[pimpbike]

Hi guys, I've been trying to figure out what to do with my Tm-5 Hurco mill. The machine's memory board won't hold the executive and looses memory at any point even if the machine is just sitting idle. I looked into getting a new memory board but they go for $1000usd. I don't like the control on this machine either. I hate conversational programming. The Rs232 port board was missing also when I got the machine. The machine is in excellent condition mechancally seems a shame to scrap it. I've found a company (Centriod) that sells retro fits but are kinda pricey. The machine is 3 phase and I only have single phase in my new shop and can't get 3 phase other than running a converter. I'm just wondering if I can get people's recomendations on what they would do to put a new control in this. I really would like this machine to run Mach software rather than some DOS 1980s software..... I also have all shematics for this machine. I'm in Peterborough Ontario Canada If anyone is Local that has experience in retrofitting I'd Be interested in talking to you!

Thanks!
Dan

[davo727]

You can run a VFD which will operate your 3 phase spindle on 220 volt single phase. How many hp is it? Also what kind of servos does it have? Ac or dc , volts, rpm and amps req. With this info im sure some guys here can reccomend servo drives that will work with mach3. That is going to be a cool project. Later, Dave

[pimpbike]

Ok I've attached a photo of the specs on the servo motors. The Manual says they are DC electro-craft servos. Spindle is 5hp 150-6000 rpm.
I would really like to reuse these motors if I can.
Hope this gets the ball rolling

Thanks

Dan

[davo727]

Hi , Here is a link for vfds. You may have to call them, I dont see a 5hp 1 phase to 3 phase listed. http://web4.automationdirect.com/adc...ves_-z-_Motors Next : http://www.geckodrive.com/ Call mariss at gecko and give him the specs for the servos to see if you can use the G320 drives he sells. I dont know if they put out enough amps to make your servos happy. Also he can tell you if your power supply you have already can stay. Dave

[davo727]

http://www.emscomn.com/vfd.html for vfds. They are in minnesota- closer to Canada eh Also make a post in the Hurco forum here on cnczone and ask for help. Dave

[pimpbike]

correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't this machine already have a vfd?

[DennisCNC]

Take a look at the spindle motor to see if it is AC or DC?

The dc servos should work with a Viper servo drive from Larken, they are in Canada.

[pimpbike]

Thanks for that Dennis, This Larken company is only 2hrs from my place and I must of went past it 1/2 a dozen times because my friend's motorcycle shop is right across the street. I just didn't know they did CNC stuff
The spindle motor is 5 hp 220v 3 phase.
I was trying to see if I could use the Pixie boards www.skyko.com with my existing Hurco servo amps apparently it needs analog control voltages (+/-10v or +/-5v range). but I can't find much info in my manuals on the amps
If not the pixies, I'm sure the larken stuff will work only it will take much more $$$
Thanks!
Dan

[skullworks]

You may have lucked out.

Open the cabnet and see if the servo amp rack says SERVOMATE. - If so then you have DC servo motors that use the -10v, 0, +10v analog control.

A Mesa systems 5i20 PCI card and there (7i33?) card will provide all the i/o control you need to run using EMC2.

A Gecko/Mach combo on a paraport will never reach to original speed or accuracy that the 8086/8087 CPU could provide.

Using the original hardware (limits, amps, pwr supplies) driven thru EMC2 could allow the machine to run faster than it ever has.

(BTW on most Max II Hurco's the 3ph was only to run the spindle - the control ran on single phase.)

[DennisCNC]

^^ EMC is getting tricky! Do you know of any links that have people running EMC with the Mesa cards?

If the spindle is AC then the control must have a VFD, but it might be some work to interface it to new controls.

[pimpbike]

Emc scares me. I'm not a programmer and I'm not very good with electronics so for those reasons EMC may cause me issues. skullworks Have you pesonally used the MESA PCI card. Seems better priced than the servo to go product that is only for ISA slots. I wouldn't mind having at least the speed that the machine was intended to go which was 400 in/min this would be more than adequate. I can't find "servo mate" anywhere on the amps. Photos are attached

Thanks
Dan

[protman16]

Dan,

You mentioned the cost of a new memory board is $1000. For that kind of money you can easily do a retrofit to Mach3. Interfacing to Mach is not difficult, especially with all the different vendors supplying breakout boards for it. If your amps and motors are in good condition use them before looking at any alternatives.
Speed mainly depends on how many pulses/inch or mm you need for machining. Mach is good for 45KHz which can give you about 135ipm with a 0.200 lead screw and a 1000 line encoder on the screw. This means you have a minimum resolution of about 0.00005, which should be fine enough for most applications. For greater speeds change your encoder, screw, or get an external pulsing engine for Mach3.

Regards,

Trevor

[skullworks]

No I have not used the Mesa myself as yet.

Currently I'm working on a system based on the Pluto-P board for my personal use.

I have seen several dead Hurco's and all from failed "Dallas Memory" chips that short out after the in-chip lithium battery dies. Cost to repair these boards is high because there was not a pin compatable replacement available and the boards have to be modified to have a replaceable backup battery and different memory chips.

There is a (dead) 1987 KM3 Hurco that has the servomate system that I have been trying to buy... The owner is still "attached" to it since it was the business first CNC mill. Today it serves the function of a storage shelf for extra Kurt vises. ( I'm going to keep trying... )

After reading all the factory manuals I figured out that it would be fairly easy to yank the old Ultimax card rack and keep the servo rack and powersupplies. All limit switches and other wiring are used as is.

Encoder data goes to the mesa 5i20 card and control output back to the amps is from the 7i33 card.

There is another EMC2 user in the UK who has a converted Hurco bedmill, I don't recall which I/O method he used, but he is re-using the original amps and servos. I will ask him to post some details.