Upgrading a Prototrak Mill to Allin1DC
Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:11 am
I finally got together the budget, time and resolve to retrofit a dead a prototrak knee mill after thinking about it for years now. The old DC servos check out ok, and I am leaning towards changing out the encoders to usdigital E6 with 10000CPR which should be overkill, though I am still open to other recommendations.
My plan for the machine is to upgrade to the Allin1DC and then more or less use it as a prototrack 2 axis mill in a hybrid CNC/manual mode. My thoughts are crank the table to a position and use conversational programming to do bolt circles, radius, slots etc...Most of my parts are rather simple geometry. I build model steam engines and all the prototypes predate CNC so geometries were simpler back then. I may down the road try to add a 3rd axis but for now I am excited to get 2. One of the first parts I want to make that would actually require something beyond conversational programming would be the following;
Would a part like the one above be covered on the CNC12 Free v5.0+ version or require upgrade to the millpro.
In evaluating the table of options I am having a hard time imagining beyond the line limitations in the free version software ever needing 1/10th the features covered by the pro version.
Next question, Southwest never equipped the machine with limit switches for how I want to use the machine, I am ok with finding 0 off a vise corner for example am I going to find I want them? If so any recommendations for the correct ones to use that will stand up to service on a milling machine? What happens without limit switches if somehow I had a crash? I would hope things would be limited to over currenting and that would be it?
This may turn into a build log, however it is going to be somewhat of a slow one, as I am going to be working on it with my father who has limited time until late March but is also an electronics engineer with 40yrs experience to help me along.
My plan for the machine is to upgrade to the Allin1DC and then more or less use it as a prototrack 2 axis mill in a hybrid CNC/manual mode. My thoughts are crank the table to a position and use conversational programming to do bolt circles, radius, slots etc...Most of my parts are rather simple geometry. I build model steam engines and all the prototypes predate CNC so geometries were simpler back then. I may down the road try to add a 3rd axis but for now I am excited to get 2. One of the first parts I want to make that would actually require something beyond conversational programming would be the following;
Would a part like the one above be covered on the CNC12 Free v5.0+ version or require upgrade to the millpro.
In evaluating the table of options I am having a hard time imagining beyond the line limitations in the free version software ever needing 1/10th the features covered by the pro version.
Next question, Southwest never equipped the machine with limit switches for how I want to use the machine, I am ok with finding 0 off a vise corner for example am I going to find I want them? If so any recommendations for the correct ones to use that will stand up to service on a milling machine? What happens without limit switches if somehow I had a crash? I would hope things would be limited to over currenting and that would be it?
This may turn into a build log, however it is going to be somewhat of a slow one, as I am going to be working on it with my father who has limited time until late March but is also an electronics engineer with 40yrs experience to help me along.