I have a Bridgeport VMC 760 with a DX32 control it has Siemens drives, I have gotten it up and running with some help from some of you on this forum. I have a bit of stuff I would like to make that would require a 4th axis, has anyone out there ever added a 4th to a machine like this ?

Any recommendations would be appreciated, I am not sure if this is even a realistic proposition, who knows.

Thanks

Bridgeport did sell a factory 4th axis option. It even came with a disk to update the parameters to enable it. The control is pre-wired for it (well some what).
If you purchase an aftermarket unit, make sure it has a Siemens motor and drive and the correct plug and cable.

George

We have a 96 Torque Cut 22 with a DX32 control. It came from the dealer with a troyke 4th axis. I haven't used it much but it seems to work fine. It can do indexing and I have wraped engraving on round stock and it seems to work very well.

The TC-22 used a totally different motor and drive than a VMC-760. But calling Troyke may not be a bad idea. Make sure you are sitting down when you hear the price.

George

Well thanks for the advise, Troyke looks like really nice stuff I will have to check into that further on the pricing, sounds like it could be more that I payed for my machine.

Bridgeport did sell a factory 4th axis option. It even came with a disk to update the parameters to enable it. The control is pre-wired for it (well some what).
If you purchase an aftermarket unit, make sure it has a Siemens motor and drive and the correct plug and cable.

George

I did look into the wiring further , and it has the plugs and wires for the Siemens
controller, I have also located a 4th for the machine that supposedly has never been used. I am now hoping to pick your brain about the software. Any idea of what is required to make the controller work with a 4th ?

Only parameter changes. The disk did that automatically. Before you ask which ones, I have to get by my office and have the time to dig it up.

George

Interesting, that sounds like it could work, I have been meaning to ask you if you have the original software fort the controller. I have been interested in updating the CPU in the machine and it would make the project quite a bit easier.

Thanks again

As usual you always seem to have all the answers

Reason

The VMC760 went through some hardware changes and a lot of software changes. Thus the term original software may not be the best way of phrasing a question.
Example: the VMC760-16 had a 386 processor but for the enhanced performance option a 387 math co-processor was added. The 760-22 had a all electric tool changer and had a 486DX processor but was terribly limited in 3D work. This resulted in many software modifications (at one point requiring different drive tuning) spanning the rest of the production run until the control in a box came out. Major control change at this point. So the best version would be what the heck is in your machine to begin with and see where you can go with it.

George

Well I got more info on this rotary table and I don't think it sounds like a fit. New Troyke RT
Model DL-9-B RH -PC-5-180

Wired for Discovery 308 VMC 760
Explorer / V2XT
Torque-cut 22

Prepared for Bridgeport Machine CNC Type S21i Ser # E00505200 GE Fanuc

The following options

J801 Controlled AXIS Expansion
J802 Designated Axis 4
J807 Axis Detach

This sounds Perfect for my machine if it had a fanuc control , Any hope this would all work with the Siemens ?

Again thanks

Reason