Adding 4th axis robodrill

RoboMiller · Nov 13, 2015

i will call methods machine about this for more info but i was curious if anyone here knew about this.

i want to add a 4th axis rotary to my 1996 t10c robodrill 16m controller

in handle the 4/5th axis button lights up which makes me wonder if i have the drive, i doubt it, but maybe!

anyone know what to look for in the controller or in the electric cabinet that would show 4th axis drive? maybe a plug? not sure where it is located on 4th capable machines.

lastly and most importantly what 4th axis rotarys work well with robodrills? pros and cons to any?

thanks

lowCountryCamo · Nov 13, 2015

look to see how mamy drive you have

DavidScott · Nov 13, 2015

Count your drives, plus they may be marked.

Jashley73 · Nov 13, 2015

I remember Milacron mentioning several times that they used servo motor as the 4th axis for the tool-turret...

Milacron · Nov 13, 2015

Jashley73 said:
I remember Milacron mentioning several times that they used servo motor as the 4th axis for the tool-turret...

Yep....so you actually need 5 drives on a Robodrill to have true contouring 4th axis.

Vancbiker · Nov 13, 2015

Jashley73 said:
I remember Milacron mentioning several times that they used servo motor as the 4th axis for the tool-turret...

Didn't some versions of Robodrill use the spindle motor to rotate the tool drum?

solidworkscadman · Nov 13, 2015

fanuc also used/uses shared servo drives

3t3d · Nov 13, 2015

Milacron said:
Yep....so you actually need 5 drives on a Robodrill to have true contouring 4th axis.

The Spindle drives the turret... There is a gear on the spindle that engages a gear on the drive for the turret.
There is no (separate) axis drive for the turret.

jid2 · Nov 14, 2015

take a picture of your cabinet electronics and the internet will tell you what you have....

Milacron · Nov 14, 2015

3t3d said:
The Spindle drives the turret... There is a gear on the spindle that engages a gear on the drive for the turret.
There is no axis drive for the turret.

Although you have the basic functionality right, I think you may be wrong on your last sentence. Remember that spindle turret gear has to rotate at a precise speed and be able to skip stations to whatever tool is programmed....things a typical non C axis spindle drive does not do. My 2006 Robodrill Mate has a spindle drive and 4 axis drives....and yet is incapable of having a true 4th axis....I was told by a Methods tech the reason is the 4th drive is to control the turret for tool station rotation.

Maybe he was wrong, but if so why does my machine have 4 axis drives ?

3t3d · Nov 14, 2015

IIRC the MATE has a different control and drive package than the full Robodrill.

When I was going to purchase a Robodrill Mate, they told me that a 4th axis was not an option due to the control/drive combo.
Ended up with a well optioned Robodrill with the 31i A5 control and additional 4th axis drive. Which they came out to install, and add the cabinet wiring.

Watch it change tools. The Spindle is definitely rotating the turret.
It does it through a planetary gear, not directly.

Milacron · Nov 14, 2015

3t3d said:
Watch it change tools. The Spindle is definitely rotating the turret.
It does it through a planetary gear, not directly.

Well aware of the gear at the spindle that rotates the turret....but suspected that either the 4th axis drive somehow temporarily took control of the spindle motor and there was yet another motor hidden in the works somewhere that also connected to the spindle. Now you've got me curious what is really going on.

Far as I know the only difference with the Mate (besides the obvious different paint job) is no 4 th axis (possibly because the Oim control can't handle 5 drives), more low end torque, and manual grease fittings for ways and ballscrews rather than auto oilers.

Jashley73 · Nov 14, 2015

My understanding was that the 0i controls could do 3+1/2 positioning. Just not full 5-axis synchronous. Not sure if they're do 4-simultaneous or not?

Nice to know what the gear on the spindle face is for. I've seen that many times, but never understood why it was there...

Mike1974 · Nov 16, 2015

Sorry, I know this most likely wont help, but... I ran a robodrill (2012 model maybe?) that had a 5 axis nikken table on it. It could do full 5 axis motion. I don't remember the controller, but supposedly it was top of the line at the time. It actually had a cut sim mode on it, plus the fanuc version of a conversational, whatever that was called. Although still no full keyboard!

RoboMiller · Nov 16, 2015

Mike1974 said:
Sorry, I know this most likely wont help, but... I ran a robodrill (2012 model maybe?) that had a 5 axis nikken table on it. It could do full 5 axis motion. I don't remember the controller, but supposedly it was top of the line at the time. It actually had a cut sim mode on it, plus the fanuc version of a conversational, whatever that was called. Although still no full keyboard!

all that and still no keyboard?! i think many machinists cry about this daily....im one of them. give me the keyboard! haha

robodrill-1995 · Dec 18, 2018

I have Robodrill Alpha T10-B 1995 with the fourth axis nikken Fanuc 16MB
i lost all SRAM data
can any one have SRAM data soft copy
please help me

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