Sieg X3 Conversion

[dodgygeeza]

There is no need to go to C3 on a machine like the X3, C5 will be nice, but you will need to talk to cnc fusion, because you cant just buy some C5 screws that will fit the existing nuts, unless you get the smae brand, then you will need to pre load it.
This can be done quite easily on a double ballnut, but if they are single nuts then you will need to use over sized balls and re ball the nuts.
If you need C3, you can get them from stock at Zap, but expect to pay real prices for them.
Adding the threading module will only be part of the problem, there are other issues with the X3 electronics that will need to be looked into.
For threading in CNC you need to interpolate between the rotary and Z axis and with the current spindle motor you cant do this.

[Vikash]

For threading in CNC you need to interpolate between the rotary and Z axis and with the current spindle motor you cant do this.

Gary at Zapp mentioned this, however I wondered why using a single point thread mill wouldn't work? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA_osyWIEFY

[komatias]

You are right, damage can be done if the steps are lost but at least you will be able to tell and the drives can be wired in such a way to tell the control software that they lost the steps. Servs will have this too to some extent

To reduce the likelyhood of having lost steps in the first place, you have the motion controller.

It goes without saying that you will need to buy the ballnuts and screws as a matched pair like dodgygeeza notes.

What I don't get is why they say you need to index the spindle to the z-axis, unless of course you are doing rigid tapping. Mach3 cannot do this anyway unless you treat the spindle as another axis or use a servo. Even tormach agrees http://www.tormach.com/blog/getting-...hread-milling/

[komatias]

NYC CNC also use a multiflute threadmill on a Tormach:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSBaHLmnJ-s

[dodgygeeza]

I was referring to rigid tapping and that is why you would use the encoder module, but to use this, you would need the S version that is considerably more expensive.
I have not done this myself, but know someone who has and he used a servo motor for the spindle.