0T panel , as in Fanuc 0T. Possibly the *easiest* to integrate. May need new generation ladder logic- but that's pretty simple as you said the IO is quite basic. Spindle,coolant, probably turret indexing, etc.
Also a Yaskawa control may also interface pretty well. If you get a real lathe controller with an installed base of millions of units, the software issues disappear.
$2-4k seems like a really really tight budget. I doubt there is a commercial solution in that range. Try the Linux / EMC control software for starters, roll your own step/dir hardware (geckos?) and be ready to write a lot of code. It's a solid platform that I run on a mill, but when last I checked it was lacking spindle encoder feedback and lathe cycles. The motion code is pretty solid, and the I/Os are good. |