Motoman K30

[electromech31]

Scored a welding robot MotoMan K30 from works dumpster (poor little guy), but no controller or reference material. Im looking for any advice on how to build a controller for this beast? Im building three axis for my knee mill right know but those are small steppers, robot is large servos and six axis. Any Ideas would be much help. I do not have any info on the motors right know I will post that later. I thought this would be a kick ass project, what would be cooler then your own industrial robot arm guarding the door. Thanks

[RGeo]

Do you still have the K30? Are the motors round or square?
If I'm not mistaken the Motoman K30 came out with the ERC controller and had round motors, later when the MRC controller came out, they used different wiring harnesses and continued to produce the K30 for the MRC platform. The MRC used square motors. The Motoman is a great robot, regardless of controller. By the way the 30 in K30 means that the manipulator was designed to carry a payload of 30Kg (66 pounds), and operate at full programmed speed. This thing can hit three times harder than Iron Mike, even when he was in his prime. Be careful!
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Also the brakes run on 90VDC, the upper and lower arm joints, which are operated by the two side motors will have brakes on them, before the motors will run, the 90VDC would need to be applied to the brake circuit; however, if the servo system is not powered and operating correctly the arm will usually just drop. It’s a good way to get injured. Again, with the “be careful”.
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FYI; you can find out if the other axes have brakes on them by pushing on the arm in various locations, if the joint moves, it doesn’t have a brake. The L and U axes always have brakes (the axes I mentioned before).