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Who has done their own Centroid retrofit, or at least the basic install?

Richard/SIA

Cast Iron
Joined
May 13, 2007
Location
No. Nevada
Looking at the Centroid retrofit.
Have lots of experience in electronics assembly and automotive repair.

Not liking the idea of paying $1000.00 a day for the basic work.
Seems some here have gone the Centroid route and I imagine they looked in on the install even if they did not do it themselves.
So just how hard should this be?

Replacing a FANUC 3000 on a Matsuura mill if it matters.

I did do a search but was surprised that so little came up.
 
I put the Centroid M400 control on my Bridgeport V2xt. It was pretty easy, hardest part was adapting the axis drive motors and that was easy. I did all the installation and when I was done a Centroid tech came to the shop and got everything running and did some training. Dead easy to program, the best thing I ever did with the old BP.
 
That is how I use mine, I am thinking about swapping the Dynapath control on my Tree 325 for a Centroid as well. Mine has been totally reliable and is so easy to program. As reliable as the Centroid has been for me I can't believe there would be a problem retrofitting the Matsura, tool changer or not.
 
I did my BP Series 1 did all the fitting and mounting was real easy , after I did mounting ,tech guy came set parameters . had a training session then left easy as can be. I would defiantly do it again.. Well worth the price . nice control ;. +++++ for Centroid
 
Thanks for the replies.
I figure it's mostly mounting components and running wires, then let the tech check the work before powering up.
Looks like I will be setting up a savings account to get one.
Newer machines are available for the same money, but not with re-tooling and transport cost included.
Have to keep the current control limping along for a little while longer if possible.
 
Im looking at a centroid upgrade for my BP r2e3 , i plan to use the all in one with my pc , i have good servos but will up grade the encoders , my shop is a small job shop so my budget is tight will this control be easy to expand later , maybe a forth axis ? i would appreciate any info on upgrades and this model BP .
 
I did the all in one on a V2XT last year. It was my first retro fit and it went very easy. I would do it again just not on a Knee mill. LOL I found out real quick that changing tools all the time suck. Ended up getting a small VMC for less money then I had into the cost of just the retro fit. That said I loved the Centroid control very easy to use and good support the two time I call them. Fyi you will very likely need to have new encoder covers made as the Centroid ones are longer then the resolvers the the Sem motors have in them. You may also have to make a adapter shaft for the new encoders as well.
 
retro r2e3

thanks for the info , i would love a vmc with atc that is on the list next .This machine will support gang fixtures and spend hours drilling the same parts . i have a component part I build for a locale Co. and 1000 at a time . Been doing this on a manual for years. this will free me up for other work while the mill runs. would my old encoders be sufficient ? The fixture runs 50 parts at a time kind of old school .
 
If you have Sem motors with Heidenhain resolvers/encoders then yes you will have to update them as the do not supply the correct signal type to the Centroid control. The retrofit parts will cost around $5k by the time your said and done. YOu will also want to use a PC that is at least up the the Centroid specs. as well.
 
I have a BP Interact 1 controlled by H151B. Is this the machine you refitted with Centroid? Thanks
 
I did an upgrade from an old AB bandit on an 80s Supermax ymc. The DC Aio (all in 1 ) works on existing dc servo systems. . The Oak board is for AC servos. Which are you considering? You may need to upgrade each motor to current differential channeled encoders and rip out existing older tach style low res I bought high end encoders from industrial automation folks really cheap. Did my own wiring and conversion of each motor. Centroid had a video and some docs if I recall. It was easy. Sounds like you have the mad skills for this 😎. Best investment I ever made on this gear.

Ohh. Tip. Their system can do spindle orientation. If your doing all this work. Encode up the spindle and send it into their board and get tapping too. I wish I had known during as part of conversion.
 
I did an upgrade from an old AB bandit on an 80s Supermax ymc. The DC Aio (all in 1 ) works on existing dc servo systems. . The Oak board is for AC servos. Which are you considering? You may need to upgrade each motor to current differential channeled encoders and rip out existing older tach style low res I bought high end encoders from industrial automation folks really cheap. Did my own wiring and conversion of each motor. Centroid had a video and some docs if I recall. It was easy. Sounds like you have the mad skills for this 😎. Best investment I ever made on this gear.

Ohh. Tip. Their system can do spindle orientation. If your doing all this work. Encode up the spindle and send it into their board and get tapping too. I wish I had known during as part of conversion.

Are you familiar enough with the Matsuura MC500V to know what will need to be done to fit this control system on it? Yasnac 3000 control has some readouts and such dead on it now.
 
Youtube has loads of Centroid DIY/training videos, most made by Centroid. And some tech support is free if you go on their forum. I bought an Centroid Acorn controller and got a Gecko drive running some small steppers with a cheap refurbished PC.
 
retrofit

I did my Boss to Centroid. Was pretty straight forward .Dont forget to make sure you order probe real good option and time saver ,also the digitizing works really well.
as far as rest of install, i did all mounting Centroid guy came dialed it in ,been running no problems.
Centroid Tech is pretty good also.
 
Youtube has loads of Centroid DIY/training videos, most made by Centroid. And some tech support is free if you go on their forum. I bought an Centroid Acorn controller and got a Gecko drive running some small steppers with a cheap refurbished PC.

I've been looking at some of them already, pretty impressed with the availability of help. And I sure am learning a bunch about it in short time. Looks like the Allin1DC board is the one best suited to this, going by the simpler items I see. IDK about the motor tuning, velocity mode, etc, at all.
 
I did an AllioneDC retrofit of a router a few months ago and it was easy. A lot less wiring as the drives are built in. The hardest part (and it wasn't that hard, really) was reterminating the encoder cables from the servos with DB9 connectors, and you can buy them from Centroid if you'd rather not make them, but I'm cheap. The system is very easy to use, and I was able to eliminate an entire cabinet of electronics AND put the NUC PC in the remaining cabinet. 24" touch screen beats an 8" monochrome monitor any time. There is a video specifically about tuning also. The recommended settings worked well for me. Watch all of these first: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cnc+marty+all+in+one+dc
 
It's all about trying to get started here. I have enough work lined up to replace the funds I use to buy something fairly quickly, but only have $4k to get going on. I have a cnc lathe with live tooling and a good array of manual stuff, but the work isn't there for them at this time. With only a BP copy and a Cinn. #3 horizontal for milling it just isn't cutting it. I'm stuck and just want a running machine to get work done.
 








 
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