Hello All,

I represent AjaxCNC. I would just like everyone in this forum know that I will be happy to answer any and all questions related to our controls.

I will also be happy to supply tech support and resources when needed.

I encourage everyone to post their honest opinions and experiences with AjaxCNC!

It is YOUR feedback and support that will continually bring about changes that ensure AjaxCNC will always provide the most powerful, easiest to use Do-It-Yourself CNC Control!

Thank you in advance, and I look forward to hearing from you,

Sincerely,

AjaxCNC

Welcome aboard and thank you for supporting the site!

Hi AjaxCNC

How much user configurability is there to your systems? It is great to have good clear instructions on how to hook up and get it all running, but what if my ideas for the interface don't match yours? What freedom does the user have?

How does the DOS system compare to the Linux? I'd hate to go back to 8 letter DOS, so does the Linux system run "inside of a Linux window" (by analogy), so that a person at least has a multi-tasking environment to work in to edit, copy and paste, load programs, run a cadcam program etc?

What about using a Galil motion control card with your systems? Is there any compatability?

Thanks for your time to reply.

Welcome to the forum Ajax, this forum could do with a good scrub up. (Sorry bad joke. Do they sell Ajax in the US? )
Wow a moderator, and only one post to his name, you must be important. I am sure your input will be greatly appreciated.

AlaxCNC,

Does your control do a MST (misc. funtion,speed&tool) transfer function to the PLC and then wait for a reply if needed.
This is what I am used to seeing and would make intergration an ease.

BTW, I don't mind sacraficing a computer to do nothing but control the machine if it means I am in control at all times!

Darek Ashburn

I am interested in what hardware (motion control card/port etc?) is required to interface to the motion control side and the PLC or machine control side, I don't seem to find the details on the web site.

HillBilly, I like that method also, where a strobe signal is sent by the CNC whenever a M,S or T is programmed and the CNC side waits for the Completion or FIN signal to be issued by the PLC. Most of the Major system manufacturers have adopted this method.
Al

Does ajaxcnc build PLC's ??

I was using the term PLC loosely to refer to the Hardware/software applied to controlling the 'Machine' control side of things.
Al

Wow, I didn't expect such an immediate response! These are great questions from all of you. I will do my best to answer them all.

Dung, our system can be as flexible as you want in terms of motion control and PLC operations, but we do not offer a generic one for all control! After all, if you have a knee mill, you do NOT need something that will control a Lathe or a garage door opener. You want a control that is designed specifically for a mill, with tried and true features a Mill operator needs. This is why we have different control platforms for different machines including mills, lathes, routers, gear hobbers, plasma, laser, punch, engraving, and ATC machining centers.
Concerning Linux, our OS has true multitasking ability and is much more flexible and stable than the older DOS release, which will be discontinued shortly. And Linux does not have the problems commonly associated with Windows!
As for the Galil motion control card, there is NO compatability. The Galil is an obsolete motion processor. Our motion control cards are much faster, and offer the benefits of digital fiber optic communication, which means faster speeds and 100% immunity to the noise in a manufacturing atmosphere. Try running a TIG welder next to someone elses control and see what happens.

Al & HillBilly, you are correct in the way we process info between the PLC and motion control card, only because of our dual processor design and use of fiber optics, we do it in REAL time. And your right, we do it just like a major control manufacturer, because we license our products from one. Centroid. So we have the backing of a 35 year old company with over 8000 controls in the field running production every day of the week.
And itegration is a breeze because when you get our control it is 100% preprogrammed for YOUR application. There is no guess work. You simply get a control that works!

I hope this helped!

AjaxCNC,

Is there a way to exceed the 110Vdc 15A barrier for the bigger machines. This is a good average power for 80-90% of the machines I encounter but every now and then I run into the big horizontal mills that have the 100Vdc 100A motors. On the subject of horizontals can the 4th axis be configured as W.

I was told Ajax had roots with Centroid. BTW, glad to finally talk to you.

Darek

HillBilly,

Hello. In the case of very large machines and motors, we offer a CNC kit that will interface with a third-party drive such as those made by Advanced Motion Controls (A-M-C). Instead of converting the digital drive signals to analog within the servo drive, we do it externally and then feed that signal to the A-M-C drives. It is a very simple, yet very effective setup.
As for the 4th axis, it can be configured as A, B, W or whatever and control either a linear or rotary axis.

I would like to get more info/specs etc on the motion card. Is it fitted with machine control i/o abilityOriginally posted by AjaxCNC
Try running a TIG welder next to someone Else's control and see what happens.


I have used Acroloop and galil in many industrial environments with Plasma cutters etc. which are very noisy and had no noise problems if the ground shielding is done correctly.
Thanks for the info so far.
Al

Al,

Hello. I cannot give you too many details as this is a propriatary board. It is only compatable with our servo drives and PLCs, and software. Concerning I/O, we leave than up to a dedicated PLC. This arrangement proves to be much more reliable and flexible. There is only so much room on a PC card, meaning there would be either limited I/O, or limited processing capability. With seperate units you get the best of both worlds.

Originally posted by AjaxCNC

It is only compatable with our servo drives and PLCs, and software.
Ajax, Are these servo drives manufactured by yourselves? are they digital or analogue?
Al

All of our DC servo drives are digital, and are manufactured by Centroid Corporation in their facility in PA.

Ajax,

One of the reasons I went to pc based cnc is to try to get away from proprietory hardware. So I use Galil motion controllers in the belief that it is "general purpose," I guess. I would say the same about servo drives and motors, too.

What are your comments about this issue of proprietory hardware?

Ajax,

Is there a list of supported G codes for the mill and lathe package. I am interested in the drill cycles for a mill and the use of G98 and G99 with them. Another set of mill G codes I am interested in is G28 and G29 for use before and after the tool change.

Darek

HillBilly,

Hello. You can find a list of our supported G & M codes on our website at:

www.ajaxcnc.com/features_specs.htm

All of the g-codes you mentioned are supported by our control.

i bet the moderator is Jesse and he is definitly a sharp guy he is sharp and he helpfull 2 thumbs up ajax love my 26" servos

Hello, I recently tried to upgrade to Linux, and never could get it to work. I have a Servo3IO board. When I would boot up, the pneumatic spindle speed / brake control box would immediatly start venting air. Turning the spindle on / off using the alt/q/r didn't do anything. I have a reversing contactor spindle setup.

Now that i'm back on DOS, everything is working, but my spindle speed seems to be all out of whack with what is displayed on the rpm wheel. I either need to know how to fix / recalibrate it, using the dos setup, or switch to linux or both.

Honestly I don't really care one way or another I just need this thing up and running beacuse I've got all sorts of parts that need to be done.

I talked with jesse on this a lot and thought I had it licked switching back to dos but tonight I tried to cut some parts and discovered the spindle RPM issue. His service is great though, I was amazed especially because I am the second owner of this retrofit not the first. :rainfro:

-Pete

What kind of a machine do you have? If it is a Bridgeport CNC Boss4/5/6 style then speed control is done with a vari disk setup and may just need to loosen nut on front of dial and turn till speed shown is correct, then tighten. If your using an invertor - probably not since you mentioned contactors, check parameters in control setup screen and gear parameters in param section.

Hi Ajax,
Can you quote me on a full retrofit kit for a tree journeyman 425? I'd need the x,y,z motors, amp and full control (ie everything but the spindle motor). Also I'd like the abillity to release the chuck (no toolchanger, rather holders on the table where I move to, z-down, release, zup, move to next tool, etc). Never did a retrofit but am a retired computer systems (hardware) engineer, so I'm not intimidated... How easy is the install? Do I need to do anything weird to sync the motion of the axis after instal or is it pretty muc plug and play? Do you have mastercam posts for the controller?
Chris OSF Inc

Hello...have been talking with a salesman from Ajax concerning a R2E3 to Ajax conversion. I sent him a picture of the data plate of one of the REM DC servos that are on my machine and was told that there would be no problem using my sevos with your system. I am still very much interested as I want to upgrade this machine, within a specific budjet. I would also like to modify your original quote to include more. I am planning to have this conversion completed by spring.
Please see my post in the "Bridgeport/ Hardringe forum
Thankyou in advance
Steve

All of our DC servo drives are digital, and are manufactured by Centroid Corporation in their facility in PA.

What is he difference between digital and analog servos?

^^ Analog servo drives use feedback methods other than a ecoder in most cases. As DC brush digital drives rely only on the encoder for feedback. And instead of 5lb of capacitors and resistors in the drive they have microchips the size of potato chips.

hi, i have a kit from ajax, and I am trying to hook it up but I don't understand how to hook up the wiring for output 15. There is not 4 wires for the relay. Can anyone help me.

I do not understand the 4 wires. If this is like the SERVO3IO you will either have a dry relay contact or a relay driver for use with an external relay.

Darek

yes this is the servo3IO and I don't understand the wiring for out 13, out 14 and 15. I do understand when it shows me the two signal contacts and the two switched contacts but I don't quite get it when there is only one swiitched contact

Which connector on the SERVO3IO are you working with and what are you trying to turn on?

Darek

the spindle cw,ccw,and such, out 13, out 14 and out 15 pertain to the spindle

Here is what I am looking at.

Darek

yes but I don't understand it. the spindle cw and spindle ccw are output signals right? they trigger the relay? if they do , the switched connections are spindle direction com and what?

Do you have a spindle drive or forward and reverse contactors?

This would be for contactors.

Darek

I have a spindle drive. I also am questioning the areas of {spindle reset no, nc and com} and spindle enable no
nc, and com. I assume that they are all the same configuration, according to the schematic.

Here is the diagram for a spindle drive.

Darek

I have a SCM 3 axis router, model is a 1994 Record 2 C.
Input power is 3 phase 380 volt 50 Hz.
It also has a 9 drill block and auto tool changer of the carosel type 10 tools.
X is 3200mm (45 meters per minute ), Y is 1100mm, and Z is 300mm. ( both 25 meters per minute).
It is fitted with a NUM 750 control and has Yaskawa AC brushless servo motors with encoders on all axis. (powers from 300 watt to 1500watt)
The motors are driven by Yaskawa CACR-SR driver amplifiers.
The drill block appears to be operated with a stepper motor.
I am constantly having difficulties with the NUM control and parts and service are becoming harder to get.
I have rebuilt all the machines mechanical parts ball screws, guides and spindle etc and it is a huge 6500kg, very accurate unit with 3 axis interpolation and I would like to retain it but with some new control parts/drives.
What I want to know is what should I be looking at from your company and have you supplied a kit to retrofit a machine like this before and if so what was the aproximate cost and was it an easy plug and play retrofit.
What can you offer to do the retrofit and could I get a ball park cost at this time.
Should it be acceptable I can mail you all the electrical, servo, powers, torques etc to enable you to give me an exact price.
I am competent to build the computer/PC and fit all of the hardware and wire the unit.
I would require training on the tuning and setup.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have a SCM 3 axis router, model is a 1994 Record 2 C.
Input power is 3 phase 380 volt 50 Hz.
It also has a 9 drill block and auto tool changer of the carosel type 10 tools.
X is 3200mm (45 meters per minute ), Y is 1100mm, and Z is 300mm. ( both 25 meters per minute).
It is fitted with a NUM 750 control and has Yaskawa AC brushless servo motors with encoders on all axis. (powers from 300 watt to 1500watt)
The motors are driven by Yaskawa CACR-SR driver amplifiers.
The drill block appears to be operated with a stepper motor.
I am constantly having difficulties with the NUM control and parts and service are becoming harder to get.
I have rebuilt all the machines mechanical parts ball screws, guides and spindle etc and it is a huge 6500kg, very accurate unit with 3 axis interpolation and I would like to retain it but with some new control parts/drives.
What I want to know is what should I be looking at from your company and have you supplied a kit to retrofit a machine like this before and if so what was the aproximate cost and was it an easy plug and play retrofit.
What can you offer to do the retrofit and could I get a ball park cost at this time.
Should it be acceptable I can mail you all the electrical, servo, powers, torques etc to enable you to give me an exact price.
I am competent to build the computer/PC and fit all of the hardware and wire the unit.
I would require training on the tuning and setup.

My Question Has To Do With The, Ajax Dm-451 Toolroom Bed Mill. I Would Like To Compare It To Another Machine But Iam Having A Hard Time Doing So,can Any One Help Me.

We have an Ajax 260 premire lathe with a burnt out X axis servo motor.
The label has worn off so we cannot identify the servo apart from MAE is the manufacturer.
Can you advise the model number of this servo or where we can get a specification for rewinding it.
Regards
Mike

Mike,

You are looking for a different Ajax. They don't appear to have a web site or forum. Try a web search on your machine make/model to find other owners, and see if any of them has legible motor data for you.

I have a 5 year old Ajax kit which I am now installing. I would like to use existing encoders on Bridgeport Romi cnc lathe. Dual handwheel, factory x,z axes. These are Heidainhain 600 line encoders. Any suggestions on incorporating into control appreciated.
jh

The line count is a little low (I like to have at least 1000-line; preferably 2000), but as long as they are 5V differential line driver encoders you can certainly try running with them.

You will have to figure out which wires are which, then make your encoder cables to go to a DB9M connector at the PC. Pin-out at that end is as follows:

pin 1 n/c
pin 2 0V (aka COM)
pin 3 ch. /Z (aka /C)
pin 4 ch. /A
pin 5 ch. /B
pin 6 ch. Z (aka C)
pin 7 ch. A
pin 8 ch. B
pin 9 +5VDC (aka Vcc)

On the Machine Configuration menu in the control software, enter 2400 for your encoder counts/rev (4x the line count).

Test the encoders and your wiring with motor power off first. Just go to the PID Configuration screen, turn the encoder by hand, and see if you get the expected counts in the "Abs Pos" column for whatever axis input you have it plugged in to.

If that works, but when you power up the motor and try to jog it jerks (briefly runs away) in the opposite direction, then you need to swap your A's with your B's, to make the encoder count the other way.

Good luck.

Thanks CNCSNW for fast reply. I created some fuzzyness with the earlier statement. I just mounted x, z servo axis motors. They have 5000 line encoders. I connected these to cpu7 card and set PID parameters. Everything looks great including powered run on bench. The spindle encoder is 1250 line count. It was checked and programmed with PID parameters. All encoders are Heidenhain. My Ajax retro kit includes pendant. I did not get a manual pulse generator. There is a pigtail modular connector in the pendant for an mpg. Also on the blister pad is a off-on for mpg. So what I would like to do is use the x,z handwheels which are connected to encoders as manual pulse generators. Can I do this by connecting to pendant mpg connector? Is there a wiring diagram available for the pendant connections?

Thanks again
jh

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562777961kvzQOe

Centroid (Ajax) supports two kinds of MPG handwheels: a single, TTL handwheel plus axis select switch that goes through the jog panel (this is what the connector in your pendant is for); or multiple handwheels with differential encoders, that plug directly in to CPU encoder inputs (next to the axis and spindle encoders on the back of the PC).

You would want the latter for the dual handwheels on the Bridgeport. Since you are already using three inputs for your axis and spindle encoders, you will need to have access to the fifth encoder input so you can connect both handwheels. #5 should be present on the CPU board; you may or may not have a ribbon cable to the back panel for it. I think you also need at least software version 8.10 (DOS CNC7) to do this.

Encoder-driven handwheels are configured by parameter. See Parameters 128 and 129 in your manual for mapping and examples.

CNCSNW
Thanks for info. I upgraded os to ver 8.23. I will let you know how installation turns out.
jh

I have recently accuired a Hurco SM-1 knee mill and was considering a retrofit with an Ajax controller. Has this been done in the past? Would I be able to keep the servo motors?

Tom

If your servo motors are dc brushed the Ajax retrofit should be compatible. Check with Matt at Ajax for specifics. He is really helpful. I am finishing a lathe retrofit with Ajax and will soon have final comments.

jh

jh,

it was Matt that I talked to and he indicated that he needed this info to be able to know whether I could use these servos.

Thanks

Tom