Upgrading TRIAC PC Mill
Posted: Fri 26 Apr , 2013 13:21 pm
Dear Gents,
Once again another Newbie enters the fold with a few questions (“Oh no” I hear you cry!).
I have recently acquired a Denford Triac PC Mill (in nice condition) which is basically up and running OK. Its credentials are:
Serial No: EO4177
Date: Nov 1992
Electronics Serial No: 823
Software: FANUC Om (DOS controlled by FANUCMD.exe)
It works fine in 2D but I am having a few issues now that I’m trying to move to 3D. 1) I have already reached the practical program size limit of about 58K which is already too small (and even if I upgraded the memory to the maximum of 128K, it will not be enough). 2) The DOS operating system is very clunky. 3) The system is also exhibiting some operational quirks which cause the software to completely bomb out occasionally – back into DOS giving Error No: 128. [This will be the subject of a second query to this Forum a bit later].
Presently I am therefore considering to upgrade the control system to get rid of all these problems. Reading the Forums extensively I see that going to Mach3 or LinuxCNC is a popular route and seems to be a good way to go. So I am left with a number of questions.
1) Do I really need to upgrade the hardware also (for instance with diycnc.co.uk System4 kits or the other Chinese equivalents), as the existing controllers are currently functioning OK in my machine?
2) If I don’t upgrade the controllers – I need to know how to connect say a USB or parallel port Mach3 interface board to the existing Stepper controllers and the Spindle drive. Can anyone out there give me a “definitive connection diagram” to do this (assuming the output of the port controller signals are directly compatible with the inputs to the existing machine controllers)? I have the machine manual but it only gives basic wiring diagrams rather than functional circuit diagrams and signal paths. I would imagine that all the signals I need must terminate in the EuroRack somewhere - so a list of which they are and their function would be a great start.
[I note that this subject has appeared many times on the Forum and I have followed up all leads I can – but nowhere can I find all the info necessary in an understandable form].
3) If the inputs are not directly compatible, can any one give me the signal levels and polarity required by the Denford Board controllers so that I can construct an interface (e.g. TTL active Low etc).
4) Can the existing stepper motors be driven in microsteps to increase resolution or does this require a different stepper control board (and possibly replacement of the motors themselves)?
5) Does the Denford spindle drive work from a standard 0-10V analogue input signal?
It may be that the collective wisdom is that I should upgrade the Denford control motors/boards also. This raises a few more queries:
1) Should I change the motors or just the control boards (also see (4) above).
2) The existing axis motors have (according to the Denford manual) an “undefined type of” torque rating of 7Nm. Most after market upgrade kits (e.g. diycnc.co.uk) offer the NEMA 23 stepper motor as their recommended upgrade component which has a “holding torque” of 3.1Nm. Is this even the important parameter? Is it compatible?? Does anyone have these motors running on a TRIAC – if so are you using the triple-stack Hi-Torque version? What stepper power supply voltage/current are you using? (By the way, in case it helps to visualize the load, I aim to use my mill to create metal molds for carbon fibre components machined from Dural (aluminium) stock).
I realize that I have asked a lot of questions – and many users will have faced the same dilemma before. (There are many threads in the forums which I have studied – but many are difficult to backtrack very far). I would be glad of your feedback and experiences – particularly in the light of more up to date upgrade items that must now be available.
My thanks in advance.
Once again another Newbie enters the fold with a few questions (“Oh no” I hear you cry!).
I have recently acquired a Denford Triac PC Mill (in nice condition) which is basically up and running OK. Its credentials are:
Serial No: EO4177
Date: Nov 1992
Electronics Serial No: 823
Software: FANUC Om (DOS controlled by FANUCMD.exe)
It works fine in 2D but I am having a few issues now that I’m trying to move to 3D. 1) I have already reached the practical program size limit of about 58K which is already too small (and even if I upgraded the memory to the maximum of 128K, it will not be enough). 2) The DOS operating system is very clunky. 3) The system is also exhibiting some operational quirks which cause the software to completely bomb out occasionally – back into DOS giving Error No: 128. [This will be the subject of a second query to this Forum a bit later].
Presently I am therefore considering to upgrade the control system to get rid of all these problems. Reading the Forums extensively I see that going to Mach3 or LinuxCNC is a popular route and seems to be a good way to go. So I am left with a number of questions.
1) Do I really need to upgrade the hardware also (for instance with diycnc.co.uk System4 kits or the other Chinese equivalents), as the existing controllers are currently functioning OK in my machine?
2) If I don’t upgrade the controllers – I need to know how to connect say a USB or parallel port Mach3 interface board to the existing Stepper controllers and the Spindle drive. Can anyone out there give me a “definitive connection diagram” to do this (assuming the output of the port controller signals are directly compatible with the inputs to the existing machine controllers)? I have the machine manual but it only gives basic wiring diagrams rather than functional circuit diagrams and signal paths. I would imagine that all the signals I need must terminate in the EuroRack somewhere - so a list of which they are and their function would be a great start.
[I note that this subject has appeared many times on the Forum and I have followed up all leads I can – but nowhere can I find all the info necessary in an understandable form].
3) If the inputs are not directly compatible, can any one give me the signal levels and polarity required by the Denford Board controllers so that I can construct an interface (e.g. TTL active Low etc).
4) Can the existing stepper motors be driven in microsteps to increase resolution or does this require a different stepper control board (and possibly replacement of the motors themselves)?
5) Does the Denford spindle drive work from a standard 0-10V analogue input signal?
It may be that the collective wisdom is that I should upgrade the Denford control motors/boards also. This raises a few more queries:
1) Should I change the motors or just the control boards (also see (4) above).
2) The existing axis motors have (according to the Denford manual) an “undefined type of” torque rating of 7Nm. Most after market upgrade kits (e.g. diycnc.co.uk) offer the NEMA 23 stepper motor as their recommended upgrade component which has a “holding torque” of 3.1Nm. Is this even the important parameter? Is it compatible?? Does anyone have these motors running on a TRIAC – if so are you using the triple-stack Hi-Torque version? What stepper power supply voltage/current are you using? (By the way, in case it helps to visualize the load, I aim to use my mill to create metal molds for carbon fibre components machined from Dural (aluminium) stock).
I realize that I have asked a lot of questions – and many users will have faced the same dilemma before. (There are many threads in the forums which I have studied – but many are difficult to backtrack very far). I would be glad of your feedback and experiences – particularly in the light of more up to date upgrade items that must now be available.
My thanks in advance.