V2XT 4th Axis? (for NCCAMS)

[weyland]

Originally Posted by NC Cams For grins, there is a Bridgeport V2XT advertised in the classifieds at about 2/3 the price that has true 3 axis capabilities. AND, if it is like mine and well should be, it is prewired for 4th axis. <snip> Simply add a servo amp and a 4th axis servo system and the machine software automatically recognizes and runs 4D.

What have you found out since we last spoke?!?!?!?
"Pre-wired"?
As in... purchase an amp, a servo, some cables, and go?
Come on... spill...

Best,

Weyland

[NC Cams]

I have RFQ's in to Haas and SMW. NO reply for either.

I have a friend who services Yaskawa and he's checking.

I have a NASCAR connection who is checking his leads in that neck of the woods to see what he can shake up - afterall, with all the sponsorship and CNC machining centers in/around Mooresville, something should be "available".

When you've done as much legacy equipment repairing and rewiring as I've done of late, you can really start to 'see' the schematics and what they are trying to do.

I've reached this conclusion, however: the CNC machinery suppliers try to convice you that their stuff is compicated and trick and difficult and PRICEY as a result - after a while, you learn that it isn't.

Their DC motor driven servo does EXACTLY THE SAME THING as the next guys. They may use a pull up instead of pull down but it is NOT rocket science. Talk about what appers to be overpriced merchandise.

In my case, the V2XT cabinet is fully wired for plug in 4th axis except there is no servo amp. Advance Machine Control sells two amps (a 20 and 25 amp drive) that should bolt in in place of the now NLA Motion Science amps. Unlike what EMI wants, you can buy either DIRECT from AMC for $350 and $395 respectively.

The only sticking point is the axis which I still haven't found a source for yet. Plenty of new stuff on Ebay, but no HRT160's w/DC motor with CNC prewire WITHOUT a driver box which is what I need.

I'd really like to find an HRT160SP as this is a much more compact unit - $1000 price penalty over the non-SP unit, you have to be kidding .

Then again, and afterall somebody has to pay Haas' legal bills, no????

[NC Cams]

Additional info:

The "prewired" is qualified for the DX32 systems with BMDC driver card - I don't know if FMDC systems have provisions for 4th axis in either the software and/or the wiring system. Mine is a 1998 vintage and it definitely is prewired. in fact, the first thing I checked on mine during the inspection review was for the 4th axis prewire.

There is a space for the amp - cool.

The harness is already pulled and sitting there coiled up and ready to plug and play - cooler.

The shunting relay used for electronic brakes is also prewired for 4 axis use. Cooler yet as a 4 pole NO/NC relay is not going to be easy or cheap to find.

The ONLY thing I'm having trouble finding is the MIL connector that is sitting there in the cabinet - identifying mill connectors is a PITA if you can't find the MIL number on them. Digikey has them but the catalod is NOT at all user friendlly.

As far as the wiring schematic and the user manual stipulates, with a properly wired 4th axis with a servo and encoder, you should be able to literally plug it into the port and the software "sees" it and you program and go.

It don't get much easier than that, that is once you find an axis that isn't the cost of a house down payment!!!. The funkly bracket that bolts the servo amp to the cabinet is also something that won't be easy to find nor make due to the unique shape - I'd prefer to find a good OEM one.

IF anyone has a spare OEM servo amp mount bracket from a parts machine(one from a V2XT or an EzTRak will work), I sure could use one.

[NC Cams]

UPDATE:

Finally got thru to Haas. Their HRT160, even though it has a DC motor (this will change shortly), won't work on the V2XT.

Reason: it doesn't have a tach feedback which is needed to close the velocity F/B look with a MSI style drive that is in the V2XT that I have. There are a few other issues but once I learned of this, I pretty much quit considering Haas.

However, I contacted Troyke (they made the 4th axis' for Bridgeport when these mills were new) and discussed the situation with them. Negotiations are still underway and several options seem to be available.

Details when/if they develop.

[NEATman]

NC Cams-
I was searching ebay when I came across this auction:
150128640974

I thought that you'd be interested.

NEATman

[NC Cams]

The search continues for a 4th axis for the V2XT and here's why:

I located a NEW surplus Bridgeport/Troyke 4th axis equipped with a chuck and tailstock on E-bay from a machine tool dealer and for a reasonable price. Sent the credit card number and sat back and happily waited for the axis to arrive. And waited and waited. Upon calling the vendor, they finally admitted that they "couldn't find the unit" when they went to ship it from their warehouse. Happily, they cheerfully refunded the money.

THey had another "no name" Troyke unit that appeared to be a DC servo equipped Bridgeport 4th axis, albeit with a MONSTER 3 jaw chuck and no tail stock and no wiring info to speak of - it also appeared to have some aftermarket external circuitry plumbed/hung into/onto it. NOT being in the mood for any more science projects, I passed on the "gem". Besides the unit was massive (probaby from a big VMC) thus it would probably be waaaay too much of an overhaning load to mount on a V2XT table.

As it sits, I am STILL looking for 4th axis system that will "plug and play" into/onto my V2XT with DX-32, BMDC based control. Any leads???? It needs to have a DX-32 capable 4th axis, preferrably with DC servos and DC servos with tach feedback. The VMC's and the V2XT's all had DC servos and also tach feedback.

Yes, TC's had DX-32's and DC servo's BUT they also had PWMINT cards piggybacked onto the BMDC card which eliminated the need for tach feedback - it is my understanding that they used a F to V conversion scheme from the encoders on the PWMINT to generate a psuedo tach signal thus eliminating the need for servo mounted tachs.

I probably could "reverse engineer" and create my own PWMINT card IF, and that is IF, I could locate a PWMINT (Bridgeport P/N 31943304) schematic. Anybody got one of these schematics????? The PWMINTS were used/found on Torque Cuts as well as Defiance VTX-1's (these had BMDC based DX-32 systems for a period of time in the mid/late 90').

Anybody have a PDF of the Torque CUt machine wiring shematic, and specifically, ANY information (preferrably a schematic) for the PWMINT?????

PS: looking to purchase outright some AUXBOB, AXSBOB, TLAUF or LcTLAUF, AUF, GPAUF and/or PWMINT cards used in the DX-32's from VMC, TC's, ExPath, V2XT and various other machines.

Prefer operating/functional cards but will consider cards that are not functioning providing they are not horribly torched and thus repairable. I know that EMI sells them but they seem to sell them on exchange basis only. I'm looking for these to retrofit other devices and I don't have "cores" that EMI requires.

[Gncc50]

Where I work we have a 95 Torque Cut 22. Was looking in the manual and found some wiring diagrams, but none with the part number you listed.

They have a, AUF Board I/O connections p/n (597463) (Rev. AC)

also Control System Wiring Connections BMDC3

also LcTAUF Board (I think it is for the tool changer)

would any of these help??

[NC Cams]

GNCC: any info I can get would be helpful.

The PWMINT is the card that piggybacks onto the BMDC. IT might not be well documented outside the factory, yet, I can always hope....

The servo amps are the part numbers I think I listed. Maybe BPT calls it something else but those are the schematics I'm seeking.

Pretty much any schematic, wiring diagram and/or other "factory" info, especially if it is in PDF format can be helpful.

PM me for mailing of fotocopies and also for shipping info.

Any lines on where I can get a 4th axis for a V2XT??? Pretty much any DX-32 4th axis will do as I have spare servo motors in the even the motor is AC or cooked.