NC Cams
07-16-2006, 12:33 PM
With the gracious help of several CNCZone members, I was able to get hold of a lot of info about the BPT VMC's and Expaths and Eztraks for another project I was working on. To those who helped/contributed, THANKS!!!!
What interests me is that if came to realize that the BMDC I have in my Eztrak is a "good" one - as in one that is populated with the chips needed to do 3 and perhaps 4 axis machining.
I dunno if the PROMS are flashed with the right codes needed for VMC use but that shouldn't be hard to have taken care of.
So I get this idea while looking at the wiring diagrams: how hard would it be to add a 4th axis (rotation in my case) to my 2.5 axis machine to turn it into a 3 or 4 axis machine??? (wedge)
Simpy add an Elrod drive to the Z and bolt on a rotary table, add a servo amp for the table and do some interface wiring. Pure oversimpification but the interface boards seem to be populated as need be and they only need harnesses plugged in, software added and ....
Research shows that the BMDC card I have should support the process if I added the 4th drive and wiring. But, Extrak doesn't do 4 axis you say. Yes, it doesn't. But the mid/late 90's VMC's do.
And they used the EXACT same PC based DX32 controller, the EXACT BMDC card and, asside from different MAKES and servo types (AC instead of DC), the control scheme is essentially the same and it wouldn't/shouldn't take wholesale changes to add the 4th axis. The 2.5D version Eztrak I have is essentialy a stripped down, lite duty VMC"s without the high buck features and mechanical robustness of the VMC.
For light duty stuff like I want to do, however, it would/could be perfect and a fraction of the cost of a new VMC.
Here's what I"m looking for help in obtaining:
1. A VMC system install/re-install disk with the DOS O/S for a PC based DX32 VMC controller. Preferrably one with a full feature set (IE: 4th axis capable and amy other whistles and bells). It is easier to be looking at the capability than looking for it.
2. PDF's of the progarmming and owner's manuals or whatever else I can get for the VMC's. I have most of the critical VMC wiring diagrams already but lack the word pictures needed to fill in some blanks.
This may NOT pan out as a viable DIY project as it could run into unknown roadblocks.
However, we've already gotten our 'Trak to do some strange things everyone said it couldn't do - what would make us think that we couldn't do a 4th axis converson???
Imagine, set up a dual boot H/D so you could load Trak when you needed to Trak something or load VMC if you need to do fancy, 3 axis CNC stuff...
Who says you need a Windows controller???
BTW, the same BMDC (perhaps populated with different PROMS) will run a EzPath lathe, EzSurf grinder, EzTrak mill and a VMC. Pretty versatile DOS based piece, HUH???
Should this pan out, I'll advise of the progress - who knows, there might be a new market for recycling orphan technology mills with dead DX32 controllers fitted with BMDC cards.
Even if it doesn't pan out, I'll know more about CNC's after this new fiasco than I do now...
Thanks for your support....
What interests me is that if came to realize that the BMDC I have in my Eztrak is a "good" one - as in one that is populated with the chips needed to do 3 and perhaps 4 axis machining.
I dunno if the PROMS are flashed with the right codes needed for VMC use but that shouldn't be hard to have taken care of.
So I get this idea while looking at the wiring diagrams: how hard would it be to add a 4th axis (rotation in my case) to my 2.5 axis machine to turn it into a 3 or 4 axis machine??? (wedge)
Simpy add an Elrod drive to the Z and bolt on a rotary table, add a servo amp for the table and do some interface wiring. Pure oversimpification but the interface boards seem to be populated as need be and they only need harnesses plugged in, software added and ....
Research shows that the BMDC card I have should support the process if I added the 4th drive and wiring. But, Extrak doesn't do 4 axis you say. Yes, it doesn't. But the mid/late 90's VMC's do.
And they used the EXACT same PC based DX32 controller, the EXACT BMDC card and, asside from different MAKES and servo types (AC instead of DC), the control scheme is essentially the same and it wouldn't/shouldn't take wholesale changes to add the 4th axis. The 2.5D version Eztrak I have is essentialy a stripped down, lite duty VMC"s without the high buck features and mechanical robustness of the VMC.
For light duty stuff like I want to do, however, it would/could be perfect and a fraction of the cost of a new VMC.
Here's what I"m looking for help in obtaining:
1. A VMC system install/re-install disk with the DOS O/S for a PC based DX32 VMC controller. Preferrably one with a full feature set (IE: 4th axis capable and amy other whistles and bells). It is easier to be looking at the capability than looking for it.
2. PDF's of the progarmming and owner's manuals or whatever else I can get for the VMC's. I have most of the critical VMC wiring diagrams already but lack the word pictures needed to fill in some blanks.
This may NOT pan out as a viable DIY project as it could run into unknown roadblocks.
However, we've already gotten our 'Trak to do some strange things everyone said it couldn't do - what would make us think that we couldn't do a 4th axis converson???
Imagine, set up a dual boot H/D so you could load Trak when you needed to Trak something or load VMC if you need to do fancy, 3 axis CNC stuff...
Who says you need a Windows controller???
BTW, the same BMDC (perhaps populated with different PROMS) will run a EzPath lathe, EzSurf grinder, EzTrak mill and a VMC. Pretty versatile DOS based piece, HUH???
Should this pan out, I'll advise of the progress - who knows, there might be a new market for recycling orphan technology mills with dead DX32 controllers fitted with BMDC cards.
Even if it doesn't pan out, I'll know more about CNC's after this new fiasco than I do now...
Thanks for your support....