A typical retrofit application for our FLEXcnc controller is it's use to control this precision lathe.

The primary use of the machine is to produce short-run, turned parts for a job shop. The cost justification for the project was that since the machine was mechanically solid & tooling for the machine was in place, replacement of the electronics & servos was much less expensive than replacing the machine.

The machine is especially useful where a combination of both standard turning & milling work is required for a part because of the implementation of a servoed spindle, using a Flux-vector drive on the existing main A.C. motor. The operator mounts an air motor on the tool-post when needed to provide side-drilling & low-precision milling of "flats" The availability of full conversational programming software in the controller allows operators to perform almost any work this shop may require.

The machine was an existing unit with ball screws & PMDC servo motors. The motors & drives were replaced. A 5hp induction motor with FB encoder & a standard Flux-vector drive were installed for the spindle. Our FLEXcnc controller was used with FLEXcam & our canned-cycle/conversational software running in the Front-end computer & FLEXcnc-T firmware controlling the machine.

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