I Want to upgrade my cnc control’s look ahead function . It’s a fanuc 0-mc. Standard lookahead ( G8) . I Want to upgrade to an advanced lookahead G05 to run much smooter But fanuc Romania asked me around s14 K $ for this option which i think is way too much for a 2000 Machine ( electronic part and software). Any Other solution? 
Is it a 0i-MC controller?
If it is than you should already have G5.1 Q1 Rxx
option
1 Like
Any time you put new controls on a machine you are looking at thousands of dollars. But the investment is well worth it n the long run especially with a Fanuc control. Most of the time all the wiring, axis motors, & gear box motor needs to be replaced at the same time for the controls the work properly.
At the GE plant I had worked at, we spent well over a million dollars putting new Fanuc controls, axis drive motors, & gear box motors on all our machines that had the old GE1050 controls.
2 Likes
Sadly no. Just a 0-MC. Next year i will change the machine because on 3 axis surfacing it;s kinda of chocking. not smooth at all.
35 K Euros to replace the controller and the servo. They said it’s outdated. It’s worth the investment? how come you din’t choose Heidenhain. ? bit more pricey but i’ve heard they are more i the high end range.
In all honesty, if it was me left with such a decision to make, whether to upgrade the controller and drives for 35k USD, or not, I would look at 2 things first. Is the machine worth it? You said it’s a year 2000? If it’s not any bigger than a 40x20 travel with a CAT-40 taper spindle, than for 35K USD right now there are plenty used machines in the USA market available that are 2005-20012 year range. Look for like a Haas VF-3 with 40x20 travel for example. Or any other machine similar size with Fanuc control and Drives is also realistic.
If your machine is much bigger, and the price you paid for it when you bought it originally is two, three or more times higher than 35K, than yes, updating the the control might be well worth it in the long run, especially if you think you can at least get 10 or more years out of the machine problems free. Heck, I got a 1994 Mazak VTC-16a with Mazatrol control and memory of a fruit fly. But the Steel is in fantastic shape! I get 0.0002" accuracy all day on it. However, Mazak USA wants 20k USD to even look at upgrading the memory! Is it worth it? To me - NO! The machine has a very small cutting envelope : only 22(x)x16(y)x20(z). For 20K USD + what I can get from selling my Mazak, I can find another low hours older machine with bigger memory, bigger travel and more bells and whistles. We are in a global recession right now, after all…it’s a Buyers Market out there!
1 Like
I am in Europe. It holds that well accuracy?? Wow. My machine has 40x20 travel so I am loking for something similar or a bit more bigger for mould making. You got me thinking into a used Mazak to replace this one.
Mazaks are a well built machine, but I personally am not a fan of their Mazatrol controller. It all depends on what work you do. There are many die hard fans of Mazak machines out there and I am sure they have their reasons for loving them. I found it hard to train my guys on Mazatrol control, when they are used to using Haas and Fanuc controls. But I am certainly happy with my Mazak’s physical performance and it’s design.
1 Like