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Haas controller capabilities and updates over the years?

mh454

Plastic
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
North Dakota
Hello everyone. A friend of mine would like to add a CNC vertical to his business. I will be assisting him with some of the work. He is interested in finding a used VF2 as both of us are familiar with the Haas controller. While looking at used VF2's I started to think about the controller capabilities. Does anyone have any information on controller changes over the years? By this I mean were there certain years where they made hardware changes that improved functionality? The latest next-gen controller is too new for our budget. How well do the older controllers run HSM toolpaths? While I'm not expecting them to be able to feed at 500 IPM it would still be nice to utilize these toolpath options. Does anyone know when Haas started to offer the high speed look ahead option?

Thanks
 
I don't know the exact year things changed, but I can relay my experiences. 1998 is complete junk for accurate finishing or engraving anything over about 20 IPM and starts to choke and bang at about 150 IPM or so when roughing. 2001 is better but still very slow. 2007 (what I have) is a huge leap in motion control and will rough at 400+ IPM no problem, although you do need to leave a fair amount of material for semi finish or finish passes. That does not mean it's actually going 400 IPM, because it's not, but at least it won't fall over dead trying to do it.
 
Correct me if I am wrong
2006 Coldfire 1
2008 Coldfire 2
2011 digital high resolution encoders
2015 Next generation control (High speed, high memory)
 
I had a coldfire II on a late 2006 super mini mill. I know they phase them in a different times. The chart above is fairly close.
Serial number o the local HFO can give you the original version.
My 1998 VF2 was a workhorse. Better made then any of the later stuff I had.
The coldfire II is a really nice control, IMO.
 
Mine is a 29 July 2008 VF2D with Coldfire 2. I added HSM after and I am very happy with the HSM as it transformed the machine. Programs run 15 to 20% faster and more importantly, no jerking/stuttering of the machine movement. Not the question you asked, but thought this could be useful.
 
Thank you everyone for the replies. I appreciate the feedback. I did a search for 'Haas Coldfire' and it appears the 1st generation boards are now obsolete and Haas doesn't sell replacements anymore. Converting to a Coldfire 2 sounds pretty expensive to upgrade ($10k?) Anyone ever have to do this? I don't know how often these boards go out but it would stink if $20k machine required $10k in repairs. Ideally we would look for a post 2008 machine to avoid this potential issue but that our budget will have to be increased.
 
Our '06 VF5 has troubles with 200ipm on the one plate facing job I do , it's down to roughly 100ipm when there are a lot of lines for the shape and jerks badly . carbide life plummets so it's worth the extra $ to get the newer control , '10-'11? I don't care for the newest version , no graphing , spend more time punching buttons to get to offsets and buried settings ect.. compared to the older versions.
 
Besides controller improvements I think late model Haas machines are just better built over all. I'm using a 2015 VF-3SS for medical devices, and it will hold tenths pretty easily. We do have it laser and ballbar calibrated once a year.
 
HAAS actually have a page buried on their website that details some of the changes over the years as well as test cuts that show the before and after:

Advances in Motion Control | Customer Resource Center

From that page it looks like 2011 machines are significantly better at 3D surfacing than 2006 machines. The newest machines should theoretically be better again as the next-gen control reads feedback from the Sigma 5 servos as a higher resolution, which should allow for better contour following, especially at high speeds...
 








 
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