[Ceramic Man]

My boss bought a used Komo Innova 408 CNC router and asked me to get it running and learn how to use it. It has a Fanuc 210 control which I am already somewhat experienced using. I know mills but I've never run a router although it appears to be pretty much the same. The manual for the machine has wiring diagrams, mechanical schematics and all the system parameters, but nothing about the more basic technical stuff.

My main issue is that the tool changer wont home. Without the ATC being homed, the only thing I can do is jog the axes manually. The homing procedure in the manual does not work. I believe I need advise from somebody that has experience operating this machine or the Innova 510 (I think they are the same except for work-space size and some other insignificant things). I read a thing on Komo's website that describes a complicated procedure that sounds like an initial setup of a newly added ATC, but I'm not sure if thats what I need to do. I also read that the machine's parameter storage depends on 4 D-cell alkaline batteries. WTF!? That's pretty ghetto. Methinks that perhaps these batteries died or are dead and the parameters for the ATC need to be set again. Two other people before me tried and failed to get it running.

Here's the other stuff I'd like to know:
1) Can the control's PC be easily upgraded without support from Komo? I will find out eventually, but I'd rather know beforehand. It would be cool to put a P4 or newer system in there running WinXP or Win7, but I don't know if the control software requires the DOS environment that Win95 (the original and current OS) runs in. Why upgrade? Because then we could run MasterCam and Solidworks right there on the machine which would save time and be ridiculously convenient. The original PC might run MasterCam 9 (slowly), but is nowhere near powerful enough to run Solidworks or MasterCam X6.

2) How ridgid is this thing? We are going to want to cut aluminum on it and I know it can, but what kind of limitations are there compared to a typical CT30 taper VMC? Accuracy and max chip load are what I wanna know.

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No :bs:
Please, don't respond to my post unless you know specifically what I'm talking about or have prior experience with it.
If you don't know, then you are guessing. And my guess is as good as yours, so don't waste your time.

[MarkT]

Give Richard a call at 1.215.310.8464 -former Komo tech now an independent.
Tell him Mark reffered him.
Most gantry routers are rigid enough to cut aluminum but no where near as rigid as a vmc. That said, from your perspective, much higher rpm (sfm) and heavier chip load (feed per tooth) but typically a decrease in axial and/or radial depths of cut.
Your best shot on the control upgrade is contacting fanuc directly.

Mark T.