Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I was recently given a Bridgeport style knee mill with a 2006 version of Prototrak Edge on it. The Prototrak controller fried a main board and is dead, but as far as I can tell the motors themselves are fine. At this point I am hoping I can figure out how to reuse the existing motors and put a new controller on top of them but I am as new as can be to doing a CNC retrofit, yet quite eager and excited to learn. I have tried searching this form and elsewhere and I am somewhat surprised given how common the Prototrak systems are how little info I have found. Does anyone here have experience with upgrading a Prototrak mill to Centroid, or is it documented anywhere online?

As far as I can tell it looks like my machine has AC servo motors mounted on them and that Soutwest Industries uses an internal drive proprietary controller that is built in. Does that sound about right? I have yet to start taking things apart but I am pretty sure that these are AC motors. I have been finding Southwest's literature is not the most helpful when it comes to wiring diagrams etc... Here's some of the data off the Xaxis feed, though it doesn't actually state it is AC. If these are AC motors does this put me into the realm of using the Oak controller, and will that run the integrated drive that Southwest has or do I need separate drives? What other info needs to be verified before moving forward with the project?

A few more photos if they're of any help. I popped open the cover to the motor control unit and here's what I found;


Here's some of the wiring both to the motor and encoder;


If I am going to take on this project getting some actual literature and wiring diagrams beyond what I can find on Southwest's website is going to be quite important.

Those certainly look like Brushed DC motors. AllIn1DC would ne the control. You might need to change encoders on the motors depending on what's there.

Yup, DC Brush Servos.
I would next determine the make and model of the encoder inside the DC Servo, would be mounted on the end of servo.
How about some pictures of the machine, and inside the current cabinet. I would try and keep the current DC Buss power supply that feeds the servo drives. All in One DC has 3 servo drives built on. I did a series on retrofitting a knee mill with All in One DC. Link at the top of this forum.

Marty

Take the cover off where the conduit goes into the servo and take pictures. Back up a little bit and take overall picture of the servo motors attached to the machine.
Marty

you might find this interesting...a photo album of a protrak lathe upgrade i did.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wWji5JtqZdb2RuzX7