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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Bridgeport Machines > Bridgeport / Hardinge Mills > Bridgeport series I mill using dynomotion controller
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    24

    Bridgeport series I mill using dynomotion controller

    I'm really new the milling area but I have a Series I CNC R2E3 and want to put in a dynomotion controller. I have no idea even where to start. Has anyone attempted this before or can give me any kind of advice? I'm not sure if I can but I want to try to keep the same motors and just drive them with the Dynomotion. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    409
    Hello Krz,
    Does your control work now? If it works at least you will know if the motors & drives are good or not, Does yours use NC400 servo drives? If so these take an analog signal.

    I have 2, series 2 r2e3's. I have been looking in to replacing the boss controls. Many people use Galil cards. Have you purchased the dynomotion card yet? I know someone on the zone was talking about these a while ago.

    How much do you know about wiring,electronics? The retrofitting is not that hard if you have wiring diagrams for your machine. R2e3 should be boss8 control, at least mine are.
    Cutmore

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    24
    Yeah everything works right now. everything is in good shape. I did already purchase the dynomotion card. I'm pretty familiar with wiring and electronics, just not on a mill. I do have all of the schematics for the machine. I just wasn't sure how hard it was gonna be and what all needs done. Not a step by step but just generally. Unless you know step by step and have the time. LOL. any help would be greatly appreciated.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    409
    Hello,
    Here's a best guess at the conversion process,
    I would try to get the dynomotion board and software set-up and running 1st before disconnecting anything.If you have a spare servo drive use that to get the control working, if you do not have a spare drive you may want to get 1 any ways.This will tell you if you can use your drives or not.
    1. read the wiring diagrams you have for your mill, and figure out which wire goes to which part.
    2.Strip out the old stuff you will not use,The things you will keep would be, servo drives (hopefully), the limit switches, the contactor for the spindle motor. Maybe the power supply for the servo drives if you have 3 phase available, otherwise you will need a power supply for the right voltage.
    E-stop switch.
    3.Start connecting wires.
    4. Test & tune the set-up.
    5......?
    What type of servo drives does yours have?
    Are you going to use Mach to control the mill or something else?
    Cutmore

  5. #5
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    Jul 2007
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    24
    I think the servos are NC414s. It's gonna be to control the mill. I was hoping to use the original pre-amps for the servos and just drive them with this dynomotion card.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    409
    Sounds like we are going down the same path,
    I am planning on using Mach3 with a Galil card connected to my servo amps to control my mill. My amps are marked NC400 but in the literature I did read NC414 somewhere.
    I have the CMC manuals for the amps, If you need any info let me know.
    I hope to save the drives and servo's too.
    My Servo's are SEM motors with Heidenhain encoders.
    Why do you want to convert your Boss control?
    Cutmore

  7. #7
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    Jul 2007
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    I'm actually doing it for the company I work for. I just started here a few weeks ago and they asked me to do it starting on Monday. I'm hoping going through this will help me learn how to use the equipment also. I'm sure it will. I'm not really sure why they want to change it. I think it's because of accuracy and to be able to do more complicated designs. I really appreciate the info you've given me and I will have more questions I'm sure.

    I have another question about the Axis motion wheel on the front control panel. How can I control this? If you know anything about it I appreciate it.

  8. #8
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    Jul 2005
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    I know mach can use a MPG(encoder) for jogging, Have you checked the mach website? There are videos for a bunch of things to do with setting mach up.
    I am not sure you can get more accuracy from the mill by changing the control as the minimum move now is .0001". I have run 3d contouring files on mine by dripfeeding the controller.
    But if they want to pay you for this kind of fun, then more power to you!
    Cutmore

  9. #9
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    Jul 2007
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    I'll check that out. Thanks for all of your help. I may post something else if I run into problems. It's nice to know there are people like you out there. I'm sure this is going to be a fun project. I don't mind getting paid for this stuff.

  10. #10
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    Aug 2005
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    Any updates on this?
    Dennis

  11. #11
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    Jul 2007
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    We got it working completely. Everything seems to work fine. Sorry I forgot to update. We had to build some of our own electronics to interface with the bridgeport but it was very easy. If you have any specific questions I'd be happy to answer them. But overall I think this was a great investment. We can mill any 3 axis part we need to now.

  12. #12
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    Aug 2005
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    You have it running with the old dc servo drives? Are you using Mach3 or their Gcode program? Do you have spindle speed control?

    Thanks
    Dennis

  13. #13
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    Jul 2007
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    24
    Yes we are using the old motors. We do have spindle speed control using a C program that puts 2 buttons on the main screen INC and DEC. We didn't hook up a tach yet though. We use the G-Code. We have a CAD/CAM software that generates G-Code so we just use that. Any other information you want just ask and I'll let you know.

  14. #14
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    Jul 2005
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    You mentioned that you had to make some electronics for the set-up to work with the original amps, could you elaborate a bit on what it took to get the Dynomotion to play nice with the amps?
    What speed is the rapid now? How accurate is the machine?

    Sorry about all the q's. I just finished a job with my stock R2E3 that was a pain. The memory is too small for the whole proogram and everytime I try drip feeding it will choke during a part.

    Thanks,
    Cutmore

  15. #15
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    Jul 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by cut more View Post
    You mentioned that you had to make some electronics for the set-up to work with the original amps, could you elaborate a bit on what it took to get the Dynomotion to play nice with the amps?
    What speed is the rapid now? How accurate is the machine?

    Sorry about all the q's. I just finished a job with my stock R2E3 that was a pain. The memory is too small for the whole proogram and everytime I try drip feeding it will choke during a part.

    Thanks,
    Cutmore
    We just used the +/-10 D/A from the Kmotion to drive the amps. I'm not sure how fast the table moves we had to play with that alot to get it as fast as we could. The machine is as accurate as it was before we converted it. The main electronics stuff we did was wire the 4 wire encoders into differential IC's to produce a 2 wire signal for the Kmotion. We used optical isolators(opto-couplers) on almost everything to protect the kmotion. We used FETs to sinc current for the spindle. I have some generic schematics that I made for the system if you have Microsoft Visio I can send them to you and you can check the out. Anything else you need just ask.

  16. #16
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    Jul 2005
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    409
    Thanks for the info,
    I do have access to visio and I would appreciate the files if you don't mind.
    So the Dynomotion will not take quadrature input?
    I am not electronic savvy enough to know what you meant about using the Fet's to sinc the spindle current. Is that to monitor the spindle current as an input to the Dynomotion card?

    Thanks,
    Cutmore

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    24
    If you want to give me an email I'll send you this files. We had to take the FMDC board and the EAF board out of the bridgeport. We had to use high current transistors (FET's) to replace the ones in the bridgeport. The way it's wired is there is 24 volts to the spindle motor and you havae to provide a ground path. There are only 4 pair of encoder inputs on the kmotion and if you want to have a handwheel you'll use all 4. you may be able to use more of the I/O ports for encoders but we didn't.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    6

    Cool KMOTION DYNOMOTION CONTROLLER

    I have a jetmatic milling machine with the kmotion 4 axis board installed . after I work out the bugs with tom , Now the motion board works grate. there is some bugs with the tool offset's but I can work over the problem for now.

  19. #19
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    Aug 2005
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    828
    ^^g..man,

    Are you using Mach3 or Tom's gcode program?
    Dennis

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    6

    Lightbulb KMOTION gcode

    I am running tom's KMOTION gcode program. at this time I am working out some bug's with mach3 and kmotion. just so you know mach3 and kmotion will work. the bug's are with my machine config.


    Dan aka G90G00MAN FOR THE BANDIT PEOPLE G90/MAN

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