Kearney and Trecker Milwaukeematic IIIb retrofit

I am coming to the end of this retrofit and thought I would post some info.

This is a late 60's nc machine that originally came with a GE control. It was 2.5 axis + the table indexed to 5deg increments. (2.5 axis because x and z shared a servo). The servos where hydraulic. The old control worked well iirc repeatability was .0005.

http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/oldkandt.JPG

We had been accumulating parts for the last few years. Large servos, drives and such.. The original control finally literally smoked so we thought it was time. :)

The main thing we wanted was to make it full 3 axis and make everything else work as good or better than the original control. We had been playing with emc2 on a gantry router and found it to be very stable and flexible. We dove in figuring out how to replace the the hydraulic servos with dc ones. We removed all the hydraulics we didn't need. (servo lines, clutch packs and such).

This is x,y and b servo
before
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/xaxis/start.JPG
after
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/servo/belts.jpeg

Y axis
before
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/hyservo.JPG
after
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/yaxis/yassembly.JPG

In the first picture above you see the original control on the right.. we fit the computer, drives, vfd and i/o all in the control pannel. (after we made it twice as big ;))

before
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/mainelectricalbox.JPG
after
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/mostio.JPG
(^ that was taken a few months ago - there is a bit more in there now)

we are using mesa hardware (they are an awesome company.) We are using 2 of their 5i20 cards for a total of 144i/o. I am using 2 servo interfaces (one is 4 axis analog the other is 6 axis analog - gives +/-10v and fast encoder interface) so I end up with a total of 10 axis and 96 i/o. (and I need it all) ;) we are using opto22's as input and output buffers and emc2's integrated ladder for tool changing, pallet swap and such.

some videos
first closed loop movement (that is a .0001 indicator :))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgOqEz5Tk-Y

First complete tool transfer (I love this video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KplU8hkI0AQ

First cut (crappy video - sorry)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW6eXiMoFp8
(it is actually cutting the hex in the center of this timing gear http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/testing/DSCF1231.JPG for an encoder mounted on the spindle for rigid tapping.)

Rigid tapping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E3PMooch1k

one more tool change - swapping out a 7/8" drill with a 1" tap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6S-QfmWcsI

Now that things seem to be coming together I need to do some tweeking to the ladder and such. Take a look at the pictures here http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/conversion/
(random crap :P) also look at the youtube channel - there are other videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/samcoinc

I would do it all again and emc2 would be the control. I would like to thank all the developers - the have created an awesome control that just keeps getting better and better.

sam