Cincinnati Arrow 750 VMC Retrofit
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:02 am
Hello everyone!
This is going to be my first true CNC retrofit build. I did install an Acorn onto a desktop router before but this is going to much more complex due to all the other systems I have to get to work like the tool changer, tool and work probes, coolant system, pneumatics, etc.
Some context about the machine. It's a mid 90s year model machine with not too many hours on it. It has the Acramatic 2100 controller with Cincinnati (Kollmorgen) servos and drives. I picked up the machine almost 2 years ago for a really reasonable price from a company that used it for making prototype parts. They had it still powered when I went to pick it up, so they showed me all the operations of the machine to verify everything worked. Since picking it up, it sat in storage until I had the space and time to finally start working on it. My original plan was to start machining on it as is and then switch to the Centroid controller down the road but I quickly found out that I would be better off doing the retrofit sooner than later. The electronics and tech is so old, it really makes it a pain to work with and diagnose. Something as simple as loading a NC program on it is an ordeal. More recently, I turned on the machine one day and starting doing the homing cycle when I got an alarm. There is a "Spindle not ready" fault and I can see on the spindle drive it has an alarm, but the only way to know why it alarmed out is to hook up a computer via serial port and use the Kollmorgen Motionlink software to read the codes. The software is so old I cant get it to work on my laptop and I don't want to run a virtual machine with Windows 95 just to read codes so I made the decision to actively start the retrofit.
So far I purchased the Oak board and tools like label maker with heat shrink tubing and ferrule crimpers. Next thing to purchase is a VFD for my spindle motor. I'm currently researching what drive I need to be able to control the spindle for things rigid tapping the spindle orient control.
Thanks for taking the time to read and I will be updating the thread with pictures and updates!
P.S. Special thanks to Marty as well as Liviu from Centroid. They both has be huge help with my questions so far!
This is going to be my first true CNC retrofit build. I did install an Acorn onto a desktop router before but this is going to much more complex due to all the other systems I have to get to work like the tool changer, tool and work probes, coolant system, pneumatics, etc.
Some context about the machine. It's a mid 90s year model machine with not too many hours on it. It has the Acramatic 2100 controller with Cincinnati (Kollmorgen) servos and drives. I picked up the machine almost 2 years ago for a really reasonable price from a company that used it for making prototype parts. They had it still powered when I went to pick it up, so they showed me all the operations of the machine to verify everything worked. Since picking it up, it sat in storage until I had the space and time to finally start working on it. My original plan was to start machining on it as is and then switch to the Centroid controller down the road but I quickly found out that I would be better off doing the retrofit sooner than later. The electronics and tech is so old, it really makes it a pain to work with and diagnose. Something as simple as loading a NC program on it is an ordeal. More recently, I turned on the machine one day and starting doing the homing cycle when I got an alarm. There is a "Spindle not ready" fault and I can see on the spindle drive it has an alarm, but the only way to know why it alarmed out is to hook up a computer via serial port and use the Kollmorgen Motionlink software to read the codes. The software is so old I cant get it to work on my laptop and I don't want to run a virtual machine with Windows 95 just to read codes so I made the decision to actively start the retrofit.
So far I purchased the Oak board and tools like label maker with heat shrink tubing and ferrule crimpers. Next thing to purchase is a VFD for my spindle motor. I'm currently researching what drive I need to be able to control the spindle for things rigid tapping the spindle orient control.
Thanks for taking the time to read and I will be updating the thread with pictures and updates!
P.S. Special thanks to Marty as well as Liviu from Centroid. They both has be huge help with my questions so far!