Re: Denford CNC Lathe, HELP PLEASE

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "bear_cnc" <bear_cnc@y...>
wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> I have recently acquired two identical Denford CNC lathes with ORAC
> controls. Trouble is the main spindle drives are missing and there
> are apparently faults with the ORAC (however they power up of a
> fashion). I am told there may be other bits missing but don't know
> which. The machines are from 1983, they use stepper motor drives
> without encoders and a three-phase motor with a rudimentary encoder
> for the main spindle. Apparently, all the mechanics and motors are

OK.

>
> I am desparate to find any documentation which may help me

restoring

> the machines, i.e. replacing what is missing and fixing what is
> broken. A detailed wiring diagram/parts list of the ORAC controller
> would be great.
>
> Denford's are still going, but were not very helpful. I was after
> detailed wiring diagrams, which may not be available from them. For
> £30 I could get a maintenance manual, but I doubt whether it goes
> into enough detail to put the things right again. I was advised to
> leave the machines alone and that whoever built the CNC system

(this

> was not Denford) went bust years ago. ORAC? No support would be
> available anymore.
>
> The machines are in beautiful condition mechanically and have very
> little hours on them. Hence my determination to bring them back to
> life.
>
> As a secondary approach, I would be trying to re-fit them with a

new

> control system, perhaps salvaging as much as possible from the old
> ones.
>
> Any help and advice appreciated.
>
> As this is my first message, perhaps a few words about myself:
> I am a German model engineer, but living and working in Britain. I

am

> a mechanical engineer by trade, with a bit of knowledge in

industrial

> control (not necessarily CNC). I have restored all sorts of things
> before (including machine tools), but this will be my first CNC job.
>
> Thanks and kind regards,
>
> Tom.

Tom,

I have stripped all the original electronics, psu & inverter from my
ORAC, and have started again, putting a PC inside the base running
TurboCNC (DAK engineering) driving Gecko 210 microstep controllers
and a new 3 phase inverter for the spindle driven by a digital to
analogue converter. I have retained the original motors & limit
switches and spindle sensor.

The conversion has worked out very well and I'm pleased with it -
where are you in the UK ?

Andrew Mawson
Bromley, Kent, UK