Advice on converting my VMC

[Boyan Silyavski]

Or you could be our guinea pig and try one of the standalone 3- 4 axis chinese controllers. I will point you from where and which one exactly, if interested. Around 500-600 euro. means 300 euro cheaper than CSMIO and mach4 is another 200. I will buy it off if you are not happy. Just i don't have physical time to do all i want to, and one of these things is test said controller.

It is able to rigid tap and tool change . I am talking about the 980- 990MC , here is the manual . Dean said will be testing the 1000 one/numbers dont mean anything, its totally made by another company/ . So meanwhile i could test another one from third company. All of them are similarly priced and look like similar,

I am talking like this one here / this not the best price i think/ .

[Chaz]

Or you could be our guinea pig and try one of the standalone 3- 4 axis chinese controllers. I will point you from where and which one exactly, if interested. Around 500-600 euro. means 300 euro cheaper than CSMIO and mach4 is another 200. I will buy it off if you are not happy. Just i don't have physical time to do all i want to, and one of these things is test said controller.

It is able to rigid tap and tool change . I am talking about the 980- 990MC , here is the manual . Dean said will be testing the 1000 one/numbers dont mean anything, its totally made by another company/ . So meanwhile i could test another one from third company. All of them are similarly priced and look like similar,

I am talking like this one here / this not the best price i think/ .

Am also interested in this. Do you know if we can use something like Fusion 360 for CAM via a post processor?

[Boyan Silyavski]

Am also interested in this. Do you know if we can use something like Fusion 360 for CAM via a post processor?

I use /for the cheap one i was reviewing/ standard Fanuc or G code in mm, which is basically the same i think. I am not a G code expert :-), but it works without a flaw. I read already a couple manuals of the more expensive ones, seems the same. All pretty standard. Now the part about the toolchangers must be read more carefully, manual says linear and rotary, but as i don't have one i a bit lost there. I think that happens with macro command .

That's why it should be all tested. Cheap controller says it recognises G20 and G21 , but no such luck. File must be in mm. So i think they will have some minor flows. Hopefully not very big. For example i still have not it clear what about the M6 command? Dont chinese manually tool change? Did not find info in the manuals.

Of course such minor details are not a problem for me, given the savings.

[magicniner]

Any PP can be set to generate Imperial or Metric, it's just a case of whether it spits out a G20 or a G21 in the right place, this is independent of what controller the PP supports.

[Proteus]

Hello Boyan, and thanx for reply :-)
Yes, i have been looking at these controllers.
Found several of them at ebay like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/English-Pane...oAAOSwG-1Wy-32
Dont mind being a guinea pig, but my experience in programming CNC is not exactly fierce. Which means i would like to start with making the drawings and run it from there(that i do have some experience with).
In time i want to start playing around with the programming part in depth.
Right now i follow my old KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid) theory, trying to find a cost effective solution i can start with.
However, manuals have been downloaded some time ago and i will attempt to study this in due time.

[Chaz]

Hello Boyan, and thanx for reply :-)
Yes, i have been looking at these controllers.
Found several of them at ebay like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/English-Pane...oAAOSwG-1Wy-32
Dont mind being a guinea pig, but my experience in programming CNC is not exactly fierce. Which means i would like to start with making the drawings and run it from there(that i do have some experience with).
In time i want to start playing around with the programming part in depth.
Right now i follow my old KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid) theory, trying to find a cost effective solution i can start with.
However, manuals have been downloaded some time ago and i will attempt to study this in due time.

3 Axis even a bit cheaper.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/English-Pane...3D331785938231

[Proteus]

Chaz,
I apologize if my question can seem somewhat stupid, but how do i control the 4/5th axis cradle if i install a 3 axis controller ?
Jupp.. I`m a newbie :-)

[JAZZCNC]

Or you could be our guinea pig and try one of the standalone 3- 4 axis chinese controllers. I will point you from where and which one exactly, if interested. Around 500-600 euro. means 300 euro cheaper than CSMIO and mach4 is another 200. I will buy it off if you are not happy. Just i don't have physical time to do all i want to, and one of these things is test said controller.

Boyan That's little out of order to me and not very good advise for someone who's stated got no experience and who's wanting to convert a mill with full ATC.

The work involved just for the ATC is enough to make experienced user shy away and that's with mach3/4. So with Chinese controller that very few people know anything about with Chinglish manual that's about clear as mud isn't some thing I'd be recommending any new user to get into.!

Proteus you need to think long and hard how your going to tackle this and what hardware your going to use other wise you could cripple or spoil very nice machine.
Don't let all this talk about Offline controllers scare you away from PC based controllers because they work fine and have massive user base which can help you no end. Esp with bespoke ATC setups etc.
The same can't be said for the offline controllers and the jury is still out and will be for very long time untill they become more common.

Also I'm pretty sure they won't be simple to setup for anything but basic ATC setup. You will be required to write macros or learn some form of ladder logic for more complex ATC.
The same is true for Mach3 or Linux etc but with the difference that many have already done it or will be able to assist with macros etc.

Good luck.

[Boyan Silyavski]

I am not sure about what you say Dean. Part of me agrees, part of me thinks differently. I am not defending anything here, just my cold reasonable thoughts /of a traitor who sometimes out of frustration is secretly working for the enemy /




This is how i am thinking.I am just proposing.Anyone should decide for himself. Only the facts:



-you can not skip machine setup with either controller

-that mr H. or sb else has made his machine ATC work with Mach3 or 4 is Not = support from sb if you start going the same way. Even if someone that knows will have the desire to help you, these people are busy, so lack of time will make that impossible.
I have still fresh memories about 2x expensive Galil boards in my possession,you know there is a plugin for them and Mach3. Even a support forum. fresh memories come to mind how nobody could help me when help was needed. So- No, don't rely to support or help if doing anything specific.

-an expert in Macros will have no problem programming any controller or software and making an ATC work

-Windows is crappy, PC even a cheap one could become quite expensive when starts to waste your time. Especially if you value it. You need right away to change the disk to a flash drive to avoid reliability problems, reinstall windows and so on,

-exchanging a dead controller is 1/2 hour. changing a PC-combo could take days . I know that for a fact, even that i am a Pc geek. What about the people that are not?

- i am sure the user database on the Chinese controllers is much bigger in volume than any typical one or even the whole Mach user database. These controllers are sold in the millions and i know that for a fact. Its known for a fact that they are fitted on ATC machines, have seen enough videos on the net and that some companies silently retrofit them here in Europe.

-if you hire sb from west expect >50-60 per hour for that job. I know at least of a couple of companies that could sell you the controller a bit more expensive but know what they are doing and speak English. So presale questions could be asked and even they could do the heavy lifting with the ATC setup.

-when real problems are encountered with an EU or USA made board, all publicity crap is not valid. Expect to be the guinea pig. Paying guinea pig. Expect lame answers, unacceptance of the problem and so on. No beauty from that moment on.




at the other hand:

-Chinese are extremely unreliable, cheat like monkeys, haggle like old gypsies and pretend to be dumb like donkeys. Like every other Asian they think they are superior to us - in trade, intelligence and cunning. Its a fact that any Asian is better in trade.

-Chinglish manuals are serious challenge to anyone's intelligence

-Chinese don't care what they sell here, they have enormous market

-Chinese don't have a hacking idea what we need, what functions are needed for DIY machine of any type or for a retrofit.

-Whatever they sell to us they seriously overcharge for it compared to their real price for Chinese market and meanwhile having the self satisfaction that they are hacking us

-Chinese make copies of the copies

[Clive S]

-Windows is crappy, PC even a cheap one could become quite expensive when starts to waste your time. Especially if you value it. You need right away to change the disk to a flash drive to avoid reliability problems, reinstall windows and so on,

I know that for a fact, even that i am a Pc geek. What about the people that are not?

Boyan How can you say the above with conviction. Windows is not crappy and you certainly do not require to change the hard drive to a flash drive. Hard drives will run for many years without any problems. Flash drives are new on the block and have not been tested for many years in service as yet. Although I am getting to like them.

at the other hand:

etc. We could say the same about the Russians but that would not be fair either

-if you hire sb from west expect >50-60 per hour for that job. I know at least of a couple of companies that could sell you the controller a bit more expensive but know what they are doing and speak English. So presale questions could be asked and even they could do the heavy lifting with the ATC setup.

If you know where to buy these and get good support why not put links up. Remember this is a forum to help each other not for self gain.