This is probably a dumb (and possibly already answered, but I couldn't find it through the search function) question, but when ordering a new Haas VMC, it gives you the option for "4th-Axis Drive and Wiring only, for brushless-type rotary tables"

When you purchase a new rotary table from Haas, is the above included? Or do you have to get the option with your machine?

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

This is probably a dumb (and possibly already answered, but I couldn't find it through the search function) question, but when ordering a new Haas VMC, it gives you the option for "4th-Axis Drive and Wiring only, for brushless-type rotary tables"

When you purchase a new rotary table from Haas, is the above included? Or do you have to get the option with your machine?

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

When you purchase the rotary table the "4th-Axis Drive and Wiring only, for brushless-type rotary tables" is not included because that is a machine option.

I think it is possible to get this option retrofitted to your machine of you do not have it but I could be wrong.

You can get a control module from Haas that runs from a serial port on the machine. This certainly gives you indexing capability but I do not know if it is capable of full 4th axis operation.

If you just want indexing Haas has a new rotary unit that runs from the user M-Fin output and gives indexing down to 15 degrees.

Whatever way you go make sure you have it straight regarding brushed or brushless rotaries. New machines from Haas now are only brushless 4th axis and if you have or get a brushed rotary you need a converter box.

rotary table is separate from the drive. you must purchase the drive and have it installed then purchase the rotary and configure the machine for that model. figure at least 10K$ for most machines.
joe v

I would recommend installing the option yourself. Very easy and comes with good instructions. When it comes to buying a table you can run a brush or brushless table but to run a brush one requires a $995 conversion box. This is plug and play.

Sort of related to the inquiry but this question could be considered as a semi-thread hijack:

Let's say that I find a use DC brush type 4th axis Haas drive (HT160??? or something like that) that has the cable fitted so you can simply plug it into a Haas VMC fitted with 4th axis drive capability.

Only in this case, I want to adapt it to something else, acutally a V2XT Bridgeport. Does any one have the pinouts handy for the neat Haas Mil spec cable that goes to the rotary table???

Intent would be to make a jumper to go from the Haas pinouts to the Mil connector pinouts on my 4th axis ready machine so as not to have to hack up the OEM cable.

I need/hope to find + & - drive voltage wires (105 or do vdc would be optimum) to the DC motor, 2 Tach feedback wires, home and brake engaged signals, and finally A+, A-, B=, B-, I+ and I- from the encoder and a case ground. Anywayt, these are what I need for my adaptation but any other signals might be useable/adaptable.

Anyone else done any 4th axis adaptations of this genre????

We now give our humble and sincere thanks and return you to our normal programming.....

hi i've got a haas mill and would like to adapt an existing rotary to the machine.the control has the 4 th axis wired in.any leads as where i can get the proper brushless motor which will work with the haas control?

heartlnd@rivernet.com.au

thanks jens

Somewhat related question to my original post--Is it worth buying the $1039 6" 3 jaw chuck Haas offers as an option with the HRT160?

It would seem that one could purchase a good chuck elsewhere for ~1/2 that price. Is there something special about the Haas chuck?

Somewhat related question to my original post--Is it worth buying the $1039 6" 3 jaw chuck Haas offers as an option with the HRT160?

It would seem that one could purchase a good chuck elsewhere for ~1/2 that price. Is there something special about the Haas chuck?

That seems a lot for a chuck but I would guess it already is fitted up to bolt easily onto the rotary faceplate. If you buy a different chuck you may have to make your own adapter plate and everything which could be a pain.

I've got the Haas chuck with a 160 rotary table. It's not a bad chuck. It comes with an adaptor plate, bolts, and t-nuts, so it's pretty much a plug and play deal. It's a set true type of chuck and it has top mount style of jaws so you can flip them or use a soft jaw. I got the tailstock too for the longer jobs. The salesman nocked a few bucks off the total for buying everything together.

I put a regular lathe chuck onto a TRT160 once. It was an adventure let me tell you that. Haas does show some mounting plates that random goodies in their rotary products catalog. Look there first and maybe you can buy something to fit an existing chuck. I had a spare chuck which was meant for a lathe. I remachined the back of it to make it work. It was a bear to indicate and it will be a monster to take it back off if I have to since it all bolts together from the back. I would recommend planning this allot better than I did. I was in a jam and I had nothing else. I settled for the fact that it was .004 out of round which was acceptable for the job. I just let it ride and got the parts done in time.
Phil

Hey HFOSM,
If one orders the 4th axis drive and wiring after machine installation does the option cost more than the listed price on th site? The way I understand it is that alot of those prices are "installed at the time of build".

NC Cams
I dont know about the brushless rotory, but the the brush type is quite easy,
you dont need to hack up the haas cable to find the pinouts, just ohm out from the connector inside the rotory cover.
I replaced the encoder in my HRT, hass price was unreasonable so i fitted a 2000 line diff US digital instead, I have the channel color code to US digital around here somewhere.

I need/hope to find + & - drive voltage wires (105 or do vdc would be optimum) to the DC motor, 2 Tach feedback wires, home and brake engaged signals, and finally A+, A-, B=, B-, I+ and I- from the encoder and a case ground. Anywayt, these are what I need for my adaptation but any other signals might be useable/adaptable.

Anyone else done any 4th axis adaptations of this genre????
.

The biggest obstacle in fully integrating a rotary table or 4th axis is whether or not the control already has the capability, if you can configure the 4th axis, and the control out is ±10v analogue, and the feedback is by quadrature encoder, then the possibilities are almost endless, select any motor/drive combination that will operate the 4th axis together with a suitable encoder, you should not need the tach feature if you configure the drive for Torque mode.
Obviously you need the ability to scale the encoder feedback for the correct resolution.
If you require the brake feature, the motor control command MUST be turned off while braked.
Al.

In my case, the system is the BMDC based DX32 that is used in a Bridgeport V2XT 'mini' VMC. The cabinet is prewired for 4th axis - you simply plug in the connector and it recognizes its presence and away you go.

The amps are Motion Science and require tach F/B - they are not very well suited fo "customization" as they have some of the "fits all" features hardwired into Bridgeport only compatability - attempts to get schematics to "see" what's going on so as to get around tach F/B have not been successful.

The addition of a tach to the motor is not something that I cherish. Although encoders are fairly adaptable, the Bridgeport servos seem to be chock full of custom goodies which makes DIY changes a real PITA. Besides, the last time I sent servo's to a factory authorized service center, the bill made me wince and all they did was rebuild the motors (new brushes, new bearings, and 1 new armature - apparently it was shorted/shorting).

One might have more luck in re-arranging the tach feedback thing BUT since the BMDC card is already programmed and access to the code is quite limited, I don't know about the possibilities of patching around the tach F/B issue.

They did this no tach deal with the TC22's but they used "custom" digital amps and special heretofore undocumented PWMINT cards piggybacked onto the BMDC card and special software to make it work - I don't anticipate EMI providing much help as to what PWMINT does nor how it does it software wise for a DIY'er.

Besides, getting the guys at Haas to even respond to a non-Haas adaptation proved to be a HUGE PITA after several tries, I did get the pinout info for the DC motor system (BTW, DC motors will be obsolete shortly as they're going brushless). But I digress.

After some searching, I found some take off servos and take out amps from a V2XT that are the same as what I have - thus true bolt ins. They were not free but very reasonably priced providing I gave them a good home.

I also found out that Troyke build BPT's 4th axis' for BPT so I gave them a call. Seems that if I supply the motor, they'll build a table not unlike what they did for BPT when they built them way back when.

Ultimately, I'll be able to hook up to the factory prewired MIL plug and have a turn key 4th axis, ala factory style. For once, I'll hopefully have a system that isn't a kluged up deal that will just run. I'm simply tired of having to fix and reverse engineer stuff just to make parts....