Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Tree J300 PC control

dkmach2 wrote:

> Hi,
> My name is Denis Knobloch, I own a tool and die shop. I just
> purchased a Tree J300, regretfully, the machine is dead. I found a
> specialist who has been very helpful with troubleshooting, Bruce @
> Lectro Mech INC. At this point I have not spent much money, thanks to
> another very helpful gent, one Roger Swift who resides within the
> ranks of CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO.(he has succesfully coverted a Tree to PC
> control) First off we determined the power supply was bad, Rodger
> sent me the one from his machine. It did what it was suppose to do
> but we have other issues. We are to the point of spending $$$. Bruce
> suggests I send him all the computer boards, and for a reasonable
> fee, he can test them. ($275 for 6 boards, because that original
> computer is a pretty good little computer). Roger, on the other hand,
> suggests I take a hard look at my situation, and decide which way I
> should really go. Repair an obsolete control vs install all new.

Well, the main question is, when repaired, how long can you expect the
Tree control to run reliably until the next breakdown? And, how easy
is the Tree control to use. Is it a CRT control, or just has a couple of
LED displays? It won't take more than one more breakdown to make it
much cheaper to have done a PC retrofit. And, of course, a PC retrofit
with new hardware should keep you running for quite a few years before
you have problems again.

Is the Tree a stepper or servo driven machine? If servo, what type
of position feedback does it have?

> I
> understand that the Gecko 320/340 drive is quite reasonable, Roger
> estimates about $600 less PC and misc. for the change-over, provided
> I roll up my sleeves and do the work myself. He directed me here to
> learn all I could about Geckos/wireing/software. To be honest, I am
> not skilled in the electrical field, well, to be totally honest I
> know this much about electricity, KEEP MY PAWS OFF!!! Albeit, I am
> willing to learn as long as I don't have to break new ground here. I
> have visited the Gecko site and looked at the wiring diagram for
> these drives. I have a PC I could use so I have a start.
> Now I need you to be perfectly honest with me. Can I, of little
> electrical experiance, reasonably do all the work neccesary to
> convert this machine to PC control? I have a business to run, and I
> need this machine up and running soon. What is a good estimate on man-
> hours for the work to be done? How much cost in misc. wire, cable
> fasteners, etc. How about a monitor/crt? The money is not a problem,
> I need to know for budgeting. (as an afterthought, I don't know how
> much it will cost to fix the original control either)

Assuming standard shaft encoders are what is used on the Tree, I think you
could have the machine running in one weekend, if you just wanted to see
it move. If you want to build a really nice box for the drives, maybe put
the
PC in a 19" rack cabinet, and have all the auxilliary stuff (home switches,
limit switches, lube and coolant, etc.) hooked up nicely, it might take a
whole week. It would be good if you have a manual or other CNC mill
to do some of the cabinet work for the Gecko drives. Since Roger Swift
has already beaten this path, I'm sure he could give you a wiring diagram
for his retrofit. The exisiting control probably has a nest of wires that
would baffle even me (at least without a diagram of it) but you will most
likely want to cut 95% of that out. Just leave the power from the input
to the spindle motor, and remove everything else from the cabinet.
The wiring that goes back in will be very simple. 3 wires from the PC
to each Gecko, and 6 wires from the motor/encoder to the Gecko, for
each axis. 2 wires from the motor power supply to the Geckos. That
will get it moving.

You could also go to full servos with EMC as the CNC program, and
use Copley Controls servo amps instead of the geckos. You might get
us the specs from the servo motor's nameplate.

Jon