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Help needed prototrak

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Plastic
Joined
Jun 5, 2009
Location
Spain
Hi everyone. I have a 1997 Prototrak 2000 fitted with a MX3e control which has been giving me problems over the last couple of years and due to its age I would like to fit a new control system like maybe Centroid Acorn, DDCSV or UCCNC. Has anyone gone down this road and can advise me? I'd like to utilise the existing DC servo motors but if possible do away with the glass scale linear encoders?

I do not know if this is possible and am looking for the best way forward in achieving the changeover. Currently programs are input via floppy disc or cable and I have the DNC dongle for allowing 3 axis machining but ideally I could get a 4th axis if a new control is fitted.

Any help very much appreciated TIA
 
Southwestern Industries (i.e. Prototrak) offers a control upgrade for the MX3 machines. I don't know much about it, but it's worth looking into. It should be a much simpler solution that rolling your own.

Trak Machine Tools
 
Thanks for this info Daniel but I have looked into this upgrade and it seems regardless that at some point in the not too distant future the MX3 control will not be supported so this is another good reason to go for a new modern system and also I could not achieve the 4th axis with an upgrade kit.The servo motors are DC and maybe I may have to opt for buying new AC servo motors but at the end of play the system will be somewhat future proof? There may well be an option to fit DC servo drives but I may still have to use the linear scales to give the positional feedback?
 
Thanks for this info Daniel but I have looked into this upgrade and it seems regardless that at some point in the not too distant future the MX3 control will not be supported so this is another good reason to go for a new modern system and also I could not achieve the 4th axis with an upgrade kit.The servo motors are DC and maybe I may have to opt for buying new AC servo motors but at the end of play the system will be somewhat future proof? There may well be an option to fit DC servo drives but I may still have to use the linear scales to give the positional feedback?

My understanding is that it's a complete replacement of the control. The KMX is their newest system, so it should be supported for quite a while. If you want a fourth-axis though, you're out of luck with Prototrak.

I have a newer SMX control, which is slightly older, but more powerful, than the KMX. The big disadvantage is that it doesn't home. You need to find zero each time. The Traking function with the electronic handwheel, however, is great. Instead of single blocking through a new program with the feed rate turned down, you can turn on of the handwheels and run the program forward, with the speed depending on how fast you crank the handle. You can also back up the program.

The other retrofit option that might be worth looking at is Fagor. They're Spanish, so I imagine the support there is good, but they're more expensive than the other options you mentioned. They offer, or at least used to offer, a retrofit solution where the cabinet was all pre-done, greatly decreasing the amount of work you had to do.
 








 
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