[123CNC]

Looks like your Emerson drives might be 'positioning' drives, meaning the control loop is a function of the error in position. Historically not the preferred choice in machining applications. Commonly a torque mode drive is used or torque and velocity. I'm not sure what implications this will have, depends on the age or rather the implementation of the drive's control. In older drives I would suspect a position drive might be lacking in correcting when under heavy cutting loads or transient loads, which would imply on overall reduced velocity to try and reduce this load error. Older positioning drives were typically used in low load applications, where the only goal was to get something in the right place at the right time with no to little counter forces. Such as oxy fuel or plasma cutters, 3D printers, measuring systems, packaging equipment, etc. You will want to find a manual to verify.

[72k5]

it appears this is what I have.

I have thought about pulling drives and motors and selling them on ebay and starting over with a different controller.
What do you think?

Attachment 285714

[123CNC]

Looks like good and bad news. Looks as though someone previously down-sized your spindle motor to 2 hp. You can still do a lot, but you won't be able to hog out as much material that the 5 hp would have powered you through. I'm willing to bet the VFD is a single phase supply, as well. Try to find the nameplate data on the drive.

Regarding your Emerson drives and motors, it really depends what you have in mind for this machine. If all you ever do is drill hole patterns, you shouldn't have any problems, as long as you don't get carried away with z feed rates.

As little as you have in it, and if you don't need this up and going for an income stream, I would suggest wiring up what you have. It is nearly there and you will still learn a lot which would help you out if you do want to change them out down the road. There are a lot of variables in how easy or difficult it will be to unload those drives and motors to someone else.

New motors and drives won't be cheap, especially if you decide on going for AC servo drives. The drive's control signal will affect your BOB or interface hardware choice, which may influence your controller choice.

[72k5]

You really seem to know what your talking about so I would appreciate if you would look at this thread now and then cause I will really need some help.
I will attempt to get started and see how far I can get.

Im not new to this CNC game. Was writing code by hand back in the early 80's and have been programming in Mastercam since version 7
I currently sit in front of X9 Mastercam programming just about any machine you can think of.

I built and design my own 3d printer from scratch and that's kinda how this whole mill thing got started.

[sparks-n-chips]

I have an AN-S that has been working great for me after converting it to linuxCNC. See https://sites.google.com/site/yeltro...cnc-conversion

My variable speed belt in the CVT at the top is getting pretty flappy. Has anyone bought a replacement and know where to get one?

[pugsly]

I have an AN-S that has been working great for me after converting it to linuxCNC. See https://sites.google.com/site/yeltro...cnc-conversion

My variable speed belt in the CVT at the top is getting pretty flappy. Has anyone bought a replacement and know where to get one?

No idea, but if you find out let me know. I'm in the midst of rehabbing an AN-S.