[xyz-cnc]

Hi all

A friend of mine is looking to buy a CNC router and he has come across a large Flexicam machine.

Machine size is about 5m x 2.5m, weighs 4000kg.
4m x 2m Vacuum grid bed with 2 x 10kW vacuum pumps
HSD ATC 8 KW spindle with Hyundai inverter
Rack type 12 tool Linear Toolchanger with fixed tool length sensor
Multi-Boringblock mounted beside the spindle with 9 x pneumatic vertical drills
Pneumatic pressure Foot
Automatic Material Unloading Scraper

The machine isn't working as the computer is missing. It was an old Win 98 PC with 2 x Precision MicroDynamics ISA cards wired to 2 Flexicam I/O boards. Each board had 24 I/O in total, however not sure how many of each and not all were used. The machine used a pendant to control it. I should be able to contact Flexicam and get the wiring diagrams.

AFAIK, the Panasonic servo motors/amplifiers/spindle/inverter etc are working and there is no reason to replace them. All it needs is a new controller. He doesn't want the cheapest option but doesn't need the best available either - just something reliable that can operate all the existing machine functions. He doesn't need the pendant and would prefer a mouse/keyboard/screen solution or touchscreen instead.

I'll likely get the job of getting it up and running so it would be good to hear from anyone who has done this type of retrofit and can offer some advice and their experience with suitable controllers. I would prefer something that doesn't require writing code to get things working.

Also, if there is anyone who would be interested in doing the job and can give me an estimate, please get in touch. The machine is located in Melbourne.

[qashfaq1974]

Hello Team XYZ-CNC

We are in a position to offer a suitable solution and assist in the commissioning of the controller as well.
Please get in touch with me for details. It would be helpful if you can send us the serial no of the machine so that I
can let you know which controller is suitable since we have multiple options for the controller..

Thanks
Ashfaq Qadri
FlexiCAM FZE

[xyz-cnc]

Hi Ashfaq.

The number you are after is 08036020. Are you able to send me the machine wiring diagrams?

Please let me know what controller you would recommend - what are my choices and costs?

[qashfaq1974]

The machine was sold to Pro Technologies in Australia.
Can you send me an email on [email protected] so that I can send you the required information?

[xyz-cnc]

Fast forward almost 6 months and sadly no progress. Still looking for a controller, hoping to get some feedback from anyone who has done a similar retrofit and what controller they went with.

I see many current Chinese machines being sold locally are using a Taiwanese LNC MW2200 controller but I can't seem to find any useful info on it. Does anyone here have one?

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
I use Mach4 and have done for years.

Mach4 ($200USD for Mach4Hobby, $1400Mach4Industrial) is software that runs a PC, just a very average PC is all that is required. That hooks to a motion control board, I use an Ethernet SmoothStepper ($190USD), and
that connects to a breakout board, ranging from a cheap and cheerful C10 ($23.00) to a fully developed three port breakout board like an MB3 ($180USD).

Mach/ESS/BoB is a Step/Dir type of control. I use it to run my Delta servos and its a great combination. Can you post a pic of the Panasonic servos and espicailly the servo drive. If they are Step/Dir then this
solution will work well for you.

I have told you what I use but there are other choices that deserve your attention and research. One such is UCCNC by CNCDrive, very much a Mach4 look-alike and close competitor in terms
of price and performance. Centroid Acorn is a proprietary system that attempts to be a one stop shop. Its software runs on a PC and it drives a controller, about $450USD. Somewhat less flexible
than either UCCNC or Mach4 but well sorted and as near a turn key solution as you'll get for that sort of money. Another alternative is LinuxCNC that runs on a PC with a special Linux operating system,
its free and open source. There is a range of Mesa boards that go with it in the range of $200USD-$500USD. LinuxCNC favors those people whom can program and so may or may not be a challenge,
but it is a highly usable and flexible CNC solution.

There are yet other solutions, mainly focussed on the 3D printer market, which can be used for CNC also, GRBL is one such. It runs on an Arduino style board so is pretty cheap.
I personally regard them a little bit like 'toys', but maybe I'm biased, in fact I am biased!! Either way it would be worth your while to do some research on those style of boards, its costs
nothing to look.

Remember to post details about the servos and drives. All of the solutions I've listed are Step/Dir types, if your servo drives are of that type all well and good. If not then there's no sense in
wasting your time on any of them.

Craig

[xyz-cnc]

Hey Craig

Thanks very much for your input.

The Panasonic drives are mcddt3520. From memory they can use analog velocity & torque, along with stop/dir pulse input, so any controller should work.

I am well aware of the options you mentioned, and have installed and used most of them except LinuxCNC/Mesa combo. I have heard many good things about it and would like to try it out at some stage, but sadly I have no experience with code and no time to learn as he wants this machine up and running ASAP

This is a large industrial machine that will be used in a production environment so I need a rock solid reliable solution that is also easy to use.
I was leaning towards a standalone controller rather than a PC based solution. I have been recommended a Taiwanese LNC MW2200 controller as well as a Syntec 60W-E, but I'm having a hard time getting any useful documentation for them.
I think I would prefer the LNC, I believe it is Linux based but afaik doesn't requires any coding. It also uses a large touchscreen/keyboard/mouse and is easy to control.

However reading your post got me thinking - I do have a UC300ETH ethernet motion controller, along with a UCBB dual port breakout board. It has 16 outputs and 18 inputs.and I think I could install another one to double that, which should be well and truly enough to control everything. They have good documentation as well so I may consider going this route. A few years ago I built a machine that used a UC300ETH-UB1 breakout board so I have some experience with it. Another benefit is this will be considerably cheaper as the quote for the LNC was over AU$5k

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

However reading your post got me thinking - I do have a UC300ETH ethernet motion controller, along with a UCBB dual port breakout board. It has 16 outputs and 18 inputs.and I think I could install another one to double that, which should be well and truly enough to control everything. They have good documentation as well so I may consider going this route. A few years ago I built a machine that used a UC300ETH-UB1 breakout board so I have some experience with it. Another benefit is this will be considerably cheaper as the quote for the LNC was over AU$5k

I'm sorry I don't really know much about standalone controllers, although they all seem to cost plenty, especially once you get away from the bargain basement Chinese stuff.

I go along with your notion of a UC300 and either Mach or UCCNC. It's fast, readily available, you already have the familiarity and its cheap. Get the machine going and then see if the customer is
willing to step up to Fanuc or Siemens....in the meantime the machine is earning money even if it is less than optimum. Nothing like a machine that's already earning money getting favourable consideration
when thinking about further upgrades!

Craig