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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > EMCO CNC Machines > EMCO Lathe > Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe
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  1. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    832

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Yes I had seen that as well. I had been looking at the Sandisk wifi stick but seems you can only transfer via wifi when it is not connected but during my searching I did see the Pi info.
    I tried via serial but there is no advantage to it and infact it is worse as you need to send from the PC then go to the SZGH and type in the file name you wish to transfer so USB is much easier.

  2. #22

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by Diesel_Pilot View Post
    This is not the best way to achieve the RPM required. Most certainly the motor can easily handle 120Hz, (check the MFG for max RPM it's probably 6kRPM.) By increasing motor pulley diameter you've reduced torque to the spindle. This will be troublesome if you work steel at 2" diameter.

    Correct setup would give full motor torque to 60Hz, and as Hz increased to 120, available torque would drop but full HP would be available. As small diameter parts need less torque this is acceptable. This is how most spindle motors are configured. For my Emco I chose an ABB 2.2kW, 4 pole motor and run it to 6000RPM. This essentially matches the original motor exactly.
    Hello,

    Quick update to this build: I followed Diesel_Pilot's advice and went back to the original motor pulley. I had to increase the VFD max. frequency to 83Hz to reach the original 4000rpm max. spindle speed but the additional low end torque is quite useful. Thanks!

    Attachment 415122

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    367

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Hi, Are you using the original tool turret and its 24volt motor ???? If so, how hard was it to incorporate with the new control ?????

    Thanks
    pete

  4. #24

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by slowtwitch View Post
    Hi, Are you using the original tool turret and its 24volt motor ???? If so, how hard was it to incorporate with the new control ?????
    Hi,

    Yes, it's all original. I used a Pololu VNH5019 driver for the 24VDC motor driven by PWM signals sent by an Arduino PLC (Controllino Maxi), which manages the forward and reverse currents sent to the motor. The Controllino also decodes the output of the turret photodiodes (pnp) and sends it to the new controller (npn). It was a fairly straightforward job.

    There are a few projects documented online that use a similar approach of using an arduino to manage the signals:
    https://forum.linuxcnc.org/26-turnin...l?limitstart=0

    https://github.com/f1oat/EATC-120

  5. #25

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by mukanico View Post
    I had to increase the VFD max. frequency to 83Hz to reach the original 4000rpm max. spindle speed but the additional low end torque is quite useful. Thanks!
    That's great. Must have 1:1 pulley ratio? Compact 6 is 80%.

  6. #26

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Hi,

    I don't remember what are the pulley diameters, but the new motor is rated at 2845rpm@50Hz, so the pulley ratio should be around 85%.

    Cheers

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    832

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Just thought I would chime in again to say the SZGH is running great for me. I miss a few things such as inability to name tools in the tooltable, but I do have the wireless USB working well.
    A friend also recently retrofitted a lathe with the same control and he decided to get a Toshiba FlashAir and he got it working so I got one as well Now I can access the USB drive from my desktop computer and transfer files both ways over the network.
    I removed the door on the control, milled a slot in it and got a right angle adapter and it makes for a neat setup, you can see it top left of this pic.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails ScreenHunter_2710 May. 06 16.46.jpg  

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    832

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Here is a better pic of it.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails ScreenHunter_2709 May. 06 16.37.jpg  

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    1195

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    How to change logo?
    Hi mukanico,
    Did you request to factory to set parameter (other than logo) when you order the controller SZGH (like in Fanuc, you need parameter) ? Or you do not need any parameter for this controller ?

  10. #30

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by asuratman View Post
    Hi mukanico,
    Did you request to factory to set parameter (other than logo) when you order the controller SZGH (like in Fanuc, you need parameter) ? Or you do not need any parameter for this controller ?
    Hi,

    Sorry for the late reply...

    The controller comes preset from the factory with a generic set of parameters that you can edit to suit your machine. They supply you with a manual that goes over the available parameters and how you can configure them. It's reasonably straightforward once you get over the chinese/english translation issues.

    But it shouldn't be an problem to get support from the factory to set up the parameters if you need it. The technical support I got from them was better than I expected. I also installed a similar controller on a milling machine and they helped with the setup of the tool changer more than 1 year after I purchased the controller.

    Cheers

  11. #31

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by Hood View Post
    Just thought I would chime in again to say the SZGH is running great for me. I miss a few things such as inability to name tools in the tooltable, but I do have the wireless USB working well.
    A friend also recently retrofitted a lathe with the same control and he decided to get a Toshiba FlashAir and he got it working so I got one as well Now I can access the USB drive from my desktop computer and transfer files both ways over the network.
    I removed the door on the control, milled a slot in it and got a right angle adapter and it makes for a neat setup, you can see it top left of this pic.
    Neat installation! It looks like OEM.

    Thanks for the tip on the toshiba drive!!! I will definitely give it a try. Going back and forward with the USB stick to the PC gets old very quickly

    Cheers

  12. #32
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    832

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    mukanico
    I have a friend who has recently bought an SZGH control for his mill and is having trouble setting up tool offsets. I think you said you had one for a mill and was wondering if you had any info on how you set up the tool offsets?
    I live 100 miles away so can't easily visit him and trying to help via email is not easy as I can't see what is happening at the control.

  13. #33

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by mukanico View Post
    Hello everyone,

    I would like to present my retrofitting project of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe with a modern controller and new servos.

    The lathe was bought in 2017 and it came from a high school. It was in good condition but the fact that it required three-phase power and had a vintage Emcotronic T1 controller (with the inherent risk of potential problems that could derive from its age) pushed me to take the decision to retrofit it and convert it to single-phase power.

    For the axes, I chose to use 750W AC servomotors and drivers from DELTA, model ASD-B2-0721-B, to replace the original 5-pole Berger Lahr stepper motors.

    The original spindle motor was a 400V DC motor with 3.5hp. To simplify its connection to the new controller, I decided to replace it with a three-phase motor (2.2kW ABB branded) controlled by a single-phase input VFD (DELTA VFD022E21A).

    The choice of the controller was a bit more difficult ... At the beginning I thought to use Mach 3 or Eding CNC but the fact that these systems are PC based didn't convince me. Therefore I decided to take the risk of buying a dedicated Chinese controller on Ebay. My choice fell on a Szghauto "brand" controller (model SZGH-CNC990TDb-2).

    Apparently, as with most products coming these days from China, there are many available controllers similar to this one in which only the brand changes (Szghauto, Newkye, Newker,...). From what I understand, they are all "inspired" by vintage Fanuc controllers. For the moment I am quite satisfied with it. The price was competitive when compared to the cost of a license Mach 3 or Eding CNC + computer + screen + cards, etc. The only problem was the documentation. The Chinglish was almost incomprehensible. I wasted a fair number of hours because of it...

    I will add the photos next...
    You are so true about "they are all "inspired" by vintage Fanuc controllers"
    http://cncmakers.com/cnc/controllers/CNC_Controller_System/CNC_Retrofit_Package.html

  14. #34

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by Hood View Post
    mukanico
    I have a friend who has recently bought an SZGH control for his mill and is having trouble setting up tool offsets. I think you said you had one for a mill and was wondering if you had any info on how you set up the tool offsets?
    I live 100 miles away so can't easily visit him and trying to help via email is not easy as I can't see what is happening at the control.
    Hi,

    Yes, indeed I also have a SZGH-CNC1500Mdb controller on a mill. I reference all my tools off the mill table. If I'm touching off on a 1-2-3 block or something else I input it's height by pressing the "T" key when in Manual mode (only need to do this once). Then, to set the tool offset I press "Redeem", select the corresponding offset number using the arrow keys and then press "F5-Set Tool"->"Enter". The offset is the automatically calculated based on the current machine Z coordinate and the input touch off height and stored on the table.

    If I need to adjust the offset by a small amount, it can be done by using the "length compensation adjust" feature: on the offset table, I select the offset using the arrow keys, then press Enter and input the compensation amount (positive or negative).

    There may be other methods but this one works quite well for me.

    I hope the explanation isn't clear as mud...

    Cheers

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    832

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Thanks for the reply, yes that is eventually how we figured out things worked.
    It is a bit of a nuisance for him as he has a knee mill so the table height is constantly changing, that is not an issue until he has to set up a new tool or replace a worn one. If he has to do that then he has to do the T bit again and then set up all the other tools as well.
    We have decided the best course of action will be to make up a removable and repeatable platform that attaches to the side of the head and can be used to set tools up in the future, hopefully it will work.

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    152

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    I'm just about to place an order for a SZGH-CNC990TDb-2 controller, I hope install go's as easy as it sounds.

  17. #37
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    152

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    OK, so I end up buying the SZGH-CNC1000TDb-2 controller. Now I have to install it.
    Do I really need to buy and fit linear scales to my lathe? Electronics are not my best subject, my lathe is a Neutron CNC CJK0640 if that help.

  18. #38

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Hi,

    Not unless you want to feed the actual position back to the controller. My install was done without feedback and relies only on the servos for getting to the commanded position. You can setup backlash compensation and correct for leadscrew pitch errors in the controller too. That helps to minimize some of the issues with not having positional feedback.

    Cheers

  19. #39
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    152

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by mukanico View Post
    Hi,

    Not unless you want to feed the actual position back to the controller. My install was done without feedback and relies only on the servos for getting to the commanded position. You can setup backlash compensation and correct for leadscrew pitch errors in the controller too. That helps to minimize some of the issues with not having positional feedback.

    Cheers
    Thanks for that. My lathe's current controller doesn't seem to have any linear scales and I was hoping I didn't need them.

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    832

    Re: Retrofit of an EMCO 120 CNC lathe

    As has been said, scales only if you want. They won't actually get used for closing the loop, they will just provide feedback for out of position monitoring and errors. Does your control support them anyway? I thought the tdc had the feedback option and the tdb didn't.

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