Help! My Hardinge CHNC Retrofit Project

[rpseguin]

Ok.
I have a Hardinge CHNC (serial # CNC 532) and it is very clean and nice and was apparently holding super tight tolerances before the control failed (a blessing I'm sure :-).

Anyhow, I have cleaned it up, and am in the process of getting it ready to work.
My plan:
-use Mach 3 turn to drive it
-I have an Axxus DB1 parallel port breakout board
-I have a 12V MPG (I know 5V is preferable)
-use the still mounted DC servos (ElectroCraft 660) with some GeckoDrive G320 or G340 drives
-pull the resolver/tachs off and put encoders on X and Z. Since I want 0.0001" positioning, and the ballscrews are 0.2" pitch, 500 CPR encoders in quadrature should give me that.
-figure out some inexpensive method for controlling the turret. I'm all ears.
-Get a drive for the DC spindle motor. Not sure how many KW, but it looks like 3+ KW or so. It is a permanent magnet DC servo, 3500 max RPM. Anybody have specs on this and drive recommendations where I can control speed/direction from Mach 3?


I'm open to suggestions on how to best get this thing up and running (turret, spindle, ...).

I've attached a couple of pictures of what it looked like when I got it, after a little bit of elbow grease/WD40/rags/..., and the DC spindle motor:

More pictures are available and I will have followup posts as I make progress.

Thanks!
-Ralph

[colin1544]

Hello there I would like to follow you retrofit with great interest as I have a Hardinge chucker lathe which looking at it is basicly a manual version of yours and I looking to put ball screws on each axis but the turret is manually operated so I curious how the turret on your machine worked with the old control was it air operated or was it through a servo motor hope you can help Cheers Colin

[Karl_T]

I've rebuilt a Hardinge CHNC with Camsoft control. A new control makes it one fine machine.

I you go with Mach, you'll need to find a way to use it with a PLC. I've heard its been done, don't know much about it.

US digital encoders can be mounted neatly in the circular piece that the resolvers were mounted on. The spindle encoder can be mounted right to the spindle resolver bracket.

I changed out the 2 hp dc spindle motor for a 7 1/2 horse three phase motor and VFD. Remounting the motor was quite a job. I would look at a new DC drive for the existing motor if I did it again. This route is expenSive.

I reused nearly all the wire cables. I'm attaching my spreadsheet of cable ID, wire color, terminal strip location, and use. (The Camsoft stuff won't apply)This will take you some considerable time to follow but will save days of effort.

I wrote new logic for the tool turret. This is a huge job - you might do like Omni-Turn has done and just change the machine to a gang tool unit. I'd be glad to share my logic with you.

Or, if you want to do it right; buy a Camsoft package.

Karl

[rpseguin]

Originally Posted by colin1544 Hello there I would like to follow you retrofit with great interest as I have a Hardinge chucker lathe which looking at it is basicly a manual version of yours and I looking to put ball screws on each axis but the turret is manually operated so I curious how the turret on your machine worked with the old control was it air operated or was it through a servo motor hope you can help Cheers Colin

Is your machine an HC (sounds like it from your description)?
I have an HC also. Beautiful lathe. Holds tenths all day long. Beautiful finishes. I have the opportunity to get a second HC for a bargain, but I still need to get money to buy drives and stuff to get my CHNC going first.

The turret on my CHNC is air operated. Apparently some later versions used air + servos.

I actually saw a Hardinge HC that was CNC converted the other day.
I have some pictures of it somewhere if you are interested.

Thanks.
-Ralph

[rpseguin]

Originally Posted by Karl_T I've rebuilt a Hardinge CHNC with Camsoft control. A new control makes it one fine machine. I you go with Mach, you'll need to find a way to use it with a PLC. I've heard its been done, don't know much about it. US digital encoders can be mounted neatly in the circular piece that the resolvers were mounted on. The spindle encoder can be mounted right to the spindle resolver bracket.

Cool. I was thinking about that, and I was very careful when I unmounted the resolver/tach from the shaft.

Unfortunately, buying a full up control is not in the cards monetarily. Any expenditure at all is too much if you ask my SO :-)
I already own a license for Mach.

Originally Posted by Karl_T I changed out the 2 hp dc spindle motor for a 7 1/2 horse three phase motor and VFD. Remounting the motor was quite a job. I would look at a new DC drive for the existing motor if I did it again. This route is expenSive. I reused nearly all the wire cables. I'm attaching my spreadsheet of cable ID, wire color, terminal strip location, and use. (The Camsoft stuff won't apply)This will take you some considerable time to follow but will save days of effort. I wrote new logic for the tool turret. This is a huge job - you might do like Omni-Turn has done and just change the machine to a gang tool unit. I'd be glad to share my logic with you. Or, if you want to do it right; buy a Camsoft package. Karl

Gang tool would be interesting, but I think a turret is more versatile and useful overall.
Can you itemize the cost of your retrofit (in terms of money and time) with Camsoft? I am certain it is beyond my means, but I'm curious how the costs/time break down.

Thanks.
-Ralph

[rpseguin]

Originally Posted by Karl_T I changed out the 2 hp dc spindle motor for a 7 1/2 horse three phase motor and VFD. Remounting the motor was quite a job. I would look at a new DC drive for the existing motor if I did it again. This route is expenSive. I reused nearly all the wire cables. I'm attaching my spreadsheet of cable ID, wire color, terminal strip location, and use. (The Camsoft stuff won't apply)This will take you some considerable time to follow but will save days of effort.

Thanks a ton!
I appreciate that. I was also planning on reusing the wires. There's more than enough leftover wires from the tach/resolver.

Originally Posted by Karl_T I wrote new logic for the tool turret. This is a huge job - you might do like Omni-Turn has done and just change the machine to a gang tool unit. I'd be glad to share my logic with you.

I was thinking about buying a modIO if it will help me get the turret going.
I know very little about electronics and PLCs.

Thanks!
-Ralph

[Karl_T]

Originally Posted by rpseguin Thanks a ton! I appreciate that. I was also planning on reusing the wires. There's more than enough leftover wires from the tach/resolver. I was thinking about buying a modIO if it will help me get the turret going. I know very little about electronics and PLCs. Thanks! -Ralph

With your experience, I'd suggest you save the turret and modIO for a later phase two project. Get your machine running and put a gang tool plate on like Omniturn does.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-OmniTurn-CNC...QQcmdZViewItem

You can always go back and install the turret later.

P.S. If you buy all new, a camsoft refit will run 10K. I scrounged and already owned software - cost me about 2K

Karl