts without upgrading anything other than adding a VFD.

Great little machine. Been running for a few months now with no problems.

Bob

[dougputt]

Bevins

I've upgraded (forced) to the AJAX cnc system and first cuts I've done with it are pretty impressive. Getting much better finishes than with the original encoders, much better finishes than with my Fadal VMC 15 even. Fadal might be upgraded to AJAX at some point as well. I wouldn't say it was easy upgrade but worth it in long run.

If you need any parts I have a few spares...

[dougputt]

Bevins

I've upgraded (forced by too much smoke getting out) to the AJAX cnc system and first cuts I've done with it are pretty impressive. Getting much better finishes than with the original encoders, much better finishes than with my Fadal VMC 15 even. Fadal might be upgraded to AJAX at some point as well. I wouldn't say it was easy upgrade but worth it in long run. I'm not anywhere near 5K yet other than maybe in my time...

If you need any parts I have a few spares...