CNC router Rye retroffitting for aluminium milling

[agors]

Hello All,

I'm a new member of this forum and let me say that this forum is massive! I'm not even sure I posted in the right section!

Background: I'm a mechanical engineer, I know how to use CAD, 3D printing code and I can easily handle mechanics problem, but not that well electronic one.

I just bought a 1990 Rye CNC router, I was looking for a good solid base rather then spend 600£ on a Chinese flexible frame.
I got myself a 800kg gift, with some pretty good chassis (at least in my opinion.)

Machine spec:
- x axis: linear slide rail with (I think) SBR25 bearing, Ball screw and SEM ltd motors (MT22R2-24 perm magnetic DC servomotor), belt driven
- y axis: linear slide rail with (I think) SBR25 bearing, Ball screw and SEM ltd motors (MT22R2-24 perm magnetic DC servomotor), belt driven
- z axis: pneumatic actuated (no controller connected to it at the moment, the pipes are open)ò not sure how is called the rail system, it's like trapezoidal

The table is in Bakelite and has a suction system and the pump is there
The spindle is a Perske 2.2 kW, 17000rpm, and I have only a collar (6mm)

Controller: this is the critical bit for me. It has a NEE AMC, the manual are there (1996). It's not connected to the rest of the machine but his should be a problem.
There are a lot of other board that I haven't even looked at.

Now, here is the topic:
I'm thinking that would be easier to get rid of all the electronics, motors, pneumatic z axis and all cable and put a new 3axis NEMA34 kit.

The reason for me is that:
1) I'll have something easier to manage from a SW point of view
2) I think will be complex to manage all this old style electronics
3) I have no idea how to actuate the pneumatic Z axis, and replacing it with a stepper motor would be easier
4) Nema 34 should be ok since the current motor have 8Nm as Peak Stall Torque (from online tech sheet)

The draw back of changing all the electronics and motor:
1) I have to spend 500£
2) I need to make new brackets, pulley and what is necessary to fit the new motors + sensors


You are the expert, what do you suggest?

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[agors]

Picture of the machine


Original motor table:

[peteeng]

Hi Agors - Before I spent time and money on the development I'd get the machine going to its best to see what you have. Maybe fine. Peter

[agors]

Hi Agors - Before I spent time and money on the development I'd get the machine going to its best to see what you have. Maybe fine. Peter

Thanks pete, but I cannot actuate the z axis since there is no actuation for the idraulico part (or maybe there is but I’ve no idea how it should look like).

I’ll try to connect everything and try, but really I would prefer to have a new setup that I know 100%.

Looking in internet the nena34 kit looks well tested, and with a lot of support so even a newby like me can go through it.

Do you have any critics on the nema 34 Chinese setup?

[peteeng]

Hi Agors - I have only ever used Nema 23's on my machines so no experience with 34's. Just they will be more powerful. If you use a matched set from a supplier I can;t see you going wrong. Peter

[kakami]

Hi Agors.
I have a 1977 Porter Little Guy Router. It was a 2 1/2 axis machine I have converted it from the non working controller to NEMA 34 900 in.oz. steppers with a PC and Mach 3 as the control. The conversion was not difficult and it is now fully 3D capable. A NEMA 34 3 axis stepper kit would run your router well. .You might also get a VFD drive for your spindle if there is not one already. It looks like your router is 2 1/2 D also you will need to add a Z axis motor and a ball screw attached to your Z axis carriage, It looks like you could mount it in place of the air cylinder you have now..
Good luck
Karel

[agors]

Thanks for the reply;
I’m new to this 2 1/2 D...not sure what this mean.

I looked into the electronics and I think I can get it up and running as is to try to see the capabilities; still not sure how to operate the z axis though.

At the moment the machine is in parts and I want to clean and inspect all the bearings before putting it back together.

[awerby]

I'd be wary of the so-called "kits" that you see on sites like AliBaba. They often consist of mismatched equipment that doesn't work well together if at all. Instead, I'd advise keeping the motors and power supply you've already got - servos are generally better than steppers - and augment it with a new servo motor that's similar to the others and using it to run a new screw for the Z axis as Kakami suggests. See if you can find drivers that will run those servos; Geckodrive makes some that will work if they're brush-type motors.

"2 1/2 D" refers to machining operations that happen at predetermined Z levels. They can be done with a pneumatic Z, but not full 3D, which requires a Z axis that can move continuously during the execution of X and Y moves.

[agors]

Thanks, I did my homework on the 2.5D;

I’ll try to test it to see how behaves.

Will be interesting!