New Machine Build- LARGE CNC Contrloll Retrofit

[Geokat]

I have aquired Master Stone 4000, a large CNC router x,y,z.
The controlls are very outdated since machine is from 1999, I am looking to retrofit it with new controls. Does any one have some suggestions and experience in this? I will be using machine for stone carving.

[jalessi]

What is wrong with the original controls?

Jeff...

[Geokat]

They mite be working fine I did not start the machine yet, but from what i saw at another shop is not looking too up to date to what is on the market today. I contacted Intermac but they are not of any help... They want to sell me a new one for a quarter of a million dollars. I am considering Centroid or IBH for right now.
I di not understand Intermac they coul easily make a lot of money by just commong up with a retrofit, they have tousands of these machines out there.

[Geokat]

On Centroid site I saw one Stone CNC router thay are running. Did any one see this in person???
Any suggestions about a control retrofit for large CNC as master stone 4000 from Intermac?

George...

[jalessi]

George,

Why not get the machine up and running first, you may spend tens of thousands of dollars and not gain very much.

Jeff...

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by Geokat On Centroid site I saw one Stone CNC router thay are running. Did any one see this in person??? Any suggestions about a control retrofit for large CNC as master stone 4000 from Intermac? George...

If the drives take +-10v analog input then the dspmc/ip would be a good choice.

www.vitalsystem.com

[Geokat]

I think I will take your advice Jeff and start the system. As long as it powers up with out much investment it would be good. Othervise I will start with retrofit with out it.

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

What is a master stone 400? How big is big/large?

Dick Z

[fanuc-support.c]

We can retrofit it for you, and it won't cost $250,000.

Check out our site.

[Geokat]

Master Stone 4000 is made by Intermac and it is the router used to shape natural stone including the granite and quartz (one of the hardest stones around) The spindle is 7kW and it has center water feed to the tools to keep them cool. The whole machine is probably around 20 tons and the table size is around 15 feet x 9 feet. These are some rought descriptions of the machine. All controll motors are servo motors. Soon I will take some pictures of motor tags and the machine to post to this site for all to see. I can use all coments and suggestions by kind people browsing this site.
Thank you in advance for any coments you have posted.

Also machine has tool changer consisting of 48 tool slots

[Geokat]

I am sorry Fanuc-Support. If I hire someone to do the retrofit it would be someone located in good old USA. I am sure you would do a great job but I need someone that can service the machine and be able to fly in if needed and get the machine running in short time.

[jalessi]

George,

A retrofit on a 48 tool stone machining center will be very complicated.

Replacing a few old parts will be far less expensive.

A retrofit is going to cost you many many tens of thousands of dollars.

Do you have the budget and several tons of scrap granite to experiment with?

A machine without a Microsoft Windows GUI will still cut stone.

Jeff...