CNC retro fit

[jdempsey]

I am looking to retro fit a new bridgeport style mill and just wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions on what to go with. I have not had much experience with the retro fit mills. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[mayday]

ProtoTrak,

have you looked at those yet? real simple control with 2 or 3 axis options. easy retro too

[jdempsey]

I have used the proto track lathe about 6 or 7 years back but have not used the mill. I will check it out.

[BernieT]

I can highly recommend the Centroid control. My suggestion is to go with the M400 model.

[JAMMAN]

Centroid all the way. JAM has done both prototrak and centroid. The cost factor is better.

 

Centroid is PC based and has a hard drive.

 

Prototrak uses a chip version of windows 95 and will not let you save programs locally unless you use a floppy or set up the network.

 

If I were to buy a retro fit today even if money was not an issue I would go with a 3 axis centroid.

[Rekd™]

For some more info in retro's/DIY CNCs, check out

CNCzone

 

'Rekd teh sorry webby, seemed appropriate..

[chris m]

Every Bridgeport machinist in the world has run a ProtoTRAK somewhere. For that reason alone I'd stick with them, you can always find a guy to run it with little or no training. I also think that the controls and programming software are pretty slick; especially the new models with .dxf import capabilities, work offset register, etc.

 

Stay AWAY from Sony

 

C

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Proto-Trak... Definitely the way to go.

[jrykrl]

My machine is a Kasuga, that was retroed with a xxxxor control.

Check em out, I know the guys there and can get ya the "good guy" deal.

They got drives, controls, and good support.

email me and I will give you the contact I have.

hth Jer teh xxxxor

[jdempsey]

Thanks for all the replies. I will check them out and see if I can come up with a decision on what I need to do. Thanks again to everyone.

[JAMMAN]

The last place I worked we bought 2 new prototraks. The boxes even after electrical isolation had to be re booted a couple times a day because of windows 95. The file save functions sometimes wouldn't work regardless of media and entire programs were lost daily. Both machines. The controller its self had to be swapped out once on one machine and twice on the other. One still to this day has an ocasional video error where the screen looks like a kelidoscope and has to be rebooted.

 

The Centroid is easier to program. It never had to be re booted. Dos is more stable than any version of windows, hands down. Plus you have the hard drive thing to consider.......

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...2 new prototraks...

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quote:

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...Windows 95...

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I was not aware that Prototracks were PC Based. , 'course the ones that I've used were the MX2 and MX3 which were stable.

[JAMMAN]

The new ones are win95 on a san disk looking device.

 

They had an old MX2 also. When you turned the mill motor on or off it would go in to instant distress. Made it impossible to tap holes in program, you had to re start the program every hole.

 

3 prototraks total, 3 big headaches. I wasn't impressed.

 

Here's the one's they bought new. http://www.southwesternindustries.com/swi/...rototrak2.shtml

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Been a while since I've used one... like 8-9 years or more.

[SledGeek]

We currently have 4 retro fits. 2 prototraks and

and 2 anilams in toolroom. Prototraks have been reliable but limited. Anilams are 3 axis cutting and are somewhat user friendly programming at control. But who cares if you have Mcam.

The retro fits will cut your z travel to just over 3" of travel.

Don't run them anymore but i would take Anilams unless your doing simple quick small piecework.

[MACHINEMASTERG]

we also have anilam retro fits they have held up for many years ...im not sure if anilam still has retrofits currently

[BernieT]

I just finished 4-5 years running Centroid M400 doing 3 axis surface cutting . Very easy control to use. Has Ethernet port for FAST program transfer. Never a problem with G18/G19 arcs. 2.5 gig hard drive - room for more than 2 gig program space. Was DOS 6.22 OS. Many other good features. Downside was 140 IPM rapid.

 

Have no experience with Prototrac so cannot compare.

 

Good luck with your project.

[SledGeek]

quote:

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im not sure if anilam still has retrofits currently

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As of 2 years ago they did ........

[JAMMAN]

Centroid-Centroid-Centroid.

 

At least check e'm out http://www.centroidcnc.com/