Converting Anilam Crusader II to LinuxCNC

[RogerN]

I'm well on my way to converting my Anilam Crusader II Bridgeport to
LinuxCNC. I converted a Crusader M Lathe to LinuxCNC a few years back.

I'm trying to make the new control very close to a plug in replacement for
the old control. You disconnect the 3 scales and the large 20 pin MS
connector from the Crusader II and plug them into the LinuxCNC control.

I have the pinout connections for the scales and am most of the way done
with the large connector. I have 4 inputs and 1 output I don't know what is
yet, probably some kind of an enable output and inputs are likely limit
switches and an enable, I'll have to trace them out on the mill, I've only
traced out on the Crusader II controller so far.

I don't know if there are very many interested in doing these conversions
but I thought after I get it all done, I could make a file package with
documentation of the connections, the hardware I used, and the software
configuration files. If the servo amps are adjusted to the motors for the
Anilam control, then they should be close for the PID gains I come up with.

There are features I'm planning to add on, these include an interface for a
variable frequency spindle drive, Outputs for coolant and add on I/O. I
would also like to add encoder receptacles for a spindle encoder and a 4th
axis, plus maybe 5th axis encoder and analog signal. I thought maybe before
I get a spindle encoder attached, I could use one like a hand tach for
setting the spindle to the correct speed.

Anyway, after it's all done and working pretty well, I'd like to zip up the
project folder and make it available to anyone else interested in the
conversion. Would the drop box be appropriate for the files or elsewhere?

RogerN

[Gunner Asch]

Post by RogerN
I'm well on my way to converting my Anilam Crusader II Bridgeport to
LinuxCNC. I converted a Crusader M Lathe to LinuxCNC a few years back.
I'm trying to make the new control very close to a plug in replacement for
the old control. You disconnect the 3 scales and the large 20 pin MS
connector from the Crusader II and plug them into the LinuxCNC control.
I have the pinout connections for the scales and am most of the way done
with the large connector. I have 4 inputs and 1 output I don't know what is
yet, probably some kind of an enable output and inputs are likely limit
switches and an enable, I'll have to trace them out on the mill, I've only
traced out on the Crusader II controller so far.
I don't know if there are very many interested in doing these conversions
but I thought after I get it all done, I could make a file package with
documentation of the connections, the hardware I used, and the software
configuration files. If the servo amps are adjusted to the motors for the
Anilam control, then they should be close for the PID gains I come up with.
There are features I'm planning to add on, these include an interface for a
variable frequency spindle drive, Outputs for coolant and add on I/O. I
would also like to add encoder receptacles for a spindle encoder and a 4th
axis, plus maybe 5th axis encoder and analog signal. I thought maybe before
I get a spindle encoder attached, I could use one like a hand tach for
setting the spindle to the correct speed.
Anyway, after it's all done and working pretty well, I'd like to zip up the
project folder and make it available to anyone else interested in the
conversion. Would the drop box be appropriate for the files or elsewhere?
RogerN

Drop box would be Great!!!


--
"You guess the truth hurts?

Really?

"Hurt" aint the word.

For Liberals, the truth is like salt to a slug.
Sunlight to a vampire.
Raid® to a cockroach.
Sheriff Brody to a shark
Bush to a Liberal

The truth doesn't just hurt. It's painful, like a red hot poker shoved
up their ass. Like sliding down a hundred foot razor blade using their
dick as a brake.

They HATE the truth."

[Karl Townsend]

Taking the time to document it helps everybody. Thanks ahead of time.

I've seen many refits of this machine over on CNCzone.com

I'd suggest you take an evening searching over there, bet you find
your pin out info.

Karl

[m***@gmail.com]

Post by RogerN
I'm well on my way to converting my Anilam Crusader II Bridgeport to
LinuxCNC. I converted a Crusader M Lathe to LinuxCNC a few years back.
I'm trying to make the new control very close to a plug in replacement for
the old control. You disconnect the 3 scales and the large 20 pin MS
connector from the Crusader II and plug them into the LinuxCNC control.
I have the pinout connections for the scales and am most of the way done
with the large connector. I have 4 inputs and 1 output I don't know what is
yet, probably some kind of an enable output and inputs are likely limit
switches and an enable, I'll have to trace them out on the mill, I've only
traced out on the Crusader II controller so far.
I don't know if there are very many interested in doing these conversions
but I thought after I get it all done, I could make a file package with
documentation of the connections, the hardware I used, and the software
configuration files. If the servo amps are adjusted to the motors for the
Anilam control, then they should be close for the PID gains I come up with.
There are features I'm planning to add on, these include an interface for a
variable frequency spindle drive, Outputs for coolant and add on I/O. I
would also like to add encoder receptacles for a spindle encoder and a 4th
axis, plus maybe 5th axis encoder and analog signal. I thought maybe before
I get a spindle encoder attached, I could use one like a hand tach for
setting the spindle to the correct speed.
Anyway, after it's all done and working pretty well, I'd like to zip up the
project folder and make it available to anyone else interested in the
conversion. Would the drop box be appropriate for the files or elsewhere?
RogerN

Hi Roger M - Michael M here: aka (SHOTGUN33)
I have an Alliant Knee Mill and it runs great. I had to do a little cleaning up on the drive motors but after some polishing on armatures and a little acetone cleanup it moves smoothly in all axis's and make no noise. I mean it's quiet. The CRUSADER II also works great and I did the test on the 25 PIN input (female 25 pin) on the back of the Controller by programming (Aux2740 > Enter > output top LED = 0) which tells me that programming step was confirmed. Now the NEXT STEP - what CAM software to use to cut 3D shapes modeled in SoildWorks. I have some fairly complex propeller models for cutting 6061 molds and making carbon fiber propellers. So that's a very sophisticated program plus 2D and 3D cutting of balsa wood to make thin wall shapes again from the SolidWorks model.
I would be very interested in talking to you about LINUX CNC and its functionality for my purposes and its ease of use and learning curve. Send me a post or an email and I will reply quid-pro-quo.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

***@earthlink.net

[RogerN]

Post by m***@gmail.com

Post by RogerN
I'm well on my way to converting my Anilam Crusader II Bridgeport to

<snip>

Post by m***@gmail.com

Post by RogerN
RogerN

Hi Roger M - Michael M here: aka (SHOTGUN33)
I have an Alliant Knee Mill and it runs great. I had to do a little
cleaning up on the drive motors but after some polishing on armatures and a
little acetone cleanup it moves smoothly in all axis's and make no noise.
I mean >it's quiet. The CRUSADER II also works great and I did the test on
the 25 PIN input (female 25 pin) on the back of the Controller by
programming (Aux2740 > Enter > output top LED = 0) which tells me that
programming step >was confirmed. Now the NEXT STEP - what CAM software to
use to cut 3D shapes modeled in SoildWorks. I have some fairly complex
propeller models for cutting 6061 molds and making carbon fiber propellers.
So that's a >very sophisticated program plus 2D and 3D cutting of balsa
wood to make thin wall shapes again from the SolidWorks model.
I would be very interested in talking to you about LINUX CNC and its
functionality for my purposes and its ease of use and learning curve. Send
me a post or an email and I will reply quid-pro-quo.
Thanks in advance,
Mike

I would recommend to download and burn the LinuxCNC LiveCD, you can run it
in simulation mode and even test run your programs. I haven't machined any
complicated 3 axis programs yet. I have BobCad/Cam that I can get to work
but it seems to crash sometimes when I try to post. If I get to where I
need it, I'll bug BobCad/Cam to see if they are useful in supporting post
processing crashes.

Currently I can only recommend BobCad/Cam if you DON'T need reliable
software! But I admit I haven't tried to resolve the problem yet, just
don't have the need until I get a shop building at my current location.

RogerN

[c***@gmail.com]

Post by RogerN
I'm well on my way to converting my Anilam Crusader II Bridgeport to
LinuxCNC. I converted a Crusader M Lathe to LinuxCNC a few years back.
I'm trying to make the new control very close to a plug in replacement for
the old control. You disconnect the 3 scales and the large 20 pin MS
connector from the Crusader II and plug them into the LinuxCNC control.
I have the pinout connections for the scales and am most of the way done
with the large connector. I have 4 inputs and 1 output I don't know what is
yet, probably some kind of an enable output and inputs are likely limit
switches and an enable, I'll have to trace them out on the mill, I've only
traced out on the Crusader II controller so far.
I don't know if there are very many interested in doing these conversions
but I thought after I get it all done, I could make a file package with
documentation of the connections, the hardware I used, and the software
configuration files. If the servo amps are adjusted to the motors for the
Anilam control, then they should be close for the PID gains I come up with.
There are features I'm planning to add on, these include an interface for a
variable frequency spindle drive, Outputs for coolant and add on I/O. I
would also like to add encoder receptacles for a spindle encoder and a 4th
axis, plus maybe 5th axis encoder and analog signal. I thought maybe before
I get a spindle encoder attached, I could use one like a hand tach for
setting the spindle to the correct speed.
Anyway, after it's all done and working pretty well, I'd like to zip up the
project folder and make it available to anyone else interested in the
conversion. Would the drop box be appropriate for the files or elsewhere?
RogerN

RogerN,
I am looking into doing the same thing to my Anilam Crusader-M Lagun ftv-2s mill. How did yours work out? if you can send me any info, that would be great!