Fanuc control, motor, and amp combos

I was talking to a gentleman at Fanuc and was told that my old 0M-C will run an alpha drive and motor for a fourth axis while the "S" series equipment continues to operate X,Y, and Z....then he said "maybe"....then he said "not sure". I found some info online about motors but the part numbers in the list seem to be incomplete. Questions like will an S amplifier run an alpha motor with the same specs as it's older counterpart. Anyone have a link to some good reading on this subject?

I can understand why the Fanuc guy started to backpedal his original answer. There are a huge number of parts configurations/combinations in the series you are looking at. I have quite a few Fanuc documents from the era of the equipment you are looking at though mostly hardcopy and just a few on pdf. I'll try to get some time to look through them and see if a more definitive answer is possible.

For starters, do you know what encoder style is installed on the alpha motor? That's the most likely trouble spot for compatibility with an S series amplifier.

Truth is I just scored a pair of Nikken tables in great shape but they have DC motors installed. Tables are CNC100's from 2002 and one of them will be going in a Miyano TSV35 with a 0M-C control. Nikken recommends a 1-0S or 2-0S for that size table. Once I started looking around I see so many more options in newer equipment it seems to make sense to do a little research. The TSV is using incremental pulse coders currently.

Since the machine is using S series and incremental encoders (are you sure they are incremental?) it looks like you would have to add a different axis card to work with an alpha drive and motor. I would be surprised if you found an alpha motor that that did not have a serial absolute encoder installed. That won't work with an incremental encoder type axis board.

Since the current axis card can handle 4 axes (with the appropriate option parameters activated), it seems to me your best bet would be to find matching amp and motor. I think it may get messy trying to add a different style axis card and run the new axis as a 4th because it would have to go in the slot for the 5th,6th axis control. Firmware then may be a problem as most firmware will support 4 axes but not 5+ axes.

You'll also want to be sure that the encoder is compatible with your rotary table's reduction ratio, usually 3000PPR. Other encoder counts usually don't work to get appropriate command and detect multiplier values.

I'll start looking for either a A06B-0310-B001 or A06B-0312-B001 motor and matching single axis drive. I believe you're correct about the serial encoder on the alpha units. The machine I have is running incremental encoders for sure. Excellent advice on the encoder count, I'll look more into that as well. One way or another I'll get this running. Last year I put a 4th in my TSV25 (0M-B) and that required ladder edits and burning ROM chips, I do like a challenge. I appreciate your input, thanks.

Can anyone running a Nikken cnc100 with an S series Fanuc motor please let me know what model it is. Talked to a tech at Nikken and was advised that he would try to find some old documents but to use at least a 2Nm motor or larger. Seems like a lot for a table that size. Any info would be greatly appreciated.