INTRODUCTION

CNC RETROFITTING OF A CONVENTIONAL LATHE MACHINE

WHAT IS CNC RETROFITTING?

Principally retrofitting describes the measures taken in the manufacturing industry to allow new
or updated parts to be fitted to old or outdated assemblies.
In CNC RETROFITTING an already working conventional lathe or milling machine is
transformed into a CNC MACHINE by installing various mechanical & electrical components &
interfacing it to a CNC Controller. The various controllers available in the market are SEIMENS,
FANUK, etc.

WHY DO WE DO IT?

An outdated conventional machine can either be upgraded to a CNC machine by Retrofitting or a

completely new machine can be purchased from the market. But cost wise CNC Retrofitting is
much more viable than buying a new machine as it costs only 1/3rd of the cost of a new machine.
The basic functional difference between a CNC machine & a conventional machine can be well
understood by the following formula:
v= πDN/60,
Where, v = tangential velocity of the job
D= diameter of the job
N= RPM of the job (chuck)
We can write the equation again as:
N=60 v /πD
Studies show that in order to attain high finishing & accuracy of the machining job, the
tangential velocity of the job (the point at which the tool touches the job) should remain constant
throughout the operation. This can be achieved by changing the N value because D value keeps
on changing as the cutting operation continues. In short, the chuck RPM has to be changed
according to the diameter of the job, in order to maintain the constant tangential velocity of the
job.
This is not possible in conventional lathe machine since the RPM of the chuck is controlled by
gears which have limited range & also in order to change the speed one has to stop the chuck.
CNC machine uses servo mechanism for its operation. It uses servo motors, so we can change
the speed of the motor according to our requirement & even when it is running. With the use of
PLC & feedback system, we can control the servo motors.
This way high finishing & accuracy of the job can be achieved. Besides, due to its automatic
operation CNC has many other benefits over conventional lathe such as elimination of human
errors, doing complicated operations like contouring, etc. which are not possible in conventional
lathe, reduction in cycle time, etc.

1
CNC RETROFITTING PROCESS

The various steps involved in this process are broadly divided into three stages:
1. Mechanical
2. Electrical/Electronics
3. Job trials