Photo Ajax Retrofits from OZ

[Lesh]

G'day from OZ

I have been installing Ajax controllers on Manual Vertical / Horizontal Lathes, Mills and Overbridge Planer/Mills in our own workshop over the past 4 years at the lowest cost possible using Ajax equipmet. I have attached a photo of the first machine we fitted. Last week, I installed a replacement Controller only because the computer itself was getting long in the tooth. The replacement controller was fitted and operation within 24 hours with the assistance of Drew from Ajax who sorted out a couple of parameters overnight via email.

We use AC squirrel cage motors through inverters for servo motors (a first I think). I have now purchased a Planer Mill with 9 meter X axis by 4.4 meter Y axis and 3 meter z axis travel. The bridge carries two slides so I am going to set up one slide with a mill spindle controlled by 3 axis Ajax and the other slide with a z axis slide for turning controlled by a lathe 2 axis Ajax controller. ( we have a portable 3 meter turning table for vertical boring on the mill table.)

I don't know of any other ajax customers here in Australia, but I would welcome discussion with anyone down here who is game enough to take on the challenge of retrofitting.

[cnckeith]

wow impressive machine! post some more photo if you get a chance, what make and model is that one? and what old control did it have on it before the retrofit? did you reuse servos or install new?

very nice!

[Lesh]

Thanks CNCKeith,

The machine is a 1943 Noble & Lund Planer converted by us to CNC in 2003. The servo motors for x and y are 13kw and 4.5 kw AC standard 3 phase motors with encoders mounted on the motor. Z axis is a 40 inch pound DC Ajax supplied motor. Originaly we had an earlier centroid control but the server was different than that of the other machines so we ditched it for an Ajax control last week. Thank you for the comments.

Lesh

[Al_The_Man]

Who's inverters did you use?
Al.

[Lesh]

Invertek. But I would only recomend using the AC motors on a large machine as they tend to get the jitters when idling. Takes a bit more than jitters to move a big table