CNC Mill Transformer

[BrianBSL]

Originally Posted by sparksandtabs

well we are getting someone who knows, but a custom trans former wont cost that much, like I said it is gonna be 1500$ and probaly $200 to install it

As for the y/delta we don't know which one it is, that is why we didnt order the transformer yet, also we wouldn't be doing this unless we knew what we are doing first, that is why we are getting advice. Your robotics team doesn't build a robot before they know what it has to do, do they?

To find that out, you need to contact the mill manufacturer.

You still never actually asked a question in this thread, so how do you expect people to give you answers?

[John Gutmann]

Originally Posted by BrianBSL

To find that out, you need to contact the mill manufacturer.

You still never actually asked a question in this thread, so how do you expect people to give you answers?

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Originally Posted by sparksandtabs

So we are in need of a transformer that will step up 208 to 440.

although it wasn't technically a question people should still be able to figure out that we need help getting a transformer

[mechanicalbrain]

Originally Posted by sparksandtabs

Your robotics team doesn't build a robot before they know what it has to do, do they?

Of course we do! Most people here do! Well not the entire robot but ive planned out our entire electrical system and our team is already working on programming and designing a drivetrain. If something unexpected comes up we adapt our ideas to work but at the very least we are getting experience.

Originally Posted by sparksandtabs

So we are in need of a transformer that will step up 208 to 440.

thats not a question. All you saying is what you want. What do you want from us? I still have no idea what the model of mill is.

[John Gutmann]

I don't know what the model of the mill is either, all we need is a transformer the model of the mill is irrelevant

besides my teacher looked up the specs for the mill online and he can't find them, not even at the manufacturer's website, so the model won't help you any

[rees2001]

I wish I had caught this thread sooner I could have been of some assistance.
The mill is a Chiron FZ 08 W built in 1999. It was used on optical devices and when power was cut the spindle would drop 2 microns (I was told). So, a battery backup was installed on the controls to maintain power. The machine has a control voltage of 200 & an operating voltage of 3ph 400v.

We are using this mill at our school where we do not have power over 3PH 208V. The electrician that looked into the wiring was our school electrician. I am working on having a more qualified individual look into the wiring. I will contact our sponsor to see if they can send an electrician over to help us.

All that being said; I finally found the contact information I was looking for. I was looking in the manuals (4 manuals). It was on a card on the inside of the machine behind the panel of electrical specifications. Any help you can give would be appreciated but, I will be looking into it on Monday.

I asked John (sparksandtabs) to look around and see if he could get some help. While his "question" was vague some of the "help" seemed bent on making him feel stupid. I can assure you that just because he doesn't use his spell check or any form of punctuation, he is a very smart individual. Many others were helpful and tried to get a good question out of him. Thank you.

In the future John, proper spelling & punctuation will keep others from thinking you don't know what you are talking about.

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by rees2001

when power was cut the spindle would drop 2 microns (I was told).

If you are worried about 2 microns why are you building FRC robots instead of high precision satellite instruments? Two microns is less than one ten-thousandth of an inch. How would you ever be able to see or measure the spindle dropping by this minuscule amount? Most common CNC milling machines can keep a tolerance of at most around 4 ten-thousandths if they are fairly new, high quality, and properly maintained and operated. So even if the spindle would drop 2 ten-thousandths, there is still nothing to be concerned about. If it were to drop 2 one-thousandths, then I'd look into the problem (well, actually have a service rep look into the problem) because that is a pretty good amount (thickness of a sheet of paper). So, did you mean thousandths instead of microns?

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

If you are worried about 2 microns why are you building FRC robots instead of high precision satellite instruments? Two microns is less than one ten-thousandth of an inch. How would you ever be able to see or measure the spindle dropping by this minuscule amount? Most common CNC milling machines can keep a tolerance of at most around 4 ten-thousandths if they are fairly new, high quality, and properly maintained and operated. So even if the spindle would drop 2 ten-thousandths, there is still nothing to be concerned about. If it were to drop 2 one-thousandths, then I'd look into the problem (well, actually have a service rep look into the problem) because that is a pretty good amount (thickness of a sheet of paper). So, did you mean thousandths instead of microns?

I don't think that he cares about 0.002 mm in the slightest, however, it is quite understandable that the original industrial user might. (If, for instance, it was being used to make mounting hardware for a medical laser, those two microns might be of some value to the person who gets to put their eye underneath it.) They, not the team, were the ones who had a battery backup system installed, after all.

By the way, that mill seems to be just right for a FIRST team; nice and compact, very versatile...if only we all had sponsors like yours, or $100 000 (USD) collecting dust.

[John Gutmann]

Originally Posted by mechanicalbrain

Of course we do! Most people here do! Well not the entire robot but ive planned out our entire electrical system and our team is already working on programming and designing a drivetrain. If something unexpected comes up we adapt our ideas to work but at the very least we are getting experience.
thats not a question. All you saying is what you want. What do you want from us? I still have no idea what the model of mill is.

and every team does that with their robot, what I meant is like before the game for 2005 was released if you build a robot to the previous years dimensions, you would have been screwed, and same thing if you made a robot to pick up balls, you would have needed to redesign it to pick up tetras

[mechanicalbrain]

For everyone here is the specs http://www.chiron.de/pdf/FZ08W_e.pdf

[rees2001]

Originally Posted by mechanicalbrain

For everyone here is the specs http://www.chiron.de/pdf/FZ08W_e.pdf

Yes, this information is helpful, thanks. The information I was really loking for was the wiring diagram. I think I am going to have to contact the manufacturer for that info.
In any case, you can all see the nice chunk of metal I have filling up some space at our school. Until I can get power to it that is all it will be. : )

[Mike AA]

Back to the installation of the mill weather or not your electrician brings it up you could check to see the price to get the motors rewound to operate at the 208. Also keep in mind that you would need 3 transformers, one for each of the phases to boost up to the higher voltage, this coming from myself and my dad in the background, whom has worked with industrial controls and is a master electrician by licence with 25+ years of experience. Get an electrician from a local contractor, then you will be sure to get one whom is licensed and insured and no a lineman or maintenance man as most are in factories.

As is often said please consult a qualified professional.

-Mike Aalderink, Electrician of over 6 years.