[mike^3]

Hello All!

I recently purchased (2) CHNC-II cnc lathes with turrets, has anyone converted on of these machine before?

I am really perplexed about the air cylinder that changes the turret position. I am thinking of replacing that with a stepper or servo, what do you guys think?

Also anyone know where I can get the manual/parts list. And if anyone needs some parts of them (like electronics) let me know! Both are fanuc controllers.

Thanks

Mike

[Machineit]

I would stay with the air motor and not convert. Besides there is no real room for a servo motor in the turret area.

I bought a parts manual of of eBay when I bought my CHNC I, I'll look and see if they are still there.

Mike Too!

[mike^3]

Hey mike!

So if I keep the air cylinder how would I possibly be able to index tooling? If it uses air, I will be able to open a solenoid to give it air, but what about position? How did it normally work? I am assuming a sensor of sorts?

I'm sure it uses a set pin or locate pin the extends after the tool change, maybe there is a sensor that senses when the turret is at the tool before it and the shuts off air, just in time for the turret to stop at the next position?

How much room is there? I'm picking up the machines Tuesday and then I will be posting a step by step video series for the conversion .

Thanks

Mike

[Machineit]

The sensor is located under the tooling plate. I would not mess with it as it is sensitive and does not like change. Whatever you do, don't go deeper than the tooling plate unless you have a Hardinge expert in the area. It is hard to realign it all back up if you pull the gearing and such out. If found that out that hard way after pulling all apart to change all of the seals.

As far as the rest goes, it is no different than using the regular control, the other control will simply get the readings from the turret switches.

I hope you are not a novice at this, as it will be a big learning curve. Is there a reason for changing it all over? The Fanuc is a good control from what I know. Mine has a Siemens control, not great but works.


Link to parts manual I got. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hardinge-CHN...item519ed3c004
Mike

[mike^3]

Hi mike

I am no novice to conversions, I've converted a few haas vf2s acer and bridgeport mills, and lots of mills, my challenge is lathes. Any thing with a tool changer that I changed was either stepper or servo driven through step and dir logic to the controller.

Thanks for the tip about the turret, I won't need to take it apart.

I am going to convert the non working Fanuc controller, it's a problem with one of the drives I think ... I just bought 2 and will pick them up Tuesday.

I will be running mach 3, and for mach 3 when u make a tool macro, you designate how the tool change steps work. I,e, tool 1 is at x, 22 y, 10 z, 20. Then Lower z axis to x amount Activate solenoid 1 (pin x on the controller) to release tool. Raise z axis x move B axis to 200 degrees (carousel type atc) lower z axis to x, release solenoid to clamp tool, move back to workpiece and cut.

That's the general gist of programming the atc of a vmc.

But for the lathe I assume I would have the z axis move to home. Release solenoid to raise turret, then Release solenoid to spin turret. ****but the next step confuses me, would I program the software to wait for the correct switch (tool position) once received controller will need to cut off air to turret spin motor stopping the indexing, the release the solenoid that raised to turret so it can lock in place?

I'm thinking this would work...

Ill be parting out all the electronics from the chnc 2, if anyone's interested

[mike^3]

So I have been searching for threads on this conversion and I found 2 possible solution, 1 being that I just use gang tooling, 2 I take the air motor out and just use a stepper or servo motor by mounting it behind the worm gear, any thoughts?

[Machineit]

Found this: This is what the sensor for the turret location looks like!

Hardinge CHNC Turret Encoder | eBay

[mike^3]

Awesome.

So my next question is....

Can I use the old drives and servos? Where the drive cards originally step/dir? Or were they pwm?

[Machineit]

Awesome.

So my next question is....

Can I use the old drives and servos? Where the drive cards originally step/dir? Or were they pwm?

I believe you will have to change them, all I have seen did. Not stepper, most brush servo. Mine has the brushless conversion!

Kind of why I questioned the changeover, if nothing really wrong with your control. Not easy as I said. This is not a little bench mill or lathe. This is a full blow lathe with all bells and whistles.

Keep us up to date.

Mike

[mike^3]

Hey mike, yes I probably will have to convert it, gonna keep the same motors and change the encoders, get dugong drives, and new power supply. The machine died and it won't start up properly. And besides, it's old controller is antiquated and out of date.

I realize that it's a large machine, my largest machine that I converted was a mazak qt 20 about 13000 lb lathe. It came out great. I doubled the rapid speed and increased accuracy to 0.0002" and that's with original ballscrews and everything. Except computer

Any idea as to what my chnc 2 would be worth after conversion?

All the bells and whistles will still e there like before and then some, new features would be auto tool touch off, yes it can be done with a lathe just fine, ill update this post when I get it running

[Machineit]

Not sure what the value will be. If it is really sharp and has everything working great, I would guess between $4,500 and about $8,500. Remember, it is still a little small parts lathe, with shorter travel and no tail stock. Lathe prices are coming down from peaks as newer ones get bought. Some of it has to do with where it is located.

One thing about the Hardinge's, they were really bullet proof and strong mechanically. Way over built mechanically and a little lite on the control side. I paid $4,000 for mine about a year ago. It was only about 5 miles from me and that made moving cheap and nice for me. It was supposed to work fine, but the control had issues. After much digging and such, I found it had a bad emergency stop switch and another switch too. Then it had to be "recommissioned" on the software. It was a BIG leaning curve, but I have it running nice. The brush-less servo update is a $10,000 option, so I'm very happy about that. When mine is siting there making parts, I can't even hear it if I get more than about 10 feet away.

The fact is I just finished setting it up for another job today. I will start running it in the morning, 500 plus part job. It has paid for itself many times over so far and comes in handy.

I know a guy on the West coast of Florida who was involved in the original building and set-up of the CHNC series, spent 30 years with Hardinge and was a field tech for 20+ years. "HE" knows the machines. I have another guy who works at one of my customers who also worked at Hardinge and has converted over a hundred of them. He was always to busy to help when I needed, but I can ask him questions if needed.

Good little machine for small parts and it has made thousands for me.

I will hit go again in the morning. Hey, make mine an auto-touch-off model for me. I hate setting up tools on these buggers!

Mike

[mike^3]

Hello

So does anyone know what the drives were in the CHNC -IIs? Were the step and dir, or where they analog? Im trying to see if I can reuse the drives in my conversion.

Thanks

Mike

[JimFerguson]

Hey guy do you still have contact with Hardinge technician ?I am working on my HCNC with AhAh control and Artisen software and would like to upgrade to Mach 3.
Thanks

[mike^3]

Hello everyone been awhile sorry, I moved to Denver and put the machines off for a while, I'll be getting back into them shortly,

What was your question about chnc to mach 3?

[JimFerguson]

I am currently using the lathe with Artisen / Ahha control combo but I would like to upgrade the software to Mach3 and still use the Ahha boards. dont know if that can work?

[mike^3]

Hello

So regarding your boards, if u mean the drive cards which run run the motors then u can only if the accept step and did if theyou take a voltage +-10 or 12 volts then u will have to get a motion controller like csmio or something that can take step and for and convert it to the voltage feedback needed for your drive

[JimFerguson]

Mike ^3 The Ahha controller is a motion control but Im not sure of the voltage signal inputs +/-5 or +/-10 .