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Thread: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

  1. #1
    Member snikkeldak's Avatar
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    Default HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Hello everyone!

    My name is Lennert, im from Belgium and i'm converting a HBM 45 PROFI to CNC.
    I'm studying mechanical engineering and am currently in the final year of my master.
    https://www.hbm-machines.com/product...i-freesmachine

    The goal is to convert the machine with as little modifications as possible. It will not be the cleanest conversion, but it will functionall.

    I started with the conversion of the Y-axis:
    Due to the square shape of the ballnut holder i lose a few centimeters of travel in the Y direction, but once the cnc mill is running i can round over the edges.
    The nut holder was made on the lathe with a 4 jaw chuck.
    https://ibb.co/iSjJUp
    https://ibb.co/g9hu29

    The stepper and bearing block are mounted on a 8mm thick steel bracket that was TIG welded:
    https://ibb.co/hwmyUp
    https://ibb.co/f2LQ9p

    The handwheel is not attached yet in this picture:
    https://ibb.co/cUnSN9

    Once the Y-axis was complete I started with the X-axis:
    The ballnut holder was made on the late with a 4 jaw chuck and the side chamfers were made using a hacksaw and file since my mill is in pieces.
    https://ibb.co/nDTbh9
    https://ibb.co/jYyyvU
    https://ibb.co/nGmU29

    The bearing block and stepper are again mounted on an 8mm thick steel bracket:
    https://ibb.co/khDWFU
    https://ibb.co/j8ap29

    My TIG welding isn't the best but certainly enough for the application here.
    https://ibb.co/fuVdvU

    A photo of the 2 brackets side by side:
    https://ibb.co/fDVvaU

    The steppers are NEMA34 8.5Nm Dual shaft and the ballscrews are SFU2005.

    Similar Threads:


  2. #2
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    you'll want to take the crank or whatever it's called off the handwheels. Those throw things way off balance and will shake the whole mill, plus being hard on the stepper bearings.



  3. #3
    Member snikkeldak's Avatar
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Yes, I will keep that in mind. I don't know if I'll be using the handwheels often, but i chose dual shaft steppers just in case.
    In the meantime I have completed the Z-axis:
    Z-axis ballnut mount:
    https://ibb.co/dDZ6Ep

    Making an 8mm steel stepper bracket:
    https://ibb.co/nceHLU
    https://ibb.co/cOQrfU
    https://ibb.co/h2yoS9
    https://ibb.co/cvwWfU
    https://ibb.co/iV0Dup
    https://ibb.co/i8dcLU

    Made a steel bracket and added gas struts:
    https://ibb.co/iQEZ0U
    https://ibb.co/n0toS9
    https://ibb.co/gspTS9
    I chose to mount them to the steel table since it was quick/easy and I don't want to make any holes in the original mill.
    The head can now be moved up and down the full range of 500mm very easily by hand. Right now I can't rotate the head anymore, I might someday make a new bracket if it turns out to be a problem.
    Next up will be adding an oil system and inductive proximity sensors as limit switches.

    Last edited by snikkeldak; 09-14-2018 at 05:54 PM.


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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Can you rotate the head enough to tram it? Most CNC's don't bother with ever manually rotating the head, as it's such a pain to get it trammed back in, and you can 3d interpolate or whatever to get the same effect.



  5. #5
    Member snikkeldak's Avatar
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Yes, I still have about 5 degrees in each direction



  6. #6
    Member snikkeldak's Avatar
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    I finally have a few days off (and money) to continue working on the mill.

    Oil system:
    - Added oil connections
    https://ibb.co/gjkwk49
    - Added manual oil pump + manifold
    https://ibb.co/g6nF4Ww
    - Added oil grooves into contact surfaces:
    https://ibb.co/F4sNyb5

    Electronics:
    - Added a cross to the base since it would vibrate from left to right to increase stifness:
    https://ibb.co/j6QFHD0
    https://ibb.co/MPLkhKX
    - Mounted electronics box to the rear:
    https://ibb.co/yNX5QQ4
    - Soldered a (kinda messy) board to use proximity sensors instead of limit switches using optocouplers:
    https://ibb.co/9tXPvbw



  7. #7
    Member snikkeldak's Avatar
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    I have completed all mechanical parts of the mill. The gas struts do remove around 70mm of travel in the Y-direction, which is suboptimal but i can easily change the mounting later on.
    https://ibb.co/X8z2kBn
    https://ibb.co/r55Yk34

    Here are two first test runs at conservative speeds:



    I have tested up to 6000mm/min when the system is well oiled, but it would lose steps sometimes.
    Right now maximum speeds are set to 2000mm/min



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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Ok, I have tuned in all axes and measured the backlash for backlash compensation:

    0.06mm in X, got it accurate to within 0.02mm with compensation
    0.10mm in Y, got it accurate to within 0.04mm with compensation
    0.60mm in Z, got it accurate to within 0.13mm with compensation

    Are these acceptable for a homemade machine with a simple chinese ballnut conversion and open loop steppers ?
    My biggest problem as of now is the collet chuck, i litteraly have multiple mm of runout on the tool:
    https://ibb.co/SKGgdv5

    This is probably not how the inside of a collet chuck is supposed to look like ? (the holes are not concentric)



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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Thats an ER style collet nut. You need to engage the collet in the nut first before assembling it to the collet holder. https://125718-359648-raikfcquaxqnco...ers249-427.jpg



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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Ahh ok, now I kinda feel stupid for asking haha. Thanks alot!



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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    X and Y backlash don't sound bad, but .6mm on the Z may cause problems. End mills often pull into the workpiece, so when ramping or plunging you may end up with the endmill pulling down that .6mm all at once, potentially breaking the tool.



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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Hi, Congratulations on your conversion and thanks for sharing. I am a total newbie, but I have the same mill and I want to do a similar conversion.

    Would you be able to tell us how long the ballscrews are?
    Also, I would like to know if you feel the nema34 is the correct size for this mill, especially the Z-axis.



  13. #13
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Hello, sorry for the late reply!

    X ballscrew is 1000mm,
    Y ballscrew is 600 (not sure since i lost order email)
    Z ballscrew is 700mm.

    I ordered them all a little long so I had to cut off small sections as I couldnt find exact lengths i needed.

    The Z axis is 13Nm nema34, and together with the gas struts (2x 45kg), it can move very effortless.



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    Default

    can I contact you in any way? I would like to buy the hbm 45 profi milling machine, and then convert it to cnc, I would be very happy to have your support, thanks!



  15. #15
    Member snikkeldak's Avatar
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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Hello,
    You can send me a personal message on the forum, or ask your questions in here (maybe the info is also interesting to others)



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    Default Re: HBM 45 PROFI CNC conversion

    Hello to everyone, my name is Goran and I'm from Slovenia and this is my first post

    I'm considering of buying HBM 45 milling machine because of its affordable price and ISO30 spindle and use it as manual machine for starters and then eventually convert it to CNC.

    I contacted HBM and they do not have any geometry measurements or tolerance test certificate for the machine. I was able to get one from other brand, but it doesn't look like serious test certificate. But at least it's a paper you can make a complaint with I suppose. Somehow I'm lost in large number of brands that offer same/similar machine. And for shore I would be very sad to find out, that the slides and geometry is bad. I'm not looking for perfection in this price range, but I would not like to service and modify the machine before its first use. I understand that a dismantling and thorough cleaning is a good practice with this machines and I don't have a problem with that. I also don't have a problem with tramming. But I would have a problem with things that cannot or are expensive to get them right. I would rather buy a better and more expensive machine than.

    I would be very thankful if someone can comment on overall quality of the machine, especially on surface quality of the slides and geometric tolerances of the machine.

    @Lennert: It's been a while now since your build. Would you consider other brand/reseller of Chinese mill today as a foundation for your CNC conversion?

    Thanks in advance for all of your answers,
    Goran



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