Kit up for reuse of the Newker controller on the Blidgeport CNC conversion

Yep, it's coming to the point where I will be able to slap all of my new parts onto the Taiwanese Bridgeport clone. I seem to have finished making and procuring the key components for the conversion.

The original plan:

My original plan was:

• Use LinuxCNC for the controls, running on a Jetway JNF9C-2800 Fanless N2800 Thin-ITX Motherboard.
• Mesa 5i25 / 7i76 FPGA combination breakout board.
• Leadshine "Integrated Easy Servo" closed loop stepper for the Z axis drive (the 2Nm version).
• DMM Technologies DYN2 servo drivers and 400W motors for the X and Y axes.
• Leadshine 36V / 350W (Y axis) and 48V / 500W SMPS (X & Y) - instead of 50Hz transformer etc.
• Omron proximity switches for limit and home positions.
• Re-use the existing ancient PDL "Xtravert" VFD. It's overrated at 5.5kW but is as noisy as f*ck. It also lacks a braking resistor and has to think for a second or two before turning off when you ask it. Apart from that it's ideal. It's currently bolted to the rear of the machine base where it can be heard but not seen.
• A PhD in LinuxCNC. Sounds a bit cynical but even with the help of the LinuxCNC forum, this would be a rite of passage, kill or cure. I've struggled to convince myself that I have the stamina and determination to take that particular challenge on....

This arrangement would have entailed a monitor (probably touch screen) and keyboard at the front of the machine, then the rest of the gubbins in a large industrial cabinet on the side of the main body of the machine. 

I have most of this stuff and had it running on the bench.

Revised plan:

I have a simpler scheme in mind now:

• Use the Newker 990MDc controller. I know it actually works pretty well - in some ways better than the Acorn.
• Mount all of the gubbins (including the Newker controller) in an industrial cabinet above and in front of the machine (on an over arm).
• Get another Yaskawa V1000 VFD and fit it in the cabinet.

Apart from the servo motors and limit switches, everything will be in the cabinet. Should keep the machine looking pretty simple and neat - and hopefully simplify the cabinet build.

Time for a splurge:

The easy bit is ordering up the (expensive!) components I don't have yet:

• Europa Components cabinet 500 x 500 x 250. This is slightly smaller than the one I used for The Shiz (which was 600mm tall). But I need to accommodate the 400mm wide controller in the door panel, so this is the shortest cabinet they stock.
• Simple e-stop for pendant use. The Newker has one already on the front panel but I know from recent searching that I don't have another spare.
• A shit load of solder bucket Dsub connectors - the Newker controller comes with a set of generously long "tails" but the gauge of wire they have used is far too fine for my liking, so I will wire up my own. 
• Loads of ferrule crimps, a proper ferrule crimp tool, some 2.5mm2 wire and a fan filter.
• Yaskawa V1000 2.2 / 3.0kW VFD (CIMR-VCBA0012BAA) with custom Schaffner RFI filter and 70R, 390W braking resistor.

That should keep me quiet for a while. I have quite a few cable glands, conduit, terminal blocks, MCBs, wiring crimps etc. 

All done - ordered up. The main fly in the ointment was the inverter order. Once I'd placed the order, I got a message saying it had failed due a problem with the billing address not agreeing with the bank details. After a couple of retries with altered address details, as you might guess, I found I'd managed to place 3 orders. Not certain I need 2 spares - and talking of spare, the Domestic Manager wouldn't be happy if she found out....

Next day:

Dear god. I ordered the cabinet and components (apart from the VFD) early evening yesterday shortly before posting here. And they turned up late morning - I was expecting them tomorrow. Quick service! I also got a call from the VFD supplier who had cancelled the accidental reorders. Phew.