Deckel NC Milling Machine Web Site

A new page:

I have added a new page on which I am happy to host the project reports by Wessley from the UK, who is tackling the conversion of a pristine FP4ATC to a Heidenhain control.

Wessley will provide updates as the work progresses and so it is worthwhile to check up on him at least every few weeks.  No pressure Wessley!

See his exploits here:  Wessley's Project

As I am only hosting him on my site, please do not e-mail me with in this regard (except when important), but use either the guestbook or the technical forum for comments, whichever is more appropriate.

Site re-shuffling:

As the software to modify this site is extremely agitating and buggy, I had to re-shuffle some parts of the lay-out. I hope it works, but can not be sure. It appears the sidebar is still unreliable at times and so it is better to rely on the main index, which has been merged with the home page.

I have added some more scans to the FP CC series section: http://www.dialog5.com/fpccseries.htm

I have also added some more items in the documentation section.

I am in need of sales or technical literature for the last generation FP NC machine with Dialog 11 (FP2NC, FP3NC, FP4NC) from approx. 1987 to 1993. I hope someone can help me close that gap.

Site issues:

The web site has some technical issues. Sometimes the side bar will not come up, pages that are deleted are linked where they should not be, the guestbook has entries not visible to my browser, people can see pages that should be invisible.

I blame my site host. "Webs" seems terminally incapable to create a stable system before they change everything and force people to migrate into a new even more unstable format, whereby the migration looses data or creates gost copies of pages, which then pop up later for no reason, long after they are obsolete. I can no longer recommend them.

Anyway I have tried to fix stuff, but there are surely some issues left.

Forum:

I have established a Forum page so that people can talk to each other and answers remain visible.

The Forum is here: Forum

Note that I have transfered some stuff from the guestbook to the Forum site. I encourage participation.

Kattenes

An FP4NC found its way to me, and since it has no table it probably makes more sense to part it out then to sell it whole.

I have set up a separate page to document the parts available and where I will post pictures.

See this page here: http://www.dialog5.com/partingoutanfp4nc.htm

I have gotten a whole batch of material on loan for the subjects of tool changers, CADCAM, Deckel Training System and FP CC machines. I need to scan stuff in, but will have to be selective.

FP CC series: I will start a new page dedicated to this series. It should not be confused with the FP NC series, eventhough there is some overlap.

FP A machines: I got two nice sales brochures for these in. These include some info on the Heidenhain 355 and the Contour 3.

Tool Changer: I purchased a complete toolchanger from an FP4TC. I am not sure I can make it work on an FP3NC, but I have no FP4NC. In any case it was very cheap and is educational and I will provide pictures. I am looking for the orange book infos on the tool changer.

CADCAM and DTS: The CADCAM stuff keeps getting more complecated. Deckel had so much stuff out there for such short periods of time, that it is like a very complex jigsaw puzzle. I will document, but can not yet claim full comprehension.

One of the more odd Deckel accessories is the 3-spindle-head, which was available first for the FP4NC and then later also for the FP3NC.

I could not resist snatching one up as the opportunity arose, but I have to admit its more for collection purposes than practicatity.

The 3-spindle-head is driven by the horizontal machine spindle and seems to have a slighty increased gear ratio, which gives it a top RPM of 5000.

Each spindle has its own short quill of 20 mm travel. This is necessary to equalize the tools. Tool clamping is achieved by 3 individual switching tool releases on the earlier model, and a 3-way valve activated through the standard tool change switch on the later model.

The head is VERY large and heavy, weighing in at 170kg.

I have added a separate chapter for the Deckel Digitizing System.

This chapter will grow in the future, as I have not yet taken all pictures or scanned all the cool manuals and brochures.

I will try to get the system running in the medium term future and would like to hear from other Digitizer owners.

I am also still looking for the optional digitizer remote control pendent.

See the site directory for the link.

Kattenes