Thread: learning CNC
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Bob La Londe[_7_] Bob La Londe[_7_] is offline
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Default learning CNC

On 2/27/2020 8:07 AM, wrote:

Looking for recommendations on learning about CNC machines.

Back ground:

I have met a machinist that has quit his day job to open a machine shop here in Delaware. And he is having a struggle. He is okay as a machinist, but not so great as a business man. He has a Bridgeport and a Star milling machine, a gap bed lathe ( I forget the manufacturer but it is about a 15 by 60 size ) a surface grinder, horizontal band saw and a Okuma LB-15 CNC lathe.

The Okuma is why I am posting. It has a intermittent problem which we isolated to a servo amp. But we have very little in the way of documentation. No schematic or even something that would indicate what the dip switches or status leds mean. Servo Amp boards are about $1000 on Ebay. And he is going to buy one.

But I think he should be thinking of retrofitting new electronics. But he is woefully shy as far as electronics. And I don't know enough to be comfortable doing a retrofit , at least on the Okuma.

So I am looking for advice on learning enough about cnc to be able to do a retrofit. There is a little Logan lathe at the shop that is unused that I could
convert to CNC if that is a good way to learn.

And would love to get a good book on CNC, but so far I have not found that.

Dan


I don't really know what the bst way to learn that would be. I learned
to do retrofits and repair machines being doing retrofits and repairing
machines. During most of that time I was working full time as a
licensed contractor, so the years I spent learning were recreational.
Not profit critical.

I would suggest if you want to do a retrofit you contact somebody like
Centroid who has retrofit packages pre-configured for various machines.
Lloyd Sponenburgh (former RCM regular) retrofit is old series one
Heidenhain Bridgeport over to a more modern Centrod control and was
cutting parts in just a couple days with such a kit.

Even if Centroid does not have a comprehensive retrofit package for that
lathe they may know who does, or they may be able to put one together
for you.