My setup

[Aftershock]

I have purchased 2 Ajax kits. 1 has been up and running for several years, since 2005 I think. The other one was bought late 2007, but I stopped working on until recently. We also have an old CPU7 based Centroid system that doesn't work and I would like to get working again someday.

The first retrofit was on a Lagun mill that had a Dynapath 10 controller on it originally. We started removing components one at a time then realized there would be so little left of the original components in the electrical box, we just pulled everything out then put back what was needed. Our 3-phase power runs off a rotary phase converter. Rather than running through that, all 110 components run off a separate 110 circuit. It would be nice to get a 110/83 transformer so the servo motors work without the 3 phase power. Then I could set a job up without the converter running. We wired the original momentary power on button of the mill in parallel to the PC's momentary switch. The PLC has had it's own power switch, but I am replacing with a 110 contactor powered by a relay in turn powered by one of the PC's hard drive power connectors. So the PLC will be turned on when the PC fires up and off when choosing shut down from the software. Being the original mill did not have programmable reverse, it did not occur to me until after up and running that all it required was an additional contactor. I yet to have a job where I needed it though or I would have put it in.

The current project is a Cincinnati Millicron 5VC bed mill. It has a 5HP spindle motor and a 24 tool arm style ATC. What was a bummer was after buying the kit was realizing the mill has 220 volt servo motors. Reading some of the numbers on them though leads me to believe max RPM is achieved at 160 volts. I am told I can run 130 through the Ajax so about a 20% reduction in rapid speed. I bought a variable output transformer so that I can adjust the cap and bridge input to get DC power to 130. The transformer input can be 110 so the servos will work without 3-phase. We'll switch out the hydraulic pump motor to single phase too so the tool changer will work as well. Actually after hearing the pump run for the first time in years last weekend, I really wish I could put it in another room. Although I could have hooked into the original Fanuc spindle drive, I replaced it with one from Automation Direct along with a new spindle encoder. The tool changer uses proximity sensors which require 24 volts. Since the PLC has 5 volt inputs, I have to put relays on all the inputs. The relays are on order.

I just picked up a couple compact flash cards and downloaded the ISOs to set them up with the new version software. The Lagun is on 1 dot something and even the other one has the older Linux version requiring the new install versus an update. I also picked up a new card reader since it looks like the older one won't handle the 2GB cards I bought. I may have to upgrade that PC as well. I can't recall the specs off hand so it might be below the requirements of the latest version.

A few things made on the Lagun:
Billet Aluminum Intake Manifold [Honda 350 Odyssey and 400 Pilot] : Aftershock Motorsports
Water Cooled Head [Honda FL350 Odyssey] : Aftershock Motorsports
http://aftershockmotorsports.com/ima...nt_bracket.jpg

[cncsnw]

The tool changer uses proximity sensors which require 24 volts. Since the PLC has 5 volt inputs, I have to put relays on all the inputs.

Is this an older SERVO3IO system, then? If you have a DC3IO or DC3IOB, then you can set the 12 auxiliary inputs to use 24VDC sensors, in either a sourcing or sinking configuration. Be sure to remove the jumpers so you do not feed your external 24VDC onto the on-board 5VDC supply, and change out the three SIP resistors for 2.2K units if they are not that type already.

[Aftershock]

I guess that was an answer to a question I didn't know to ask. Thanks. The output is labeled as 5V so I assumed that was all it could do. I clarified what you were saying by looking at page 4 of this: http://ajaxcnc.com/tech/downloads/ma...all/DC3MAN.pdf

I'll do it that way for less components.

[Aftershock]

I guess I must have an old one because the jumpers do not exist.

[cncsnw]

You are right, there was a first generation DC3IO (rev 042304) on which the auxiliary inputs were hard wired for 5VDC. The second generation DC3IO (rev 040914) introduced configurable inputs.

You could inquire about trading up, but it would probably not be worth the expense.

[Aftershock]

I already bought 24v relays to send 5v to the inputs so I will just do it that way.

Back when I bought the setup, I was told pre-sales that it would support my arm style ATC. When I got it, it would only do an umbrella type. I was working with support to get an arm type setup before putting the project on the back burner for a while. I just created a new flash card with the latest software which I was told now supports an ARM style ATC. The wiring diagrams are all for the umbrella type though. Some should be an obvious translation like tool clamped. Arm extended and retracted don't though.

[Aftershock]

I found the jumpers, I was thrown off by looking at the documentation for the latest revision. The issue I have now is that there is not enough inputs for the ATC.

[cncsnw]

Are there any of the 5V inputs on H13 and H14 that you don't need for their "usual" purposes? For example, rotary table clamp acknowledge, spindle high/low range switch, rotary axis home switch, etc.?

What are all the inputs on your tool changer?

[Aftershock]

There are some unused, but still far too few. I can also hardware some of the switches to relays in series with the outputs.

Carousel count, carousel at tool 1, arm up, arm down, arm in, arm out, arm at carousel, arm at spindle, tool clamped, shot pin in, shot pin out and 2 more I can't think of off hand.

I replaced the spindle drive and will have encoder feedback so I can possibly drop the shot pin. I can wire arm in to prevent moving back and forth unless in. I'll still be short though.

[cncsnw]

That does not sound like the type of arm-type tool changer found on Taiwanese commodity machines these days (one double-ended arm driven through the whole exchange sequence by a single AC motor).

The people at Ajax probably neglected to ask detailed questions about how your tool changer sequence worked, before telling you that the control would support "an arm-type tool changer".

It could be done with the newer hardware (MPU11, DC3IOB, PLCADD1616); or it could be done with your existing hardware and a 3rd-party PLC (e.g. DL105 from Automation Direct), where the Centroid PLC sends a tool-exchange request to the external PLC, and the external PLC handles all the arm sequencing and just reports back either completion or failure.

[Aftershock]

A separate PLC is a good idea. I just ordered one of the click ones, extra input board and extra output board for a total of 16/14. I figure I will maintain the tool count in the Ajax setup. I'll program a fetch tool and a return tool in the Click PLC. I also ordered a touchscreen to control the individual steps for tool setup and for fixing when things go wrong.