Thinking of Converting my Mill's Anilam Controller to a Larken Based Controller..

[CNC-Joe]

Well Group, I've been mulling this over for a while.. converting my SuperMax YMC-30 CNC Milling Machine. It has a working Anilam "Crusader II" controller on it.. but for what I want to do - the controller is memory limited (albeit incredibly functional for a product of the mid 1980's ... hats off to Anilam).

The Anilam is older (386 based)... and just not able to do what I want to do with the machine (Mainly drop gobs and gobs and gobs of G-code to it.... )

Therefore I am trying to decide which way to go with the retofit.. Larken, Gecko, etc.

I have had very good luck with Gecko stepper controllers on lesser powered applications... and I could downgrade the voltage and run Gecko 320's..

After thinking about it .. I decided not to drop the power to the cnc in favor of the Gecko's ..as I'm like Tim the Toolman - and I always side on things having "More Power".....

Therefore I started looking at all the aftermarket stuff available to the home DIY'er on a somewhat of a ShoeString budget....

I am leaning toward the Larken's after calling Larken up and actually talking one on one with Larry Kenny - founder of LarKen .. Larry is incredibly knowledgeable, and has built his controllers for the high powered user. I like that. I want to keep the power going to my servo's.. and keep that table fully moving..

I'm going to do a very detailed build log and probably put it in a PDF format and put it out on the CNC-Zone, so others can benefit from it.

Has anyone done a Larken conversion of an Anilam system?

If so - please contact me here.

Anxious to get that beast upgraded,

Joe

[cwaugs]

Yep tons of them here I'm in the middle of one right now. Just search supermax Viper200

[CNC-Joe]

Thanks CWAugs!

[ger21]

Joe, this servo drive review might help you out.
http://www.thecubestudio.com/ServoDriveReview.htm

[Larken]

Has anyone done a Larken conversion of an Anilam system?

CNC-Joe, Check out the Viper Servo forum for more threads on mill conversions.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/viper_servo_drives/

Joe, this servo drive review might help you out. http://www.thecubestudio.com/ServoDriveReview.htm

Yes check that out. It was a lovely experiance