CNC lathe conversion part 1 - research

I was not really planning on going here at the beginning of the coffee project, but the prices I'm getting back for some of the parts are making me rethink at least the initial production run. There are some things that I cannot do in the shop: castings, complex cnc parts and plating etc. Cutting tapered parts is also not possible (or at least not practical) and the time I would spend on the learning curve for manual single point metric threading on an inch lathe seems like it might be better spent on tackling the CNC. However, my lathe is manual and possibly not the best starting point for a cnc conversion. I'm also not terribly keen on no longer having any manual control. So, some things to consider. 

(Note - here is a technique for manual metric threading using the half nut to disengage the lead screw.)   https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HXt4TWa382Q  


Useful lathe CNC conversion posts:

8x12 Harbor Freight conversion
http://plsntcov.8m.com/CNClathe/CNClathe1.html

Excellent conversion of a Jet 13x40 http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/converting-a-13x40-manual-lathe-to-cnc-with-servos-and-mach3.33405/

Another excellent conversion using a kit from Billy Tools
longezproject.blogspot.ca/2015/02/cnc-lathe-conversion-part-1.html Possible converts:

Busy Bee 7x12

At 75 lbs there isn't really enough meat on the bones and bore is only 20mm.

Old and tired gearhead on kijiji

More old and tired 36" Logan on lespac

Converting a manual lathe to CNC is quite a bit more invasive than doing a manual mill. All of the elaborate gearing for threading and power feed are dumped along with the compound and the worm screws. All that one really needs is a solid frame, a good apron and the head and tail stock. Finding one with a 3 phase 220V motor would be a bonus, but unlikely. 

...so its back to ballscrews...

For my mill conversion I bought used ground ball screws for the X & Y and a new surplus for the Z from ebay. The precision of all three was C5 if not better. However, the X axis (which is the longest, most expensive and was the hardest to find) has some issues, possible because of a crash courtesy of the previous owner. So I am somewhat ambivalent about going the used route again. However, finding surplus screws of the right dimensions with support blocks is really tough, so the only affordable and convenient options for buying new are Chinese rolled C7 precision grade that come with journals and matching supports. C7 is 0.002" in 12" (in the worst case over the length of the screw) which, given what we are proposing to manufacture here, isn't that bad.

X axis

used THK - 14x4mm 358mm with 235mm travel - with supports and stepper frame - $189

used NSK - 16x5mm 407mm with 282mm travel - with supports and stepper frame - $189

used NSK 20x5 460mm overall with supports - $250

new NSK 25x5 ~440mm overall no supports - $270

surplus THK 14x2mm 416mm overall no supports $200

new Kuroda 12x2?mm ~15.5" overall no supports $90 plus shipping from US



Z Axis - the hard one...

used THK - 20x5mm x 1385mm ROLLED with supports - $239

new C7 Chinese - 20x05 x 1352mm with supports- linearmotionbearings2008 - $105 plus shipping



Update 2016 4 27

A couple of simple conversions using the existing lead screws. The second one is particularly interesting because it doesn't require giving up manual control! 

flashcut cnc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Polq5piWhQ

optimum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWg8NzfP108

A conversion of a small grizzly using a kit from BD Tools. Excellent blog about building an airplane too.

http://longezproject.blogspot.ca/2015/02/cnc-lathe-conversion-part-1.html

parallel breakout dev

breakout parts

74AC245S   https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/74/74AC245.pdf
PIC 12F629 http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/devicedoc/41190c.pdf
HC00          http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn74hc00.pdf

Development and parts for 24v to TTL IO board

Update 2016 3 1 - finished board

___________________________________


Development and parts for 24v to TTL IO board

a visual explanation of transistor basics from the kind folks at sparkfun



https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/transistors/applications-i-switches


4 channel opto isolator array

http://optoelectronics.liteon.com/upload/download/DS-70-97-0013/S_110_LTV-816%20826%20846%20(M,%20S,%20S-TA,%20S-TA1,%20S-TP)%20Series.pdf
http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/LTV-846S/160-1365-5-ND/385835


4 channel NPN transistor array

https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/FF/FFB2222A.pdf
http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/MMPQ2222A/MMPQ2222ACT-ND/458989

Flyback Diode
http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/SD101AW-TP/SD101AWTPMSCT-ND/717414
http://www.mccsemi.com/up_pdf/SD101AW-SD101CW(SOD-123).PDF

Mosfet switch basics





breakout parts

74AC245S   https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/74/74AC245.pdf
PIC 12F629 http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/devicedoc/41190c.pdf
HC00          http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn74hc00.pdf


spindle control

LTV847       http://www.us.liteon.com/downloads/LTV-817-827-847.PDF
SN74HC13N http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn74hc14.pdf
LM2907AN   http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm2907-n.pdf
ULN2003A   http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/uln2003a.pdf
KA7812       http://pdf.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheet/fairchild/KA7812.pdf
L7805CV     http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1805459.pdf
1N4004      https://www.fairchildsemi.com/products/discretes/diodes-rectifiers/rectifiers/1N4004.html

CNC 3 axis controller components

Enclosures

Hammond Enclosure 1414PHO6

Hammond to Hoffman equivalence:

Hoffman      Cat #        Hammond                       
A1614CH A16P14 1414PHO6 Ham incl. Panel




Drivers

Geckodrive G203V - drawing reference






Breakout board

CNC4PC C35

manual


Buttons and Switches

AB - 800E 22.5mm series
Full data sheet.

800ep-p3 ------  green pilot light (lens only no lamp holder)

800ep-p5 ------  yellow "  "  "  "

800ep-p7 ------  white  " " " " "

800ep-f1 ------- White Push Button, Non-illuminated, Momentary, Flush (button only no contacts)

800ep-f5 ------- Yellow """""

800E-MT4   -----------  40mm Red Mushroom E-Stop [page 31]

Back of panel components

800E-4DL3  -----------  Full Voltage {lamp} Module with Latch 24 AC/DC [see page 100]

800E-4LX02 ----------  4-across 2NC contacts [see page 23]

800E-4LX10 ----------  4-across 1NO contact

Fuse Blocks

ABB Catalog - http://www.abb.com/productdetails/ABB2CSM206573R1801

E 91hN/32s


Disconnect

ABB ONWS7PB 1SCA022640R6310



Relays

ABB

ESB 20-02 (250V 20A) {coil voltage 240V??}
K6-31Z
ESB 24-04 (400v 24A 3~) {12V 4pole NC}

none of the above are suitable


Heatsinks

http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/VHS-45/102-1488-ND/1016696
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/CS60-Freeshipping-heatsink-for-the-ssr-10A-15A-use-the-guide-clip-of-rail/627107432.html

Customising ACAD electrical 2015 for multiple user access

Customising ACAD electrical 2015 for multiple user access

Edit 2015 1 12

ALL Attribute template files and wire connection files must also be transferred to the network location... (further cluttering the folder). All I wanted was a nice clean location to save custom symbols...

See AE forum discussion.

Edit 2014 12 11

Additionally, I had to move the slide libraries for all the out-of-the-box symbol icons in the Icon Menu. Simplest way was to list the location folder

Location: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical {version}\{release}\{country code}\Support

by file type and move all the .dll and .slb files to the custom icon folder in the network drive. (Moving just the .dll files seemed to resolve the issue...)

(Note, the .slb file extension didn't show up in the Windows file browser for until I unchecked the Hide extensions for known file types option in Tools>Folder Options>View). 

2014 12 5

So you want to work on a project from two different locations (i.e. with two different machines) and still have access to the custom symbols you spent so much time building. In order to do this, ACADe must be set up to share the schematic and panel libraries and icon menus. Another good reason to store your custom content in a separate location (network or otherwise) is to prevent the loss of that data if you reinstall (or update?) ACADe - the installer apparently overwrites the libraries at their standard locations!

References: A good overview on how to setup ACAD for multiple users from Autodesk and a slightly more in-detail discussion here.

However, I don't want the entire 500mb standard library taking up space on the network drive, I just want my custom content accessible. So here is what I did:

1) Created a copy of WD.ENV (environment file containing environment settings and the location of library databases, support files, icons etc), {Location: C:\Users\ User login \Documents\Acade 20xx\AeData\} at a shared network location. {In my case in my GoogleDrive}.

2) Renamed the local copies of WD.ENV to dissabled_WD.ENV on both of the machines. {I don't think that these two steps are necessary for sharing custom libraries, but now future modifications to the environment will (should?) be propagated to all the machines sharing the file}.

3) Added the network folder path to the new WD.ENV file to the list of Support Files Search Paths in the ACADe>Options>Files menu.

4) Created three network folders: Custom Panel libraries, Custom symbol libraries and Custom Icon Menus.

5) Created network copies of the actual symbol and panel icon menus ACE_JIC_MENU.DAT and the ACE_PANEL_MENU.DAT files {located at \Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical {version}\{release}\{country code}\Support\}. Renamed both the files.

6) Moved my custom symbols and custom panel items from their local locations {\User\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Acade 20xx\Libs\} to their appropriate network location created in step 3.

7) Added the network paths to ACADe>Project Properties>Project Settings menu for the Schematic Libraries and Panel Footprint Libraries.

8) In the same menu, pointed the Schematic Icon Menu and Panel Icon Menu File to their new network copies.

Note that Symbol & Panel libraries and Icon menus are associated at the project level - so steps 7&8 have to be done each time a new project is created.

Another afternoon wasted thanks to Autocad.... :)