Hi,

I know this is a post that probably been answered before.  I looked through some of the previous messages but I’m hoping someone knowledgeable can help with some of my questions.

We have an older mori seiki slant lathe (early 80s) that was given to us after a board failed in the controller.  We were told it would cost at least $1,000 to have the board replaced and by the time we have a service tech help out we would have a chunk of money stuck in a older machine with a controller that isn’t very user friendly.
I’m assuming all of the servo and spindle drives are functioning.   

So I’m wondering is it possible to connect mach 3 to this machine??

If so what would be involved and where are the difficulties?

It is a nice little machine with a 8 station turret and I wouldn’t mind see it up an d running.   

Thanks in advance for any help,
Dan

What type of control did it originally have?
Fanuc or Yasnac.

Darek

It has a yasnac 2000g.  Single line - no CRT.  We have another mori with the same control so I have some experience with it.  It does what it's suppose to do, but I'm wondering if I there is someway I could upgrade instead of simply repair?

Dan

It will most likely have Yaskawa analog controlled servos and spindle, +/-10 volts. Like most CNC's of this vintage It will have permanant magnet DC brush motors on the axis and a wound field DC brush motor on the spindle.

There are two methods available to use the existing hardware.

1. Use a Galil motion controller to accept the encoder signals and provide the +/-10 volts for the servo drives.

2. Use step/direction to analog converters, Rutex or Skyko. You then provide the S/D signals by printer port, NC Pod or G-Rex

Logic will have to be written to handle the turret. The turret is probable hydraulic and done completely with digital I/O. A complete schematic would be a must.

Darek

Thanks for your time.  I hate to ask for more but if I had to ask for something - it would be what is the difference between these two approaches? 

I'm a complete nube at this so if nothing else could you recommend a good source material for understanding some of these concepts? 

This is kind of a hobby or weekend project.  I've seen commercial retrofits for these lathes costing 20K .
 Besides the education I need - what kind of expenses would I expect?

I'm just wondering if this is a project I can afford right now.

Thanks again for the advice,
Dan

Greeitngs
has anyone retrofited old Ocuma LS-N lathe with mach software ?
I believe there are some problems with the unique encoders on hese machines
Regards
Michael Haber