PC input/control with Fanuc 5

[jevs]

I have a Pratt & Whitney Tapemate c machine that uses the Fanuc 5 controller. I want to bypass the tape reader and connect driectly with a computer. What is the best and least expensive way to do this. Also, can it be drip fed and how well would this work with 3D work?

[NC Cams]

Contact Dan Fritz at:

Suburban Machinery Software, Inc.

subsoft@buckeyeweb.com

He has a psuedo BTR that dumps code to the 5T via the parallel port of a PC with a special cable and a DOS or Windows program.

Follow their instructions with respect to grounding/not grounding the PC.

Better yet, use a battery powered laptop.....

[jevs]

Thanks, but I already ditched all the old electronics and started a complete retrofit.

[Drew]

What type of control are you installing? Are you going to use the fanuc servos, encoders, and servo power unit ?

[jevs]

I am going to use Mach 2 (3) to control it. I am using rutex drivers with the original Fanuc (Fujitsu) Servo motors and encoders. I am also using the Bob Campbell breakout board and spindle speed controller board. The spindle speed controller will be hooked to a VFD to run the original 3 phase spindle motor. The machine will run on single phase. As for the power supply, I had a transformer made to my specs with taps for two different voltages so I can make the two different DC supplies. The Z axis motor is different than the X and Y. I also purchased a multi output power supply off of ebay for my other low current voltages I will need. I am not sure when I will actually get back to this project. Hopefully this year some time. I am going to use this to make parts for the router I want to build next.

[NZ_Jase]

Jevs, are you still around? Did you manage to get all of this working as planned? Or does anyone else know how he got on?

I have a Mazak Dynaturn lathe with a 5T controller that I'm having lots of trouble with and looking to retrofit. The existing servo amps, power supply, DC servos, encoders, spindle motor etc are all in excellent condition, I am just keen to get rid of the control that won't run reliably.

I have all of the relevant wiring diagrams etc and fully realise the time and effort (and blood, sweat and tears!) that this will consume, but think it's worth it since I know the machine has good hardware and is already tooled up - plus it owes me next to nothing and is already here!

Plenty of suppliers look to have quite nice components, but what I'm after is advice from someone who has been-there-done-that and can tell me what holds the best value when it comes to motion controllers (ethernet preferred but does Mach3 support it?), spindle drives and step/dir to analogue converters. I want to be able to use nearly all of the existing control panel switches, MPG, warning LEDs etc so will probably need more IOs than a pair of parallel ports can provide, and want to stay away from stuff like keyboard emulators. I'd much rather pay more for a nearly-standalone controller that has a ton of IOs so I'm not stuck when it comes to getting the tool changer etc running.

I hope this makes sense to someone who has the time and knowledge to point me in the correct direction.

Thanks in advance, Jason.

[jevs]

I haven't had time to finish it yet. I have already prewired for it at the new house though.

[NC Cams]

I looked long and hard for a bolt in DIY retrofit kit. Figured it would/should be a piece of cake to do a retrofit today. MY efforts can be found via a search on the Zon'es search engine under "CNC lathe retrofi" or some other such moniker.

IN short, it is a major PITA to do and I found no such kit to exist. Mach was contacted directly for servo interfacing but they refuse to provide support. If you are doing this for a business venture, think twice as to have to rely on a user message board to support the effort seems counter productive if you need help to get the thing up an running like NOW.

Ajax has kits. Result reports were not encouraging - in fact , they were ridiculous in what they wanted to supply as in throw out any/all servos and install new ones, their's of course. Again, see search for earlier thread. Camsoft and others as I recall were also commented upon in the thread and results were also NOT encouraging.

TH 5T due to its age and vintage, suffers from poor conduct at connectors and PCB solder deteriorations. Glen Rowe at Billore Ent down in Texas resurrected my boards for a reasonable charge as far as old obsolete board service charges go. Forget Fanuc for support. They know almost nothing and basically want to sell you an all new controller to service it.

Billor hase a website and can bench test the boards. If you go thru and reseat/clean/defunk all the interconnections, you'd be amazed at what that will do to revitalize the machine. Some problems are solder on board problems that are caused by old, corroded/oxidized solder joints. These can' be fixed by redoing plugs - you have to spend time or money to fix these.