MIKI Pulley controller DC drive/motor swap to 3 phase AC?

I have an 80's Kitamura that uses one of these little MIKI drive/motor setups in the toolchanger. The motor seems to be on the dead side.

What does this MIKI drive thing do that a 3 phase motor doesn't do? It's a small motor, maybe 1/4HP

The MIKI motor has a brake mounted to the shaft. I can easily mount the brake to an AC motor.

Since the MIKI drive has speed control ability you would want to look at how it is interfaced to the PMC/PLC. If the MIKI drive is using an analog or digital speed setting input you would need to be sure to pick an inverter with a compatible input.

Controlling the brake timing might be a bit of a headache with a new controller.

All in all though, it probably is doable. Just a few details to figure out.

Vancbiker said:

Since the MIKI drive has speed control ability you would want to look at how it is interfaced to the PMC/PLC. If the MIKI drive is using an analog or digital speed setting input you would need to be sure to pick an inverter with a compatible input.

Controlling the brake timing might be a bit of a headache with a new controller.

All in all though, it probably is doable. Just a few details to figure out.

Click to expand...

Thanks Kevin! Looks like speed control is manual with two potentiometers inside the cabinet. The MIKI drive seems like it's just on/off control and reverses through a pair of motor contactors.

I have a 1HP 3 phase gearmotor (zero backlash harmonic drive) with a brake on it that runs 130 RPM at 60HZ. The MIKI gearmotor would run 100 RPM at the rated RPM of the motor, but I do not know what speed it was set to run at. The MIKI drive is currently putting out 175/185 volts DC which is more than the 160/175 volts the motor is rated for. I'm guessing the motor started dying so a PO cranked up the voltage to keep it running for a bit. Hoping the design speed was closer to the 100 RPM.

I was thinking the bigger 1HP motor would be good if I need to run a VFD and slow the motor way down.

I'm working on fitting this AC motor/gearbox to the toolchanger without modifying anything on the machine (just bypass MIKI controller) that way if it doesn't work I can swap back.