Haas VF1 4th axis info needed to build

[Cartierusm]

I build cnc routers and do Bridgeport cnc conversions. To me the conversion and building of cnc is very easy, so I thought I would help out a fellow machininst. He is a working machininst with his own shop. He has as the title implies a Haas VF1. It has a round port in back to accept, and wired for a 4th axis. He would like to add one and if the drive is there and the port it shouldnt' be too hard to add a stepper or probably servo to be used as a 4th axis. Does anyone know if I can just wire one up, I assume it uses servos and not steppers?, if I can just wire up a servo and then build a rotoray axis for it? If this is as simple as it sounds where would I get a wiring diagram so I can do this?

[ltmquik]

I may be stepping out on a limb here, but perhaps HAAS has the wiring diagrams. Of course be sure that what you do does not end up voiding the warrenty of your friends machine.

[NC Cams]

Can you do it? It all depends on your ability to reverse engineer and/or interpret Haas wrinjg diagrams. Once you get passed that, you then get involved with the electronics aaspects of it.

The plug and play part of it should not be a trip - getting proprietary info that may be needed from Haas (codes, etc to turn on the "opions") will probably require some cash therapy on the part of the machine's owner.

I seem to recall seeing on a separate thread that addiing a 4th axis to some Haas machines turns into an expensive process, especially if it is NOT pre-fit with the 4th drive axis. IF I recall properly, the post-buid refitting of the amps and other stuff is not cheap.

[serviceman]

you cannot use a stepper motor on this machine it is built for a dc servo motor reliance and magmotor have some that should work for you. renco sells 2000 line encoders but there is usually a lead time like 4 weeks. haas has the encoder for not much more 265 i think renco sells them for 200. unless you go with a 1000 line encoder they are usually cheaper.

[serviceman]

i used to take haas motors and put them on nikken rotarys and tsudakoma yukiwa you name it. i also had a customer who built his own type of 4 head indexer and they did not consider gear ratio and they had a lot of problems with motor oscillation. since they where using it to only index we were able to clamp the unit and turn power off to the head and we were able to make it work. 60:1 90:1 are standard haas gear ratios with 2:1 motor to pulley

[NC Cams]

Are you interested in a science project or a 4th axis???

Crafting up and/or adapting a 4th axis is one thing, bolting on the feature so that you can make parts and money is something entirely different. I chased down a bunck of the info on 4th axis and, unless you can get a real SUPER deal on the hardware, it is essentially easier/faster to buy and hook up a kit than it is to craft up/adapt a 4th axis. This is especially true when/if you have to pay to have the feature turned on in software and/or pay a lot to have the servo amps and source code modified/adapted to run - some of the Haas options are soft coded and, unless you pay, the features won't run....

Can it be done - as in retrofitting - yes certainly. Does it pay? That depends on what it costs to do and can it be done without Haas factory intervention ($$$).

[Donkey Hotey]

The original poster already stated that the machine has 4th axis:

Originally Posted by Cartierusm He has as the title implies a Haas VF1. It has a round port in back to accept, and wired for a 4th axis.

However, I have to agree that buying a 4th axis--used if necessary--is the way to go.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that if he has that old of a machine, with a single round connector, he is wired for a 'brush' 4th axis (not the newer 'brushless' variety).

I'd second the idea of hunting down a used rotary on eBay. There was a working HRT210 in Oregon for $3K a few months ago (210mm platter). It never sold despite listing it twice. They are out there and many of them saw little use.

There's a 'brush' HRT310 on there right now for $5200 ('buy it now') and it also has the outboard control box. He'd be able to use it for second operations on a manual as well as use it in his VF1.

Pickins are slim right now (xmas) but they turn up pretty regularly.

[Cartierusm]

Thanks for the help guys. Someone emailed me a wiring diagram. I agree it's probably more trouble than it's worth.