Hello,
I've get an old Colchester lathe, with FANUC servo motors and spindle.
The machine has been gut, no motor drive or spindle drive left in the electrical cabinet.
I want to revitalize the machine, with Centroid or Mach3 controller.
My problems are the followings?
1. There are no labels on the servo motors, I can't figure it out, what kind of motor drive I could buy, to be able to control the motors with Centroid or Mach3.
2. The label on the spindle is washed out completely, only the date, the serial and a "200" is visible what are stamped. I don't know what type is it, what power it has. I looked at the internet and after its size, I can guess it is about 15 or 18,5 kw.
2.a Could I buy a VFD which is about the same power (18.5 kw) and use it to control the spindle with Centroid or Mach3? I found this Siemens VFD:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1PS-Used-Si....c100005.m1851
2.b Can I test the spindle without VFD, to check if it is working, before I buy a VFD for it?
3. Just for fun, I have some 16 Nm DC steppers with Centroid Acorn, and I put on those on the axes. The axes move very nice, a test program runs like a charm. Is it possible that my DC motors would be an alternative for AC servos (I know AC servos with encoders are far better, but for non industrial use maybe I can use them?)
4. Can I change the spindle motor with something more smaller, which I can easily use with Centroid or Mach3?
I shared some pictures too.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/mNNlb5i6KVnQXibx1
thanks
arnold