Site Planning and Prep

This section covers required site preparations prior to placing PCNC mill in service.

General Site Requirements

The area should be well lit, dry, have proper ventilation, provide for unobstructed machine motion/operation, and ensure unrestricted access to PCNC mill controls.

Space Requirements

Minimum floor space requirements are as follows:

NOTE: Allocate additional space to allow access to rear of mill for maintenance or repairs.

Electrical Requirements

WARNING! Electrical Shock Hazard: Electrical connections must be performed by a certified electrician. Failure to do so may result in injury or death.

Grounding

All power inputs to PCNC mills must be properly grounded. Check continuity between bare metal on mill frame and true earth ground (water pipe or similar) to ensure proper grounding.

Plug Pattern

The PCNC 1100 is shipped with a 3-wire conductor; no electrical plug is included. There are several different NEMA (National Electric Manufacturers Association) and non-NEMA plug patterns that can be used. The PCNC 770 is shipped with a 5-20P plug. This plug is designed to be used with a 5-20R receptacle.

Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) Use

Primary power for PCNC mills should not be protected by a ground fault interrupter (GFI), as this interferes with the proper operation of the PCNC mill’s Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) spindle controller. A ground fault interrupter (GFI) is recommended for the secondary power supply to the PCNC 1100; PCNC 770 does not have a secondary power supply.

Electrical Noise

Both primary and secondary power should be provided by dedicated circuits. At the minimum, circuits should be isolated from electrically-noisy devices. In particular, high-inductive loads from vacuum cleaners, air compressors, etc., can be troublesome and the source of controller malfunction.

At sites where this is not possible, a dual-conversion power supply should be considered for 115 VAC circuits.

Options for Electrically Non-conforming Sites

The following options can be considered for sites that do not conform to the electrical requirements detailed in this section. Consult with an electrician to determine suitability for the specific site.

Buck-Boost Transformer

While the PCNC 1100 will run on line voltages between 200-250 VAC, best performance is achieved with a minimum of 230 VAC. A Buck-Boost Transformer (PN 32554) is recommended for minor adjustments of stable line voltages below 230 VAC to ensure no reduction in spindle performance.

Step-up/Step-down Transformer

If needed, a Step-Up/Step-Down Transformer (PN 32009) can be used to reduce 230 VAC line voltage to 115 VAC, as required by the PCNC 770. This device is commonly used for PCNC 770 mills located outside of the USA and Canada.

Quick 220™ Voltage Converter Power Supply

A Quick 220™ voltage converter can be used to convert voltages from two out-of-phase 115 VAC circuits to a single 230 VAC output. This option may be of interest to PCNC 1100 owners with sites that do not allow for 230 VAC service (PN 33972).

Looking for more information?

This is a section of the PCNC 1100 operator's manual. To view the whole manual, go to Tormach document UM10349.

If you have additional questions, we can help. Create a support ticket with Tormach Technical Support at tormach.com/how-to-submit-a-support-ticket for guidance on how to proceed.