Bridgeport Interact Series 1 Mk2

Hi Folks, this is my first post here at the CNC Zone, although I'm an active member on a couple of other machinist websites.

I've been doing hobby machining for about 3 years now. A couple of months back, I acquired a Bridgeport Interact 1 Mk 2 with TNC150 controller. I've since acquired another one in better overall condition with a TNC151B (I think -- how do I tell if it's an A or B?). I plan to use this machine for various hobby bits, as well as some race car bits which I hope I can use to pay off what the machines have cost me.

So far, all is going reasonably well. 1st machine has a few faults (coolant motor doesn't work, spindle cooling motor doesn't work, noisy bearings, tacho problems when cold, I have to run the spindle at low RPMs for a few mins, going straight to 4000rpm from cold over-speeds the motor badly. 2nd machine showed a tacho error yesterday (spindle twitched & then wouldn't run), but after 5 mins warming the electronics up, all worked as normal.

I've run a few hand-written programs in Heidenhain Conversational -but eventually I'd like to move over to a CAD/CAM system. So, I'm now attempting to learn to draw in SolidWorks, but what CAM system would people recommend for this machine?

I'm reasonably adept with my old manual Bridgeport, and I've got a half a lifetime of programming computers behind me - so putting the two together doesn't worry me. So far, the new machine has made only wax chips (the original one has made a few aluminium chips, but not many).

I'll probably have lots of questions later... e.g has anyone tried updating this machine to use PC-based controls? I'm wondering about doing that to my TNC150 machine, or whether to just polish it up, fix the spindle fan motor & put it back on a certain well known auction site...

Cheers!
Ade.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AdeV

Hi Folks, this is my first post here at the CNC Zone, although I'm an active member on a couple of other machinist websites.

I've been doing hobby machining for about 3 years now. A couple of months back, I acquired a Bridgeport Interact 1 Mk 2 with TNC150 controller. I've since acquired another one in better overall condition with a TNC151B (I think -- how do I tell if it's an A or B?). I plan to use this machine for various hobby bits, as well as some race car bits which I hope I can use to pay off what the machines have cost me.

So far, all is going reasonably well. 1st machine has a few faults (coolant motor doesn't work, spindle cooling motor doesn't work, noisy bearings, tacho problems when cold, I have to run the spindle at low RPMs for a few mins, going straight to 4000rpm from cold over-speeds the motor badly. 2nd machine showed a tacho error yesterday (spindle twitched & then wouldn't run), but after 5 mins warming the electronics up, all worked as normal.

I've run a few hand-written programs in Heidenhain Conversational -but eventually I'd like to move over to a CAD/CAM system. So, I'm now attempting to learn to draw in SolidWorks, but what CAM system would people recommend for this machine?

I'm reasonably adept with my old manual Bridgeport, and I've got a half a lifetime of programming computers behind me - so putting the two together doesn't worry me. So far, the new machine has made only wax chips (the original one has made a few aluminium chips, but not many).

I'll probably have lots of questions later... e.g has anyone tried updating this machine to use PC-based controls? I'm wondering about doing that to my TNC150 machine, or whether to just polish it up, fix the spindle fan motor & put it back on a certain well known auction site...

Cheers!
Ade.

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I have an interact 1 mk2 with the 151 B controller. It says 151 on the front, but you identify the B by whether or not you have the 24 pin serial connector on the back.

I drip feed serial programs to it from a small computer that I mounted on the control which gets the programs from my network attached storage box, wirelessly.

You'll be fine with any CAM but will need to modify the post processor to make the output error free.

Be wary of spindle behavior, these old interacts come with KTK drives with an interface card called the MTI-1. that board will fail you eventually!! make sure you have new RIFA capacitors on it asap. and check the diodes, and the SCR that controls the field.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mflux_gamblej

I have an interact 1 mk2 with the 151 B controller. It says 151 on the front, but you identify the B by whether or not you have the 24 pin serial connector on the back.

I drip feed serial programs to it from a small computer that I mounted on the control which gets the programs from my network attached storage box, wirelessly.

You'll be fine with any CAM but will need to modify the post processor to make the output error free.

Be wary of spindle behavior, these old interacts come with KTK drives with an interface card called the MTI-1. that board will fail you eventually!! make sure you have new RIFA capacitors on it asap. and check the diodes, and the SCR that controls the field.

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I was reading your tales of woe with some trepidation..... I will surely keep an eye out on those boards. Being very new to CNC, I daren't touch anything in the electrickery cabinets, especially those very meaty looking transformers, they look like they could give you a proper jolt if you looked at them funny.

I must have a "B" controller then, as I have the 24 (25, surely?) pin serial connector on the back - it's plugged into my old laptop right now. I like the idea of running the machine from the comfort of my office...

One of the first jobs I'd like to do is actually bigger (in the X axis) than the machining envelope. I can make a jig which will hold the block in either direction without any problems, so the plan is to machine one half, then spin the block round & reclamp in the jig and mill the other half; then flip it over & repeat to do the other side. Will a CAM program be able to do that, or do I need to draw my part as 4 pieces? I suspect this Q really belongs somewhere else, but there are so many boards.... :drowning:

Thanks in advance!

you will have to draw some extra geometry in your CAM program to account for any fixturing / origin changing setups.

This is standard stuff, but it isnt automated, it's up to you to figure out what works and is efficient.


My strategy is to load up a pretty rough piece of material that's at least square, but not necessarily cut to size, the let the machine cut as much as possible per setup, including the exterior walls of the part. For drilling or pockets that go through the part, put a 'waste plate' i.e. a piece of Al sheet under the part that you can mill/drill into and throw away after.

It sounds to me like you'll learn a lot on your first couple projects. Good luck.

You can reference on any plane and at any point. Rotate, flip, mirror etc. You first draw your item in a CAD program and then use a CAM program to create the toolpaths. This link on youtube should give you a better idea, it is using mastercam but most programs will do it.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y34ngblQ2tQ]Mastercam On Streamingteacher #3 - YouTube[/ame]