Summary
Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, an industrial power transformer manufacturer, retrofitted their AutoRout CNCPD-C217 router with a MachMotion control to keep the machine in reliable production after its original control became difficult to support.
• Installation Type: Self Install
Pennsylvania Transformer is a US-owned transformer company with a rich heritage that dates back to the 1920’s. All of their efforts are focused on designing and building one thing – transformers. From their two Pennsylvania based facilities, PTTI manufactures transformers rated from 5MVA to 500MVA and 345kV. They also provide services to help their customers get longer life and more capability out of their transformers through load studies, cooling enhancement and condition appraisal.
Pennsylvania Transformer has a sturdy AutoRout CNCPD-C217 router in their manufacturing facility for making non-conductive wooden components. While the machine is mechanically reliable, the Aerotech controller was not. In the summer of 2020, Pennsylvania Transformer contacted MachMotion to see what their options were to utilize this machine as a reliable part of their production process. A MachMotion sales engineer walked PTTI through the process of a control upgrade. Then, the MachMotion engineering team designed a complete kit for their machine including new HMI interface, pre-wired electrical enclosure and new Yaskawa servos for all axes of the machine.
With motor and electrical information in hand, MachMotion began work building the CNC kit. After assembly and testing of the new control system for this machine, MachMotion shipped the components to Pennsylvania Transformer. With the help of MachMotion’s included tech support, PTTI successfully removed the old CNC hardware, installed the new kit and completely calibrated and configured the new machine control . With email, phone and remote login support to the control, the MachMotion optimized support process ended in a successful install of the kit and a production ready machine.
Here’s a picture of the machine before and after the MachMotion control upgrade.
Pennsylvania Transformer is the hero in this story. They had a CNC Router with a broken control. Rather than scrapping the machine, they had the vision to restore the machine and give it a second life. For less cost than buying new router, PTTI made sure that production never stops on their machine.
Next Step
Tell us what you're running and what's failing. We'll give you a straight answer: retrofit, repair, or replace, before any money changes hands.
