Hello all,

I may have an opportunity to acquire an used Roku Roku horizontal machining center.
If so, at this moment I have no clear end purpose of it. Maybe I'll fail the retrofit, maybe I will use it, maybe sell it, who knows.
It's scrap pricing, and I believe it would be a pitty to see it scrapped. I also like wrenching a lot so I'm considering to give it a shot in my spare time.
I do work in the environment, so I do have a vague idea of what am I getting into.

From the first glance of the machine:
- Fanuc controller
- Fanuc servos
- amplifiers, controls etc, are missing
- douple pallet
- Nikken unit as the B axis
- Fanuc spindle motor
- ISO30 - 30 tools
- Index ATC (chain type with shifter)

Things I like about it:
- Twin Pallet
- 30 tools
- 12 or 15.000 RPMS (not sure at this point)
- very small foot print
- small servos (easier, safer to manage, cheaper)
- 4th axis
- it's a 2001 build. End of usage in 2005

Negatives:
- travels. I believe 250/250/350mm. Pretty small envelope
- lot's of stuff to control: pallet changer, ATC shifter, ATC chain, 3+1 axes, Spindle, 2 doors, sensors, brakes, pumps etc
- it sleeps for 11 years now. It was held indoors, but it wasn't prepared for such a big pause. It either very dry, or blocked either very sticky from the coolant. Some vague points of rust are visible on the guides.

I do have my fare share of hobby failed diy builds, and I am familiar with Mach 3 and steppers, but this will be a steep learning curve. I'm ok with the mechanical part of it, but I seriously lack experience towards electronics and electrical stuff.

I wouldn't want to keep the Fanuc for the following reasons:
- high cost of technicians
- very proprietary. One can't do much stuff on it on his own...
- limited memory

I will miss though the stability, and the macro b part of it surely.

Moving on, the plan is as follows:
- Mach 4
- CSMIO - the analog option
- Drivers? I would like to keep the Fanuc redcap servos, but unsure about drivers. Is it an option to use simple amplifiers like the AMC ones, and keep the loop closed and everything else in CSMIO?
- option to drive the redcaps? I understand they have a different type of encoders. Does pico-systems sound familiar to any of you? heard this might be an option
- I would definitely like to keep the spindle motor. It's a 2.2kw. I understood CSMIO is able to govern it, rigid tapping included, but unsure if it is the case with Fanuc
- HMI - I understand there are two ways: using pokeys or some extra gadget from CS Labs
- Peripheral stuff: sensors, ATC, pallet changer, doors, coolant pump etc. Should I go via Mach 4 scripts route, a PLC or the classic million relays?
- Is Mach4 stable enough to drive this machine? In the end we're speaking about 40.000mm/min rapids. It could get dangerous in case of any bugs
- machine positioning precision is guaranteed by the screws? or there is some serious mapping in the old controller?

I'm sure there will be a million other questions as I move on, but at this point these are my barriers that block my view. I tend to believe that these steps represent the deal breaker. Even if I don't know exactly what these things are, or how they work, I need some assurance that at least there is a solution, or a walked path to what I'm trying to do.

I would highly appreciate some input from some of you willing to give an advice

Thanks,
M.