fadal 4020 retrofit documentation request

Hello,

Is there anyone here who has documentation for retrofitting a Fadal 4020 with an umbrella? I'm willing to pay for the information provided... I'm going with an EtherCAT version. But the information will help me speed up the project completion time. I have a Fadal that I use daily... but I'm tired of its DC quirks.

Not a 4020, but I think the same ATC
forum.linuxcnc.org/12-milling/40843-re-r...nc-7i77d-5i25#191707

OP:
Are you trying to do this 'on the cheap' (reuse motors & drives), or do you want to gut it and replace as much as possible?

My problem is not controller. I can be ok with slow and limited memory. But I hate old dc servo. So the retrofit is a must to have new servos. I was thinking at delta. But now I try to get information before buying it.. because I’m not smart enough to make them work. :d and for the start is a must to have it running pretty fast. This is the reason I’m willing to pay for help.

You could replace all the servo & drives with modern, but you'll need to check the DC servos to see if the new ones will bolt up to the existing mounts.  Couplers shouldn't be a problem if the shafts are different.

Once you pick a servo & drive combo for all three (?) axes, then the controller can be selected.  LCNC is perfectly capable of controlling the machine (including the existing DC servos), but I don't think a complete retrofit to LCNC with new drives will be accomplished quickly unless the retrofitter has a fair amount of experience.

Running the new servo cables will be a day or two alone.

What do you mean by 'fast'? Is this a production machine and you can't have it down for more than a couple of days?

let say I can stop everything for 2 weeks. to make brackets and everything for conversion is easy job for me after I will buy the motors. I'm not scared about mechanical stuff... i have basic understanding also of servo systems. But i know nothing about linux cnc.

I have just very basic knowledge of electronics and programming, this is scary me the most, but I'm interested to learn.

The amplifiers are old, one is death.. I use one from the 4th axis now.
The motors, 2 of them are not really smooth if I turn them by hand I feel some "noise" inside.
I will buy 2 motors... and after that I will have 2 amps, and after that I will must to change 2 cards. Eletronics is from 96... if I will start to move to new I will go with everything to new.
I have also a hi/low system pneumatic, also this scarring me a little.
The tool changer is a geneva mechanism.
"The following is the order of operations for the CNC when making a tool change
(Geneva driven and Servo Turret):
1) Move the Z axis to the machine home (cold start) position.
2) Turn the spindle slowly while looking for the Orientation Sensor signal.
3) When orientation signal is received, stop the spindle.
4) Activate the orientation arm.
5) Move the ATC turret to the tool position of the tool in the spindle.
6) Verify the orientation sensor.
7) Check the ATC Home sensor and verify that the ATC is at the home position.
8) Activate the ATC slide reverse circuit.
9) Activate the ATC slide motor circuit (air cylinder circuit for the EMC).
10)Watch for the ATC extended sensor signal.
11) Stop the slide motor (air cylinder for the EMC) when the extended position
sensor is read.
12)Activate the draw bar.
13)Watch for the drawbar sensor detection (air feed parameter).
14)Check for the ATC fault switch.
15)Move the Z axis up to 3.8” above the cold start position.
16)Activate the turret motor and the turret reverse (if the reverse direction is
required) circuit(s).
17)Count the turret sensor signals, with a dwell time for coasting as set by the
turret factor, until the requested tool position is reached.
18) Stop the turret motor.
19)Move the Z axis downward to the machine home position.
20)Check for the ATC fault switch.
21) Release the drawbar circuit.
22)Activate the ATC slide motor.
23)Watch for the ATC Home sensor, to determine the ATC home position.
24) Stop the ATC slide motor (air cylinder for the EMC).
25) Release the orientation arm.
Note: The hall effect sensors have three wires. One for 5vdc, one for ground,
and one for the signal. The signal will be about 5vdc until a magnet is over
it, then it will become active, and the signal will be about zero.
ATC Sensors &
Switch
The ATC Slide Home sensor is active when the ATC is in the home position. The
connections are 1060/J12 pin 4 for Gnd, pin 6 for 5 VDC, pin 5 for the signal
connecting to the 1040 PCBA at pin 72.
The ATC Slide Extended sensor is active when the ATC is at the extended
position under the spindle. The connections are 1060/J12 pin 1 for Gnd, pin 3
for 5 VDC, pin 2 for the signal connecting to the 1040 PCBA at pin 70.
The ATC Turret Motion sensor is active when the turret is moving to the next tool
position and it is half way to the next tool position. The connections are 1060/
J12 pin 7 for Gnd, pin 9 for 5 VDC, pin 8 for the signal connecting to the 1040
PCBA at pin 74.
The ATC Fault switch is closed if the ATC spindle is moved out of position. The
connections are 1060/J11 pin 7 for Gnd and pin 8 is the signal to the 1040
PCBA at pin 66."

Other “small” problem will be the vector drive of the spindle, I will love to keep rigid taping.
I believe I will buy in the end the motors… and let’s hope I will be able to do this retrofit. :-??