Retrofitting a 1986 Maho MH400E

Anders wrote.
¨All normal CNC controllers (including my Maho) have the DRO on the computer screen only. You might be able to split the signal coming from the EXE units in to two (Mesa have encoder splitting units), and feed one of those to your DRO, if you really insist on having that unit showing the position. But you should worry about feedihng the ecoder signal in to the controller (the Mesa 7i77) in the first place.

Anders I need to get Brad to help me understand this paragraph.

Hi Chris
I think Anders(akb1212) has a MH600E or MH600E2 with tool changer , wish he would go into more description on how it is working.
To my thinking relays are for small current loads and contactors are for higher current loads ,such as motors. It comes down to the amp capacity of the electrical contacts which arer making or breaking the electrical circuit . Motors have locked rotor currents , light bulbs have inrush current and transformers also have inrush currents . I just picked up some used contactors and relays for spares. Still think your 24 volt buss is too high in voltage.
As to the Indramat drive and the DC servo motors, think replacing the capacitors has merit and also picking up several SCR modules plus carbon brushes for the motors.and their feed back tachometer. Maybe even track down spare servo motors. The vertical axis servo motor should be different than the X an Y servo motors. I felt that good used motors were cheaper than having a motor rewound or new design servo drive an motor . Even picked up a dead motor for it's tachometer . Yes I do wear a belt and suspenders! And I would much rather tinker with a boat than sail a boat. But my impression of "Wind in The Willows" should not be your problem.
Your Ship Engineer friends account of electronics is interesting .Back when Northern Ohio rivers would catch on fire. I remember when a Cleveland Cliffs Ore Boat ,having a new Foxbouro engine room computer control, steamed into a dock and tried to steam on down the street a ways. The Westinghouse Hagan Controls division R&D dept. was interesting. Remember a coal fired power plant where the steam turbine-generator rolled into the plant parking lot. Plant Superintendent missed his golf outing ,which could have been due to paper work he just incurred or maybe because the generator had just crushed his truck and destroyed it's designated parking spot sign. Then there was the Arkansas Nuclear 1 tripping off line which forced #2 unit to trip out ,so I was informed ,incident.
As to converting your MAHO

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Linux CNC would enable you do threading of any pitch or thread form you wanted without a tap or die ,even pipe threads. There is going to be a lot of plumbing involved in hooking that steam engine to it's boiler. To me pipe nipples are only sold as too long or too short. Looks at Marks video on threading. For gear making look at the Mueller Nick-You Tube and his MH700C video. Don't understand why Nick can't remember how to ride a bike. To me Linux CNC means all those things that were near impossible are now easy. Even making patterns for casting patterns , type in the shrink factor for flavour of metal and go. Look at the video of Andy P. making his lathe patterns . It's your time- money- opportunity cost , just keep flipping that coin until the side you want comes up.
Think spring
Bob
P.S. Might consider having a total of 4 Heidenhain EXE D/5-F (belt and suspenders)

Yes, I do have a 1990 MH600E with tool changer.
Mine fortunately also is a bit newer than the ones you are discussing here, with propper AC servos (Indramat). And also a good fully controlled (speed controlled Inverter) AC induction motor spindle with only 2 gears (so no complicated gearbox to interface).
The difference from only a few years back is huge! Mine also has full encllosure and is a more modern machine.
I have a thread on it over at Practical Machinist forum, with lots (!!!!) of details, although it's a long time since I have worked on it (years......). It's the quite long "fix your maho" thread in the CNC Maho section.

I have taken up the project now, and hopefully I will be able to get it to work soon!

The ATC and programming that have been part of what kept me from finishing it. At the time I put it on hold it was to big of a challenge to make that work. I would have had to make my own logic for it in ladder, somthing I didn't fancy. But now we have carousel.comp and the possibility to do it all in g-code with remap. So now I believe I will be able to get that done. I will post updates when I get some progress. First I have to install a new version and get it to move with the new versions of configs.
Anders

Anders
Thanks for the update.
I wonder if your MAHO is designated MH600E2 or just MH600E without the #2 ? Also will your tool changer change tools in both the horizontal and also the vertical spindle ?
Wonder if you have considered posting the configs for others to use ?
Interested in what is the new version you intend to install .
Bet you are enjoying the snow
Bob

Hi All,

Regarding ChrisMcM Maho MH 700C, the LS807 are connected directly to the TNC135 via a plug and socket located in the cable way of the machine.

I powered the machine and pressed the CE button twice and no changes to the display. We powered up the machine while pressing the CE button (Chris found this note somewhere on this site) and got some action on the display. . We cycled the power (left off for approx 30seconds) to the machine and let it complete the start-up without any buttons pressed to see the result and got no information on the Display We cycled the power again with the CE button pressed and got the following message We left the machine at this state for 30 minutes to see if the display would keep displaying the information this time there was no information. We managed to get the TNC to get stuck in a cycle photos.app.goo.gl/V4HRLgBcpmt2kFx49.Cycled the power again and got an image for a short period and then it faded away

Regarding Bob's reference to boilers, my background is boiler Automation nothing too big (up to 25MW).

Brad

Brad
I think db1981 is the most knowledgeable as he has a TNC 135.
To me with the change over that time frame ,I would be checking the DC voltage buss of the several different supplies during the 30 minutes. Think I would leave the Heidenhan scales disconnected until the TNC 135 is in a more usable condition. The scales read heads do not need over voltage, also will show if a read head is causing the problem. Can you somehow have the TNC 135 opened up such you can lick a finger and probe for overheated IC , regulating transistor ,Tantalum capacitor (orange drop appearance) ? A finger is great for quick heat compare an contrast checking. Hope it is just a tantalum cap .transitioning into a high leakage state.

25MW boilers Guess you arn't referring to Mill Watt ! Walking around with a long handled broom checking for leaks is something I only want to hear about ,not do.
Bob