Warco WM16 CNC Conversion.

[noyloj]

Hi there

Just assembling the components for my new build CNC conversion of the Warco WM16 milling machine.

I Converted a little Proxxon Micro Mill to CNC for fun a few years back and sold it on when I'd finished, I used all the cheapest Chinese bits I could get and was quite happy with the result...

This time I'm aiming for something a bit different.

WM16

There are plenty of resources detailing conversions of this machine and variants on the internet and it seemed a logical choice both in terms of size and price so I went ahead and bought it. The same machine (or VERY similar) is also sold as the Grizzly G0704, Optimum BF20l and Amadeal AMAT25LV I believe...

I have purchased 2HSS86H closed loop hybrid drives with 2 x 8.5Nm motors for X and Y axis and a 12Nm motor for the Z as well as some cheap chinese pre-machined ballscrews and nuts from ebay which I can play with without too much worry...

(I should say that I've been advised, correctly I believe, that these motors and drivers are oversize for this application but i'm going ahead with this approach because I got the motors and drivers at a giveaway price from a mate's incomplete router project! BE WARNED!)

Probably going for UC300eth for motion control with one HDBB2 breakout board with UCC software...

Got a couple of ideas for the motor and bearing mounts but will have to take a good look at the mill before I start...

First off is a stripdown, clean and assessment... I'll post again afterwards with some more info.

[John S]

Those motors are far, far to big and will only slow the machine down believe it or not.
4.5 Nm for X and Y and the same for Z but with 2:1 belt reduction.

[noyloj]

I'm not looking for speed

[noyloj]

I'm hoping to keep the motors and drivers for my next project... But at the risk of sounding dumb, why should the larger motors affect top speed? Surely not through inertia?

[noyloj]

I suppose that the higher power means that current switching will be slower... but not to any degree that will matter considering the maximum velocity these motors are rated at and the application that they are being used in?

[noyloj]

If I run them at plenty high voltage this should offset switching rates through the windings...

[noyloj]

The motors will never be under any real load and should never get warm either which will reduce internal resistance after extended periods and again offset speed at which current flow can be changed though the windings over smaller motors..

[Clive S]

Well you seem to have it sorted then. I have a WM18 mill with nema 23s with 2:1 reduction at 68V and am882 drives and it is fine.

You will need to do some more research if you think nema 34 8.5Nm are correct.

[noyloj]

I'll use what I've got and hope that it's adequate. I want to use the motors and drives for a much bigger CNC router project later... it's not really that important that this machine runs super fast it's not for production more for fun! But thanks for the input, I'll consider it when I build my next mill.

This mill is more to enable me to play with these drives and whatever controller before my router build.

Incidentally, I'm going to direct drive the Z axis... belts are just another link in a chain imo.

[noyloj]

I'll keep you posted as to how this pans out!