Re: Spindle Speed with the GS2 Drive


Hi Matt,

Matt Shaver wrote:
200303252109.35728.mshaver-at-erols.com">
On Tuesday 25 March 2003 20:04, you wrote:
     This fall I am going to be involved with a retrofit of a
Wells-Index knee mill, model 810. It currently has three axis movement
with servo drives (Westamp) and encoder (differential) feedback on each
axis. The spindle is spun by a 3 horse, 3-phase, 1800 RPM, 220 VAC motor.

The "iron" is in excellent shape, but the electronic control is by
Sharnoa that needs to be scrapped. We are going with the Servo-to-Go
card, a BDI box, and whatever else it takes for a professional retrofit.

I retrofitted this exact machine with this exact setup a few years ago. It
works fine and it was very easy to do. Wish I had pictures... Basically, I
pulled out the Sharnoa control (an S-100 computer for those who know what
that is) and put a shelf in the cabinet. A PC in a desktop style enclosure
slid right in and I saved the amps, power supply, and encoders. The I/O was
done with an Opto22 board controlled through the parallel port on the PC and
using the existing 24Vdc relay logic on the field wiring side. I also had to
remove the operator controls mounted on either side of the spindle housing as
those functions are now controlled through the PC running the EMC, as well as
the paper tape reader and the operator display on top of the control
cabinet..

     I know it's been a while since you  did the retrofit, but do you have any thoughts of anything that you did that you would
NOT do if you started the retrofit today?  Experience is a mixed blessing.

     How did you do the Operator's controls: Cycle Start, Stop, E-Stop, etc, without a pendant?  I cringe at the thought of running this machine with a mouse, even though I know it can be done.

       How did you overcome the harsh environment of coolant and other shop debris?  Even a one-machine shop tends to be dirty around the machine while it's working.
200303252109.35728.mshaver-at-erols.com">


Matt

P.S. Fred Proctor took some pictures of this machine, maybe he's got 'em
somewhere, although I don't know if he got any of the inside of the control
enclosure.

     If you can find them, I would like to see them.  (off list, of course.)
200303252109.35728.mshaver-at-erols.com">


P.P.S. One of the old amps (the Z axis) finally went bad a couple months ago
and I replaced it with a Servo Dynamics amp which is working well.

       That's how I do it at work, too.  Baldor sells an "almost" replacement for these Westamp drive.  I say "almost" because they fit in the amplifier "cage" exactly, but the signal connectors are different.

Later,
Gene




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