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Retro advice needed on Hurco mill

That sucks about the Siemens control. Sounded like a great price. I would still give Milltronics a call. Good control, good prices, and you dont have to pay extra for stuff like rigid tap.
 
That sucks about the Siemens control. Sounded like a great price.

Macona,

Yeah, that is aggravating. At least I found out before buying it and having trouble.:(

I'll contact Milltronics, and see what they have to say.


JAckal:cheers:
 
Macona,

DO you have a place to contact about the Milltronics control?

I called one of the numbers from their website and they said " We have professional installers that do that. Other wise you'll need to buy the whole setup (machine? )from us.":confused::confused::confused:

JAckal:cheers:
 
Jackal seems a strange setup with Milltronics.How did Macona get prices for the kit and yet they`re telling you it has to be bought from and fitted by one of their retrofitters.
Have I read this wrong?

Mark.
 
After all the cheap retro talk that I hear here, I stopped and talked to Seimens at The Show. I am not sure what the reality is of the 802 as that wouldn't touch my app, but the final ballpark price on the 840 is a true :eek: :crazy:
Faint.gif



They are claiming a new "retrofit" control comming out Jan1.



-----------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox


I just started looking through the Sept MMS mag the other day and ran accrost an ad from Seimens for the 828. It shows that it the 828 would be at the show.

I stopped at the booth at the show and the guy there told me that I wanted the 828 for my app, and that would be out the first of the yr.

There was no 828 at the show.*


I couldn't find my way into the PDF for the Zeptember issue of MMS for the ad, but here is this:

http://www.mmsonline.com/suppliers/siemensp/HOME


But this is more than you need for your 3 axis. I'm just passing semi-relivent info along.


*Not that looking at one there would have been any different than just talking about it...

-----------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
Mark,

Back in post #19 macona said:

I would talk to Milltronics and get a refurbed Centurion 7 control It will work with your existing servos and be so, so much better than mach. If I had to do my retrofit all over again there is no chance in hell I would go with mach. Rigid tap for one reason.
I was thinking maybe he had a source for refurbished controllers:confused::confused:



Ox,
That would be nice if they had a simpler control for 3 axis knee mills.

The only one that is simple enough for a 3 ax knee mill & complete is the Centroid

Centroid M-400 CNC Control retrofit m400 m39 - eBay (item 230396818116 end time Nov-02-10 09:19:38 PDT)

For $11,685.00:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Ajax has almost the same thing, but buy my the time you add the options you are at $6,000 + and no support to speak of.

Most of the help comes from their forum. Hurco Scott doesn't really have the time to help, and forum members are figuring it out as they go.

Not a lot of archived info for a system that has been de-bugged on a forum that is only 6 months old.

Looks like mach 3 and Vipers. I have about 3 people that can give info on the same system. There is a guy on CNC zone that has my exact mill, servos, and set-up. He's been running it for about 2 years. He told me that he would e-mail me the parameters and settings if I needed them. Haven't heard from him in about a month though.

I let you know when the wires start cutting.:D

JAckal :cheers:
 
It would be nice if he had a good source that had those for $2000 to $3000.

Maybe he'll chime in here with one.

I'm ready to retrofit. If I don't start, and GET ER DONE, the machine will set until I lose interest. Plus, all of my help and advisers, will have drifted away. :D

Then, 25 years from now I'll be saying to myself "What does CNC spell?":eek::codger::wall:


JAckal:cheers:
 
Ajax has almost the same thing, but buy my the time you add the options you are at $6,000 + and no support to speak of.

:

What options?
I am wiring up their $1295 setup and I see NO extra items to purchase from them. My servos/encoders wire right to their driver board. My computer connects via ethernet to the PLC board.
You can purchase their pendant for extra or wire your own. You will need to make a pendant if you want one or purchase an aftermarket one and wire it in. You need a power supply for what you are doing anyway. I am not following this one.
You can get the Centroid software instead of running mach if you want for $500 extra. Not bad.
How do you get to $6k?
 
Their $1295 set-up jumped to $1495.

Here is a link to their options such as: unlimited file size, DXF import,Coordinate rotation,rigid tapping ,etc. They did start including: Spindle function & (sub-program & macro) since I first looked at them back in June.

Here is a link:
AjaxCNC Accessories: Digitizing, Rigid Tapping, Auto Tool Measure, and More!




Here is another link to what Ajax Scott stated in a forum:

AjaxCNC Support Forum • View topic - Want to convert a Hurco KM3P to Ajax

Hi JC,

The latest software will run in Linuix or Windows but I'd run the Centroid software in Windows -Like or not, Windows works. It works with ALL the PC hardware out there now and will work with ALL the hardware that comes out in the future. If went went to Newegg and went eeny-meeny-minie-moe and bought a motherboard or graphics card tomorrow - it's going to work in any Windows from XP to Win7 32 or 64bit. period. I like Linux too.. but you simply can't say that about Linux.

As for your spindle... hard to say. What kind of work do you do? If you do alot of low speed "hogging" you may want to consider keeping the mechanical vary-speed because it offers a mechanical advantage at low spindle RPM. If you do mostly 750rpm+ aluminum etc... I'd probably go with the VFD and use the back gear (does it have one?) for low rpm stuff.

Some of the standard features that the $500 Centroid software includes:

Intercon conversational programming - Everything you see in the demo is standard
4MB Standard file size
G54-G59 WCS (6)
Sub Programs and Macros
Programmable spindle speed (12bit 0-10VDC output)

What it doesn't include:
The probe ($1160.00) or digitizing software ($3000.00)
The Tool touch off post ($505.00)
Unlimited file size ($495)
Extended WCS (12 more for $275)
BCD Toolchange for ATC's ($250)

ajaxscott Posts: 252Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:03 pm
Although you wouldn't need the probe or digitizing, you could really add up the options. Especially if you started buying their encoders, etc.




I like the option of purchasing an extra drive @ $200, to keep a spare on the shelf. On the Ajax you can't buy just a drive. You have to purchase the whole DC310B for $1325.

As quoted by Ajax tech:

Yes you can purchase a spare DC3IOB. The cost of a spare drive is $1325.
Here is the link:

AjaxCNC Support Forum • View topic - Can you buy a spare Ajax servo
drive ?


If you were to buy their encoders at $155 each + $739 for the pendant.

Power supplies are around $465 on up. Plus other things.

AjaxCNC Components: Operator Controls, Servo Motors, Encoders, Rotary Tables, Power Supplies, Contactors, and more!


Keep us posted, as I'm always interested in turn key operations.


JAckal:cheers:
 
I think it is great that they even offer these options.
If you are just putting together a Mach system using Viper drives, you are not getting any of these options anyway.
You don't need to buy THEIR encoders.
You don't need to buy THEIR pendant.
You don't need to buy THEIR power supply.

These are items that you are going to purchase no matter what...Unless you purchase a turn key system. I like the fact that AJAX sells you only as much as you want.
I am supplying my own encoders (built in my Baldor servos), power supply and pendant among other things.

As for spare drives, they will service the IO board for $400. They will send you a replacement right away, you send your old one back when you swap boards. You can also get single axis drives for $400 each. I purchased 2 of these to run my A axis and one to run the knee for doing TLO's.
I see nothing bad in the AJAX system provided their Mach interface works seamlessly.

I run a Series 1 with Gecko's and Baldor servos. I have never had an issue with Mach, but I have had other minor hardware oriented issues. If I keep my rapids down, it always works fine.
 
Polar,

Tell me more about that series1 b'port. How do you like the Geckos? Are the Baldor servos factory on the mill?

Also, how hard was it to tune the Geckos?

Thanks,
JAckal:cheers:
 
The baldors I picked up surplus for cheap. Like $800 each IF I purchased them factory new.
One reason I went with AJAX on the big machine now is because I had some of the DC motors left.
Geckos are tough and reliable. Tuning them turned out to be just a trial and error affair for me. My biggest problem with the whole setup is that the Gecko's give a following error fault when my rapids go too high. I backed off to 80 IPM and all runs fine. I just never spent the time to figure out what the problem is. I assume noise somewhere, but once I started to make parts....that was the end of progress for this machine. I use the PP and run it through a Campbell BOB. Can't say I have had a Mach specific issue. Seems all errors I can attribute to yours truly.

If I did not have the DC motors I think I would have gone for the Teco AC motors and drives available from Mach Motion. About $600 per axis is a bargain. They take step/direction and have an extended shaft. They also sell for 10 bucks a NEMA 42 adapter plate. Basically, just bolt on for a BP mill.
 
I'm going to use a Campbell BOB, too. Mine already has the DC servos on it.

AC servos is the way to go for the ultimate. That is what Hood is using.

If this retro goes good, there is a Wells Index CNC, about 30 miles away. I could get it real cheap and..................:crazy::willy_nilly::rolleyes5::nutter:

First, I have to see how this turns out. It may be so much trouble, that I'll never mess with CNC again.


JAckal:cheers:
 








 
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