Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] RE: Moog Hydrapoint

Gary,

My EMC machine is a former Moog. Maybe I should say it started out as a
Moog. I'd most definitely go with an old NC machine w/ mechanical drive if I
were to do things over again. No need to fabricate & align ballnut mounts,
ball-screw mounts, etc.
I'm not using the Moog head, left it for a T-ram and B-port Series 1
head. Ditched the hydraulics and replaced them with ballscrews. Quite a
trick to attach and align the ballnut mounts. But, I have 35.5" X travel,
and it's all flat.

>Do you know if the standard bridgeport-type retrofit ballscrews will fit
>this machine or do I need to make it special? Any other
>ballscrew-retrofit-related caveats I should be careful of with the Moog?

The Z-Axis is standard, nothing else. However, the saddle has nice
square ends, as does the y-axis. (I pulled the hydraulic mount extension.)
You'll need to fabricate individual ballnut & ballscrew mounts for X and Y.
I flipped two Series 1 X-axis screw mounts upside down and mounted them
to the saddle for the X; and used a Series 1 screw mount w/ a custom plate
for the Y. The servos tuck nicely under the saddle & knee.
I bought precision rolled ballscrews/nuts from Rockford, w/ custom X & Z
lengths, preloaded Z-axis ballnut, for under $1000.
Since the servo motors I'm using are sufficiently strong (90in/lb), I
run the Z axis throught the right hand side of the knee, direct 1:1 belt
drive to the top of the Z-axis ballscrew. I hacked up the X-axis hydraulic
cylinder to make an air assist for the Z, mounted to the side of the knee.
Similar to a B-port II, the Z-axis needs to be locked when the power is off.

In favor of the Z being on the knee - the quill is free to manually
tap/drill, make quick adjustments, pull out of the way to test a program,
and break things because you've forgotten to change the Z height on the
control, too.

The Moog makes a nice accurate, flat machine when finished, but in my
opinion was a real pain on the way there.

If you don't have access to another mill & a hoist (for modifying and
moving about the saddle and table) you may want to find something else to
start with.

Regards,

Keith Rumley