Retrofitting my Fadal VMC15 to LinuxCNC w/MESA
- Miller Turner
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13 Apr 2025 18:40 #326227
by Miller Turner
Retrofitting my Fadal VMC15 to LinuxCNC w/MESA was created by Miller Turner
Hi All,
Since some time I'm the proud owner of a 1994 Fadal VMC15, still in working condition.
However as it's equipped with the Baldor SWEO drive, known to die at a certain moment in time, with that same risk on the other electronics, I want to be prepared for a retrofit.
Searching this forum, I found lots of bits & pieces but not a complete 'how to retrofit guide' yet, also due so many different options / choices available for a retrofit.
My Fadal is currently equipped with DC servo motors and "Glentek GA377F-5" analog DC servo drives, the 7500RPM spindel and Baldor SWEO spindel drive and the 21 tools umbrella tool changer.
My initial plan is to keep the DC servo setup including the original resolvers and drives, replace the Baldor SWO by a modern VFD and hook up the machine to MESA cards under LinuxCNC control.
According to some experts, active at this forum, such setup should be very well doable as others did this trick already in the past.
Therefore I'm looking for advice on which MESA cards make best sense, how to hookup the servo's, how to deal with the VFD replacement and finally the tool changer setup.
Your thoughts, ideas and advice are deeply appreciated.
Thanks
Since some time I'm the proud owner of a 1994 Fadal VMC15, still in working condition.
However as it's equipped with the Baldor SWEO drive, known to die at a certain moment in time, with that same risk on the other electronics, I want to be prepared for a retrofit.
Searching this forum, I found lots of bits & pieces but not a complete 'how to retrofit guide' yet, also due so many different options / choices available for a retrofit.
My Fadal is currently equipped with DC servo motors and "Glentek GA377F-5" analog DC servo drives, the 7500RPM spindel and Baldor SWEO spindel drive and the 21 tools umbrella tool changer.
My initial plan is to keep the DC servo setup including the original resolvers and drives, replace the Baldor SWO by a modern VFD and hook up the machine to MESA cards under LinuxCNC control.
According to some experts, active at this forum, such setup should be very well doable as others did this trick already in the past.
Therefore I'm looking for advice on which MESA cards make best sense, how to hookup the servo's, how to deal with the VFD replacement and finally the tool changer setup.
Your thoughts, ideas and advice are deeply appreciated.
Thanks
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- tommylight
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14 Apr 2025 07:38 #326251
by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic Retrofitting my Fadal VMC15 to LinuxCNC w/MESA
What type of control do the drives/VFD take?
What encoders/resolvers are on the motors?
If they do turn out to be analog +-10V ones, a Mesa 7i97T should do just fine, and if you do need more I/O you can add a 7i84 with 32 inputs and 16 outputs.
Here are some topic to give you an idea of what is involved:
forum.linuxcnc.org/30-cnc-machines/31792...-sbz-130-01-retrofit
forum.linuxcnc.org/30-cnc-machines/33529-hurco-bmc-20p-retrofit
forum.linuxcnc.org/show-your-stuff/34986...nd-proma-thc?start=0
And detailed info on wiring and tuning
forum.linuxcnc.org/10-advanced-configura...to-example-mesa-7i77
What encoders/resolvers are on the motors?
If they do turn out to be analog +-10V ones, a Mesa 7i97T should do just fine, and if you do need more I/O you can add a 7i84 with 32 inputs and 16 outputs.
Here are some topic to give you an idea of what is involved:
forum.linuxcnc.org/30-cnc-machines/31792...-sbz-130-01-retrofit
forum.linuxcnc.org/30-cnc-machines/33529-hurco-bmc-20p-retrofit
forum.linuxcnc.org/show-your-stuff/34986...nd-proma-thc?start=0
And detailed info on wiring and tuning
forum.linuxcnc.org/10-advanced-configura...to-example-mesa-7i77
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- Miller Turner
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15 Apr 2025 11:35 - 15 Apr 2025 12:06 #326346
by Miller Turner
Replied by Miller Turner on topic Retrofitting my Fadal VMC15 to LinuxCNC w/MESA
Thanks for your reply.
The XYZ servo drives seem to use +/- 10V analog signal to control the DC motors.
The resolvers are the default Fadal resolvers.
For the VFD I don't know as I'm looking for a new VFD to replace the current Baldor VFD. I did see people succesfully replacing the Baldor either by Yaskawa GA500, Yaskawa V1000 or Hitachi WJ200 VFD.
Can the 7i97T output +/-10V signals and take the input of the resolvers?
Oh and a generic question: can someone share the Fadal Model 914 / VMC15 (1994) wiring diagrams / electrical schemetics?
The XYZ servo drives seem to use +/- 10V analog signal to control the DC motors.
The resolvers are the default Fadal resolvers.
For the VFD I don't know as I'm looking for a new VFD to replace the current Baldor VFD. I did see people succesfully replacing the Baldor either by Yaskawa GA500, Yaskawa V1000 or Hitachi WJ200 VFD.
Can the 7i97T output +/-10V signals and take the input of the resolvers?
Oh and a generic question: can someone share the Fadal Model 914 / VMC15 (1994) wiring diagrams / electrical schemetics?
Last edit: 15 Apr 2025 12:06 by Miller Turner. Reason: adding one more question
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- andypugh
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15 Apr 2025 12:23 #326353
by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Retrofitting my Fadal VMC15 to LinuxCNC w/MESA
If your drives use resolvers than your Mesa card choice is pretty simple, it has to be the
7i49
.
That card needs a 50-pin header FPGA card. I would suggest the 6i24 if your PC has PCIe. The 6i24 can be mounted at the end of a PCIe extension cable if that makes things easier (my own mill does this)
Or, if you prefer an Ethernet connected FPGA card, then perhaps the 7i93 would work (but check with Mesa)
That card needs a 50-pin header FPGA card. I would suggest the 6i24 if your PC has PCIe. The 6i24 can be mounted at the end of a PCIe extension cable if that makes things easier (my own mill does this)
Or, if you prefer an Ethernet connected FPGA card, then perhaps the 7i93 would work (but check with Mesa)
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