[torinwalker]

I think this should be pretty simple: I'm strongly considering a Conquest 42 with live tooling but am unsure of which control it has. I read here and elsewhere that the Conquest had different options and offered both a spindle with simple indexing in one-degree increments, and a spindle with fullly coordinated C-axis functionality (CX or CZ coordinated movement with various types of interpolation, etc.)

Looking back at the photograph and the spec sheet on this machine, all it says is "GE Fanuc 0-T" on the bezel and in the specs. The specs show it has live tooling, but do not specifically say what version (e.g. Fanuc 0-TB or 0T-C) as seems to be mentioned in the hardinge programmer's manuals I received from Hardinge.

Anyway, can anyone with a Conquest 42 with full C-axis tell me what it says on the monitor's bezel? I suspect this minor variation in software version can only be determined by querying the machine itself - something the sales person says I must do when I come to see it (an eight-hour drive in one direction!)

I'd like to know BEFORE I drive all the way, because if it doesn't have the full C-axis, I need to look for a different machine.


Torin..

[DOA]

I have a Conquest 42, OT-B series. I recently had a service tech check the series and he showed me a tag on the inside of the control cabinet (on the side) that showed the series number. My understanding of the machines are that certain options, like contouring C axis, are software options, not necessarily related to the series. I would inquire specifically before making a trip. Any sales person or seller should give you that info. Hell, it's part of the salsemanship that goes with the deal.

[torinwalker]

I was looking at a great machine for the price - live tooling, sub-spindle, but when I asked him to run a triangle milling example, it failed and he reported the machine supported 1-degree indexing only.

Now I understand that 360 pulses per rev is a pretty cheap encoder solution compared to 360,000 per rev which is what would be required for full C contouring. The difference in price is also significant - about $1500, and then there is the encoder feedback circuitry. If it were only a matter of software, I would expect C-axis to be more widely available.

Still, it might be worth asking Hardinge. Thanks, DOA.

Torin...
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