Al:
I have 3 fully functional Fanuc 5T's. The ONLY reason I want to update is because of the flakey wiring that is 30 years old. Latent corrosion and loose connectors results in something NOT going ready every so often. Simple case of illness and fatigue (I'm sick and tired of dealing with flakey old TTL level controls that have to be sent halfway across the country for affordable but good service or troubleshooting a loose wire burried someplace).
I simply can't afford to have a turn key retrofitter do the work due to the shape/performance of my current business model. I simply figured that in lieu of the explosive growth of DIY cnc, a PC based system would be bolt-on able. Sadly that doesn't seem to be the case.
In my case, I have a fully built/developed and engineered CNC with encoders, spindle drive, everything - only tired/dated electronics. Technically I have identified and can access EVERY single signal that a controller needs to run in full CNC mode - the darn lathes already do it only with 30 year old controllers. You'd think that one could remove the old control, rehook the appropriate signals/power lines and refire the thing after some minor tweaking.
I have 2 axis worth of properly sized and functional DC servos (Model 0, 90vdc, 12 amp) with 2000 count encoders and matched power transformers - nothing wierd or trick as current technology goes. I have a 10hp DC spindle drive that only needs 0-10v speed and proper relay applied logic (proper M code to trigger existing relay bands) for direction to make it run. Nothing at all trick or special. I can make it run manually with jumper wires.
Yet, when I talk to these "bolt in DIY retrofitters" who claim to offer complete canned cycles for Hardinge and Fanuc lathes, I get:
"...your servos won't work...you need ours...",
"... you'll have to write software...." (what am I paying you for???) and
"...your motor and servo are special matched won't work with our servo amps" (having reverse engineered several servo amps and studied the DC drives till I'm blue in the face, I know such statements are categorically B/S - when you get obvious B/S fed to you, would YOU trust the vendor????).
Maybe a purchasing agent will buy that line but a degreed engineer who knows about mechanical and electical interfacing isn't going to buy such B/S.
Then I get/see comments about these "lathe retrofits" as being nothing more than mill controls that are fitted to lathes but that is NOT quite what goes on (Thanks to those who responded - I really appreciate your candor!!!).
Several members reported that service support for simple stuff was poor or non-existant. Threading doesn't work, jogs are backwards, months of e-mail exchanges with tech depts that are exercises in futility, etc. Hmmm. Really makes you want to do business with them?!?!?!
Heck, I even had the high end MDSI guys in (they are based in my town) and the first words out of their mouth is "you'll have to write software" - spend $3K plus for their box and their "software" and then you have to write more. Sorry, no. I make cams, YOU make software and if you've done it before, it shouldn't have to be done from scratch as if this was the first time you ever saw a CNC lathe.
The reason why Microsoft got SO big was that (even as bad as they are), their software AT LEAST did the basics and did it well enough to satisfy the 90 percentile of the market when the average guy who threw it at his machine. How difficult can that be to an experienced programmer who supposedly has done it before with other comparable retrofits?????
I'd contend that the CNC guys who sell DIY retrofit kits would do as well as Bill Gates and Co. when/if they made software/kits that did simple turning, spacing and threading (while looking for limits and home switches) which is ALL I'm looking to do.
Haven't found any that fit that description yet and there doesn't seem to be any affordable candidates emerging... Looks like its time to go back to romancing the Fanucs some more.  |