calling all probe basic lathe users!

Hello all, I was hoping to get an idea of who all out there is using probe basic lathe currently?  please drop a line and let me know if you are using it!  

thanks all!!

Chris
 

I am.

However, my lathe is not completely finished and I'm finding that I will need to heavily modify PB or switch to another GUI (likely Flex) as my configuration and GUI preferences are pretty specific.

I am - for an EMCO Compact-5 CNC Lathe, with 6-position Auto Tool Changer (3 + 3 tools).
I am still setting up the hardware, getting close though.
The 4-quadrant variable speed thyristor DC motor controller is built and tested. I am now working on mounting the box and fitting for the ATC controller. Then it's just the limit, home, and emergency stop switches.
My setup is based around using Probe Basic Lathe... especially being able to make parts using the conversational mode - which for me is a game-changer!

@spumco,
what's your configuration? is it not XZ? and what is your eta on being up and running?

@susan-parker
how close are you to being up and running?

@Lcvette:

It's a DIY XZC slant-bed gang-tool configuration

• Based on a Dunham 5C spindle headstock w/Hardinge taper
  • Step-dir AC servos on all axes, plus 1 micron scales on X & Z
  • Main spindle motor is 3.7kw 8kRPM 'servo-spindle' from SZGH
  • 10kPPR encoder on spindle (40k post-quad) for decent C-axis resolution
• It has a scratch-built 5C sub-spindle mounted to the main XZ slide
  • Both the main and sub have pneumatic collet closers
  • Sub driven by 1kw 5kRPM servo
• Parting slide mounted to headstock (think Omniturn-style)
  • Can be controlled/programmed as a V-axis or X-axis (to permit CSS)
  • Permits main to sub hand-off for back-work
• Main XZ mounted live tool (24k VFD-powered spindle w/ER11)
  • Suitable only for light work, 1/4" or smaller cutters

Regarding the GUI & Probe Basic, here's my wishlist

• Extremely large DRO for XZ, smaller for V/C. Gmoccapy's DRO style is nice.
• On-screen parts counter of some sort.
• Large G-code window, with adjustable font size
  • Don't need/want large preview screen, but do want easy buttons to 'flip' the preview between front tool, back tool, and sub-spindle front/back tools.
• 3 spindles displayed (RPM & load), or at least two at once.
  • I won't have the main and sub turning at different speeds at the same time, but I do want live-tool speed/status at the same time as main/sub spindle
• No on-screen machine controls, or ability to disable
  • No jogging buttons, cycle-start, stop, etc.
  • No on-screen sliders, up/down spin-box buttons, etc.
  • No way to move the machine except via MDI, probing macros, or external physical controls
  • No keyboard control of machine, period.  Keyboard is for data input only.
• Need some GUI real estate for a number of LED indicators (or similar)
  • Main-sub synch active/off
  • Parting slide in V-axis or X-axis mode
  • I have three 'mist/air blast' sources, plus 4 spare air valves for clamps or future automation fixturing/loading.  Need indicators for what's on/off.

Everything is working now, but I haven't built the back-working tools or mount - nor am I 'fluent' with the lathe.  Can't quite figure out how or where to mount more than one tool without causing massive interference with main-slide tools.  I was starting to work on a design with I got side-tracked switching my mill over to Ethercat servos a month or so ago.
 

@Lcvette

Fingers crossed, in 2 to 4 weekends.

Not sure how much "commissioning" will be required, this is my first time setting up a cnc-lathe.

I am planing to make the Z limits movable so they can be adjusted to the type of chuck being used and where the tailstock is positioned.

Timeline depends a bit on the weather, it's currently very hot here in West London, UK.

Thanks.

@spumco
I think most of that could be done with the new user configs, pb lathe already has a large sidebar xz dro and you could add additional as needed. i think for the led/dro/the sidebar would be ideal. and the user main dro bottom panel is configurable already for any number of combinations.

it sounds like the machine you built is very specific for some dedicated work you need to accomplish. the conversational i created is really geared more towards a job shop type workflow on a traditional toolroom cnc lathe. not sure it would be of much help for your automation geared setup.

@susan-parker
sweet keep me posted! i think this would be right up your alley for your machine!

Lcvette wrote:

it sounds like the machine you built is very specific for some dedicated work you need to accomplish. the conversational i created is really geared more towards a job shop type workflow on a traditional toolroom cnc lathe. not sure it would be of much help for your automation geared setup.

 

It's more of a 'standard' gang-tool lathe with some extra capabilities. And I look forward to using your conversational features - that's one of the primary reasons I'd prefer not to build a GUI from scratch.

The side panel is certainly one place I can stick some indicator LED's.  And I suspect not many people are running LCNC, much less PB, with a sub-spindle or live-tools.

On the other hand, I'd argue that a parts counter is lathe-agnostic.  I've seen a few LCNC parts counters (usually via Ladder) grafted on to other GUI's, but nothing 'integrated' in a GUI.

Yet every commercial CNC lathe I've seen or used has a parts counter of some sort.  Tool-room, slant-bed turret, gang-tool, VTL, etc - all the controls have some way of keeping track of parts, and using the counter's parameters/values to drive bar/slug handling macros.

A part counter with references to bar-feed sub-routines can be done entirely inside G-code (incrementing parameters), but there's no (good) way to monitor the status while a run is in-progress.  A built-in parts counter makes it gravy.

I have this gang type lathe with live tools and I am thinking about converting it to LinuxCNC 
in the future:
www.smartlathe.com/products/sl-36

Will do!

By the way, have you seen this 3D model by Marinus Jeuring:

grabcad.com/library/emco-compact-5-cnc-1

Just found it - includes the ATC!

Pretty awesome, lot of time was spent drawing this.