CNCKits - Sieg X3 Mill CNC Conversion Kits - NC Conversion and Retrofit.

SUMMARY OF FEATURES

- Simple to install with all parts needed included in the kit

- Full instructions and email/telephone support from PROMiCA

- Intelligent Controller has a multitude of safety features and is designed specifically for CNC

- Range of controller options soon to be released ... features that only a microprocessor based unit can perform

- Supports many different software controller packages such as Mach3, TurboCNC, DanCAD, CNCPro etc

- Spindle power on/off control

- Smart limit switch input

- Buffered PC parallel input - all signal interfacing is through low power logic (PC to controller cable is not supplied)

- Various kits available depending on your requirements

- Full range of spare parts available

- Opto (photo interrupter) homing sensors with kits that include controller

- Up to 4 Axis per controller - 40V 3A per axis

- Replacement Bearings - no need to use the existing X3 bearings

- Correct bearings for the application to ensure accuracy and long life

- Thomson 16mm rolled leadscrew

- Thomsom ball nuts 0.002' to 0.013" rated backlash ( prototype shows ~0.004")

- Axis leadscrews held firmly by preloaded bearings - only backlash is in the ball nut itself (minimal)

- Timing belt drivetrain - quiet, vibration free, reliable (and you can vary the ratio if you want!)

- 2000mm/min horizontal transverse (conservative - our prototype can do up to 4200mm/min!!!!)

- Efficient Bipolar 270oz/inch Nema 23 stepper motors, 430oz/inch optional for Z axis (SUPERZ)

- Z does not require gas strut with 270oz/inch or 430 oz/inch motors (better off without it - head more stable)

- Very low profile - protrudes less than the original X3 handles

- Motors mounted for protection and to minimise protrusion

- Increased Y travel and no loss of original X or Z

- No need to remove column to fit Z motor bracket

- Loom tubes for wiring on kits supplied with motors

- Very clean and neat installation - looks professional

- Controller has auto standby and auto disable (can be disabled at startup)

- Includes facility to install as many eStop switches as you want

- Serial limit switch input on the controller - add as many as you want

- Easy to operate limit override - can be disabled during a job or can have up to 5min of override applied

- DEAD STOP eStop - the controller eStop completely removes power to motors, spindle output and coolant

- End to end solution from one source .... PROMiCA

Intelligent Controller
Our Intelligent Controllers are designed to run bipolar stepper motors ... up to 4 axis at 40V 3A each. If you are setting up your Mill for 2.5 axis (powered X&Y with manual Z) then a 2 axis is all you will need. If you want to go for full 3 axis (Z powered too) then of course the 3 axis controller is what you'll need ...but if you have a 4th axis (eg rotary table) then you will need to order a 3 axis controller plus another axis module from our Price List. You could also consider purchasing an additional axis module as a spare to have on hand - particularly if you use your CNC Mill for commercial work (where time is money).

Our controller has been designed and tested by PROMiCA to suit the purpose from the ground up - this is not just another controller rebadged and it certaintly isn't just a simple 'break out box' ... it's much MUCH more.

With a definate slant towards saftey our controller features endless eStop switches ... a loop output on the rear of the unit allows you to string as many eStops as you need around your workplace (as well as the big illuminated red one on the front of the box!!). Our eStop doesn't simply ask the PC to stop everything ... it completely takes control and absolutely cuts all power to the spindle and coolant outlets and the steppers INSTANTLY ...then the PC is asked to wait ... mind you the process of stopping all power and talking to the PC all happens within about 0.001 seconds !!

Our IC3A controller also likes to help the enviroment by minimising power waste. If you power up the controller and hit the Enable button it will sit there for 5 minutes in full ready mode ...after 5mins of no activity it will go into level 1 standby where it disables the drive outputs (and spindle/coolant control). It then spends it's time monitoring your step signal inputs ... first hint of a step and all axis cards are enabled again. The power save feature goes a step further too ... once the controller has been in level 1 standby for a further 5 minutes the processor will automatically disable the system - the controller is powered up but will not respond again until the Enable button is pressed. This feature is automatically enabled when the controller is turned on ...but if needed you can disable it at startup ..you have control.

But there's even more .... our axis cards also each have their own microprocessor that monitors the cards activity. After 1 second of no activity the processor will set the driver to half power mode which means that the steppers still hold your work perfectly still but do it with less power being wasted and less heat being generated. As soon as a step pulse is recieved the drivers are set back into full power mode.

Limit switches are also taken care of by the controller - with or without the PC even running!! There's a limit loop output on the rear of the unit that you can connect as many limit switches to as you want. When a limit is hit the controller asks the PC to stop sending pulses (ie a normal limit condition) and also halts the motors. All you need to do then is press the limit override button to re-enable the drives and the PC. But like everything else about our controller there are some 'smarts' involved - a single press of the limit override will give you 1 minute of ignoring the limit switch input so you can jog the work back or do whatever you need to correct (if necessary) the situation. What if you need more than 1 minute? ... each press of the limit override will give you 1 minutes worth of 'ignoring' the limits - up to a maximum of 5 minutes. So what happens if your job will keep touching the limit but will be safe to run - well we have that covered too .... just press and hold the limit override for 3 seconds and the limit switches will be ignored untill the controller is disabled or power cycled.

This is why we call it our INTELLIGENT controller .... no ...it's not just a break out box !!

Australian Controllers include mains transformers and require nothing else to be added. International Controllers have a DC jack on them for logic supply voltage input and you will need to purchase a 12vdc regulated supply with a 2.5mm center positive DC for this. You will ALSO require a suitable transformer (to mount within the case) for the stepper supply. We suggest a toroidal transformer with a 30VAC 10Amp output. A standard IEC socket is mounted on the controller cabinet for mains supply but may need to be replaced with a suitable socket to match your local supply authority regulations. The price of International controllers is lower than the Australian for this reason...

MAINS WIRING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAN BE DEADLY - YOU MUST HAVE THE MAINS WIRING COMPLETED BY A PERSON WHO IS SUITABLY QUALIFIED AS SPECIFIED BY YOUR LOCAL POWER AUTHORITY. THIS IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL AND WE WILL NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR INCIDENTS ARISING FROM MAINS WIRING. INCORRECT MAINS WIRING WILL ALSO VOID WARRANTY WHERE IT HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF A FAULT AS DEEMED BY US.

Software
All level 3 kits include an unlicensed (demo) copy of Mach3. This is a superb piece of software and one of it's key features is that it is so highly configurable. We also supply our own customised screens as examples of Mach3 functionality - you can edit, change, update, manipulate and customise them even further to suit your own needs ..or just use them as they are. There is a huge internet following for Mach3 and previous versions so there are plenty of other people round on the net to help you should run into any problems or have one of those "how do I" type questions. Please note that whilst we include a demo copy of Mach3 and TurboCNC software we do not offer support on them as we are not the developers. Please check out our Links page for links to their homepages. Either product can be purchased online for very reasonable fees.

Our choice of stepper motor is not based purely on torque ratings - many people falsely believe that simply adding a bigger stepper motor will increase speed and reliability. Our steppers have been selected based on physical size, current (amps) requirements, gearing and motor efficiency - larger motors have greater power requirements but will not return any real speed, performance or reliability benefits.

Why timing belts?
There are several reasons why we employ timing belts and pulleys over direct coupling ...

One of our design criteria was to keep it small - low profile. By using timing belts we can tuck the motor safely back in behind everything - direct coupling means that the motor has to protrude straight out from the leadscrew which means that more free air space is required around the machine. This method also lends itself to damage as the leverage at the far end of the motor will be excessive ... imagine the pressure applied to the mount points if somebody was to lean on the motor or a heavy piece of stock balanced or dropped on it!

Another reason for using timing belts is that common stepper motors (that we've seen!) only have standard roller bearings which are designed for radial loads - not axial ... direct coupling means that feedback along the leadscrew is directly applied back onto the motor shaft in a manner that the bearings aren't designed for (they will take it to some degree). In our application of timing belts the load is entirely radial which means that the bearings are handling the load in the manner they are specifically designed for.
Timing belts are also cost effective, low noise, easy to fit, no slip and readily available. More info is in our FAQ.

Wiring Looms, Loom Tubes And Clamps
Stepper motors supplied with our kits are shipped wired ready to install with the correct plugs attached to suit out Intelligent Controllers. Also included are the homing sensors which are optional to install - but if you do decide to use them all you need to do is attach them to the appropriate mount points and route the provided cables as shown in our instructions. In order to install the homing sensors you do need to drill a small hole through the mill base as well as the XY slide - again instructions are included with the kit.
Black plastic rippled loom tube is also supplied and ready to cut and install. These tubes are split all the way along their length - all you need to do is slip the cables through the slot. This makes for a very neat & professional finish and also help to protect the wiring. Loom tube clamp plates are supplied as well. These plates have a clamp that locks into the ripple on our loom tubes and holds the tube in place.

What Is In Each Kit
X3-001-02    Basic kit for 2 axis control (X+Y). Includes leadscrews, plates,bearings, covers, and leadscrew pulley only.
X3-001-03    As above except for 3 axis (X,Y+Z)
X3-002-02    As per X3-001-02 kit above plus stepper motors, wiring, loom tubes, timing belts and all pulleys.
X3-002-03    As per X3-001-03 kit above plus stepper motors, wiring, loom tubes, timing belts and all pulleys.
X3-003-02* As per X3-002-02 kit above plus controller, IR homing sensors. * See note below re controller.
X3-003-03* As per X3-003-02 kit above plus controller, IR homing sensors. * See note below re controller.
* We currently have 2 versions of the controller - an Australian version which is complete and an international version which requires basic power components to suit overseas mains power supply - see Pricing section for more information.

Individual parts can be ordered separately as spares or upgrades ... just send us an email detailing the parts you require and we'll advise the costs. We also offer small kits such as a bearing kit for a single axis, the aluminium work for X Y or Z axis plus a range of standard parts like timing belts, axis boards, stepper motors, wiring looms etc ... See our Pricing page for more information or visit the FAQ section of our forum.

Plates and Brackets
Included are two new end plates for the X axis and one for the Y axis, X&Y stepper motor mounting plates, X&Y thrust bearing plates, stand-offs for the Y motor plate and cover plates for both X & Y timing belts & pulleys. For kits that include the Z axis there is also the Z stepper motor mounting plate and two braces.

Leadscrews and Ball nuts
We use 16mm (0.6" or 5/8") Thomson 5tpi rolled leadscrews with recirculating ball bearing ball nuts for efficient and smooth operation. Leadscrews are turned as necessary on each end to suit the supplied bearings and pulleys. A mounting fixture is included for each ball nut. Thomson specifications on the leadscrew and ball nuts we use state backlash of 0.002" to 0.013" ... we've measured our prototypes and they average 0.003" ... however for those 'buffs' out there we will ultimately offer preloaded nuts which will be available as an upgrade - for the vast majority of customers the standard offering is more than sufficient!!! More information is in our Forum FAQ.

Nuts Bolts Screws
Our kits include all of the appropriate metric screws that are needed to complete the installation.

Timing Belts and Pulleys
In kit levels 2 and 3 (which both include stepper motors) each supplied axis is driven by a timing belt and pulleys (timing belts have teeth and will not slip). Each axis uses a different length timing belt and the correct sizes are supplied in our kits. Timing belts will last a long time but if you would like to have spares on-hand we can supply a set for a very reasonable price (see Pricing ). We have machines running in our shop that have hundreds of hours use under their belts (pardon the pun) and show no signs of fatigue or failure. The style of timing belt we've utilised is very common and you should have no problem ordering them from a local supplier should you ever need to. See below for more information about timing belts... Note that level 1 kits only include the pulley on each leadscrew - stepper pulley & belts are not included.

Bearings
Our kits include replacement bearings so there's no need to use the existing bearings from the X3 (which can be a real battle to remove!!). We believe that good bearings are the starting point for a good kit and we don't want to supply a kit that fails prematurely or that has backlash introduced by poor or incorrect bearings. You get roller, thrust and angular thrust bearings to suit each axis in your kit so you can be sure that your leadscrew will stay right where it's supposed to be and will rotate properly.
We include angular thrust bearings where many suppliers simply use a standard roller bearing. Standard bearings can take a percentage of axial load but it's not what they're designed for. Angular thrust bearings are designed for both axial and radial loads and as such are the correct choice in this application - it makes our kits a little more expensive but we think you'll agree that its worth a few dollars more up front to have a machine that will continue to function properly well into the future.

Please note that the images below are taken from the full kit.