Asking for advice on controller update for OLD American Eagle lathe

[gusmadison]

Hello,
My first post, please forgive me if it's in the wrong section and advise me where else to post my question.

I'm an old manual machine man. I just bought an old 1980 American Eagle NC lathe. I don't even have it reconnected yet but I have a question already.

As I'm sure you all know, this was a tape reader control machine. The tape reader has been removed and a board wired in for inputing information from a laptop, board says made by Advanced Digital Research.

More to the point, this old girl has a control cabinet as big as a telephone booth. It even has an air conditioner in one door of it. It looks like there must be thousands of things in there just waiting to fail (HA!) that's the intimidated old man in me talking!

Is it possible to 'update' an old machine like this with more modern controls and get rid of all the stuff in the 'phone booth'?

Would all the motors need replaced/updated also if this were the case?

Any help is welcome! I'm not afraid of the truth. The lathe reportedly worked when they unhooked it and I have no reason not to believe them. I just don't think an old goat like me is up to using such an old control system that I will have to learn SO much about vs. what I've read as conversational controls.

Let me have it, it's time to face the truth about what I've bought.

Thank you,
Gus

[Karl_T]

The good news is you'll be getting rid of nearly everything in that old cabinet.

First figure out what you have for motors on your axis. Most likely they are brushed DC servos with resolvers. Remove the motor, connect what looks to be the power wires (two large ones) to a car battery charger. If it turns, you got a DC servo. The resolvers are going to have to be removed and replaced with encoders. best sourse is USdigital.com

Next figure what you have for the spindle motor. its very likely a 3 phase motor and gear box. tell us what you see. if it is a three phase usnit there will be motor contactors for forward and reverse that you will need to keep.

enough for now.

karl

Another task is to find all the forward and reverse limit switches. Work from the device to the end of the wire and label each one.

[gusmadison]

Karl,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply! You've given me hope and some homework to get started. I'm open to any other ideas that come to mind. I'm sure it will be a big job but also a valuable learning experience. I don't ever remember purchasing a used machine that I didn't have to get real friendly with it to make it perform.

Gus

[Karl_T]

Once you figure out exactly what you have for spindle and axis, we can tell you what all hardware you'll need.

If you've not done this sort of work before, it can be a big job. There's lots of folks that have done the exact same thing. Start searching this NG, almost every question has been answerred before.

You should be using Mach software for your refit. read up on it. many days worth here.

Karl

[Al_The_Man]

Before you junk everything there is a lot you need to hang on to if it is in good shape as some of the requirements are the same whatever system you use, for e.g. contactors, fuse blocks, transformers, power supplies, disconnects, relay I/O boards, these can add up for a lathe of that size if you replace it all.
The servo's were DC as well as the spindle motor usually.
Depending on how much maintenance it got in its life time, you will probably need to flush the lube system and pump, and replace all the end of lube-line meter fittings.
If you keep the motors, it may be a challenge to come up with suitably large drives as typically these were around 2hp servo's.
Did you get the documentation also? It helps to have the existing schematics.
Good Luck.
Al.
.

[gusmadison]

Thank you Al for your input and the good tip on flushing the lube system.

It looks like I'm going to attempt to wire this machine back the way it was and see if it will function.

What type of software do I need to purchase to use with a computer to write a program and connect to the Advanced Digital Research board that has been installed replacing the tape drive?

I sure would like some advice on what I need and any sources for it.

Thanks,
Gus

[WGoyer]

Gus,

The Advanced Digital Research BTR doesn't need any special software. Just send it text files with any terminal program such as Hyperterminal (most copies of Windows have it). Before that is even necessary, you should be able to punch in a program in "edit" mode by hand.

As for the control, American used several models over the years. In the early '80's, it could have been an Allen Bradley, Bendix, or GE.

I think getting it started up with the original setup is a good idea. You might get a lot of use out of it as-is. Parts are usually available. Watch that you get the proper incoming line voltage


Warren