emco pc mill 50 & similar

[kmckenn]

(RECOVERED POST BELOW)

[kmckenn]

... just chiming back into this group. This looks like it is becomeing a very nice source of information for people coming into these machines. So, shere's what I can help with.

I have a pair of EMCO very little used PC machines... a PC-Mill55 and a PC-Turn55.



Things I might have that would be helpful to people coming here...

For both the Lathe and Mill - Machine Description (sizes, parts, installation, exploded views, parts, etc.), WinCAM, WinNC and Electrical BOOKS. MSD files for all of the ??5 (IE - 55, 105, 155) machines. Some TRAINING manuals.

Helpful tidbits of information might be...

1) These machines will NOT operate without the 422/485 interface cards, PERIOD.
2) The EMCO 422/485 interface cards are proprietary... you CANNOT just use any old 422/485 card (99.99% sure on that).
3) The 50 and 55 series machines use DIFFERENT interface cards.
4) The 55's have 3 PHASE Steppers in them (the pic below is from a cap off the X-Axis of the PC-Mill55). I found the specs on those steppers and have it here for now -> ( http://www.ycityhobby.com/kevin/data/vrdm36x-en.pdf )



5) The EMCO "PC" series machines are controlled by "WinNC" Control emulation software.
6) A PC with WinNC (and control emulation, such as Fanuc-O, ... 21, etc.) running is all that is required to operated the machines (the very nice consoles are NOT required).
7) The EMCO consoles are an accessory to the PC and WinNC for more accurate emulation of a real control, and CANNOT control the machines without the PC and WinNC.
8) WinCAM is NOT required to operate the machines. They can/will/do operate with stand-alone G-Code.
9) Netword cards and the EMCO ISA interface cards have serious incompatibility issues... "HOWEVER". I have worked around that problem by using WIRELESS/USB networking (IE - networked through the USB port(s)).

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Anyone who has, is looking at, or considering getting these machines, keep this in mind... they MUST have a ISA-bus, Win98 PC, the EMCO 422/485 interface card and WinNC. The EMCO 422/485 interface cards are $600/$800 each. Without any of those elements... they make good doorstops, boat-anchors, etc. unless you plan to retrofit them.

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On one last note, if anyone has the EMCO Consoles (cheap, preferably for the Mill), I'd like to have one, message me please ;-)

Best Regards!

- Kevin

[RCREDD]

There must be some differences in PC Mill 55 machines. You show a 3 phase axis motor, whereas on my machine I had 5 phase motors. The first number in the model/part number references the phase, mine are 564/50.

I just recently sold my Dell computer with the cards and software along with the control console for $180 for the works. I sold it locally to someone who plans to resell them. If you would like I could contact him and see if he still has them.

[kmckenn]

@CNCmakers: YES... the way the EMCO PC series machines work, is EMCO has a very well done emulator running on the PC, visually and functionally. It's well known that the EMCO '55's are designed as classroom training machines. So it natually follows, that they work as closely as possible to the full sized machines.

@RCREDD: 1) Interesting about the 5 phase. 2) You've Got Mail...

[avayan]

OK Guys,

I give up. I am not going to try to resucitate this machine as it would take just too much effort to get it done. I am just dying to CNC some stuff so I got me a working CNC machine. As a result, I need to get rid of the PC Mill 50 I've got. I do not have the ISA card, nor the SW. The machine seems to be complete in itself, but apparently will require these two components in order to work.

Machine is in the Dallas/Forth Worth area in TX. Offers?

[kmckenn]

An update on some information about these machines...

There are two versions of the PC-55's. V00 and V01 (version zero and version 1). V0 is mostly similar to the PC-50's, with the primary change being a change from DC steppers to AC steppers, and the spindle motor. The V0 '55's and the '50's use the same RS485 Interface Card in the PC and Controller in the machine. The V01 '55's use a RS422 Interface Card in the PC and different controller in the machine.

CAUTION: The '50, '55 V00 RS485 Interface Cards and corresponding Controllers in the machines are NOT compatible with the '55 V01 RS422 Interface Cards and Controllers.

(NOTE: This information was supplied by EMCO USA, and corresponds with supporting documents and components from the V01 parts in my '55's and the V00 parts I have seen from a V00 '55).

[Fastest1]

Looks like a pretty straight forward conversion. How much are you looking to get for the mill? I am in Houston. Do you have a product you need to make with this machine? A G540, power supply and a little time is all that machine needs. Probably even reuse the original power supply and switches.

OK Guys,

I give up. I am not going to try to resucitate this machine as it would take just too much effort to get it done. I am just dying to CNC some stuff so I got me a working CNC machine. As a result, I need to get rid of the PC Mill 50 I've got. I do not have the ISA card, nor the SW. The machine seems to be complete in itself, but apparently will require these two components in order to work.

Machine is in the Dallas/Forth Worth area in TX. Offers?

[avayan]

OK Guys,

I give up. I am not going to try to resucitate this machine as it would take just too much effort to get it done. I am just dying to CNC some stuff so I got me a working CNC machine. As a result, I need to get rid of the PC Mill 50 I've got. I do not have the ISA card, nor the SW. The machine seems to be complete in itself, but apparently will require these two components in order to work.

Machine is in the Dallas/Forth Worth area in TX. Offers?

Update on this machine. It was donated to the Dallas Personal Robotics Club (DPRG). They will try to revive it. I think they will be coming into this place for some answers, so any way you can help the club will be highly appreciated! Thanks for all your comments!

BTW, I think they are seriously considering the retrofit.

[UUU]

I've been asked in a PM to show some pictures of my retrofit. It seems like a good time, but my wife has lent the camera to someone, so these are taken with a phone - I'll try and get some better ones later.

Pitcture 1 shows the front, all standard looking here, as you can't see the new steppers under the covers. Original spindle motor. Aluminium swarf in evidence, although I've found cast iron, brass and steel perfectly OK to cut.

Picture 2 shows round the back - I need to tidy up the loose cables, but it's all working. You'll see I have re-used the emco circuit board holders, but none of the original electronics remains. The left hand one just tidies up the VFD for the spindle. This is a Mitsubishi S500 that I got second-hand on ebay. The middle one holds four Gecko drives, mounted on an aluminium plate, with outputs wired to the original sockets, so the steppers can be pugged in. The right-hand holder supports the breakout board, a PMDX with a sub-board to control the spindle VFD. Again this is wired to the sockets on the emco plate, to permit easy unplugging. The breakout board supports two parallel ports, I don't need any extra outputs, but I'm using the inputs for an MPG and switches to control which axis is jogged, and the jog speed. I suspect If I did this again, I'd use an all in one Gecko G540. Not that I'm unhappy with what I've got, it would just make it easier, that's all. What you can't see to the left of the shot is the power supply section - this is all original and supplies the 240V for the VFD and the breakout board, together with 24V for the Geckos. I know they can take more volts, but I'm quite happy with the speed I'm getting from this set up - it's only a small machine.

Picture 3 shows the new Y-axis stepper. You can see how it's mounted onto the original motor support plate. This was very easy: it's rotated anti-clockwise slighly from the original motor position, and new mounting holes drilled and tapped. You can see one of the original holes in the plate to the left of the lowest mounting screw on the motor. As noted earlier in this thread, in the UK I could get motors with a 6mm shaft, so the toothed pulley was an easy swap from the old motors. Each pulley was shortened slightly (at the boss end) and cross-drilled through pulley and shaft, and secured with the original roll-pins. All the motors were fitted in this way. Cables are new, shielded. You can see that the motor had shafts both sides - I've sawn off the spare. Right at the top of the photo, you may be able to see the axis limit switch, this is as original. All three axes limits are now wired in series and are also acting as home switches. The encoder switches have been removed.

I'm running Mach3 on an old PC. I'm 100% happy with this and it has the advantage of being the same program as a friend uses, so we can help each other out. And I'm more familiar with Windows than Linux. If I did it again, I'd have a serious look at EMC2.

[RandEE]

I have a similar story to many on this thread. I recently purchased a PC Mill 50. I thought I could figure out a way to get it going without the board. I have helped people get started on mach3 so I hoped I could do that. After carefully reading this entire thread I am a lot more pessimistic about it.

First, the easy way out, does anyone have a EMCO rs485 board for cheap?

Secondly... Isn't there anyway we can emulate the output of the EMCO board?Would be awesome if we could develop some sort of solution to this problem. It's just a serial connection, doesn't that mean we can send the same characters and get the same result.

Also, Isn't there a controller board that would work with mach3 for example and still use the same motors?

Lastly, those who have retrofitted their PC 50 Mills, what did it cost to do it?

I've got it now, and I have to figure out what to do!

Thanks for any input!
RandEE

[Randy Forbes]

Getting RandEE's post notice, and taking a quick glance through the thread reminds me that ALL my pictures have been moved onto a new server/web address. I just don't have enough time in my life to edit some 20,000 posts over various message boards, but here's the link to the Emco folder:
Emco_PC_Turn/Mill_50s

[RandEE]

Thanks for the pics! Very nice looking shop and system you have.

Now you are still using the EMCO RS485 board and original hardware right?

Do you like your mill?

I know Randy got a great deal on his machines, but another question I might for everyone is what is a PC MILL 50 worth? Without the EMCO board? or completely retrofitted, with a new mach3 compatible controller and new servo motors?

Just curious if I would get my investment back or what...

Thanks!!!
RandEE