Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi fellas!! Well, I just went to fire up my machine to get a few items out the door for some customers only to find that my license agreement had expired. I never even knew I had a license agreement!! I emailed Precix and they say that they will get me a permanent number on Monday but it has got me thinking again about using a different controller. Precix has been great in that this was a used machine I bought through government auction and Precix has been helpful in getting the information off to me. But it requires that I get a hold of them directly every time there is an issue. What if one day they are no longer around? So, any ideas what would be involved in switching to MACH or something along those lines? The machine is pictured below. The other issue I have is that I need to download files onto floppies to get the machine to work, I would rather be able to load the files onto the machine directly off the computer!

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Thanks

Shane

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Canada

A new controller and Mach III would work.

What happens if you adjust the date on your computer back a week or so? Will that get around renewing the license for the weekend at least?

I tried to redate but apparently when ever there there is hick-up in the system it dumps the operating code and a new one is needed. So it is a licensing thing I guess but a system thing. I got a responce from Precix but like I said......what if they are no longer around!

What is involved in a new controller and software (generally)?

Shane

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Canada

Shane,
Most likely you can change to a different controller. I have seen some that are proprietory though. What model is your Precix? It looks like the signmaker? Is it using Steppers or servos? What type of connector is used from the controller to the machine. These can give a clue as to the type of communication formats used. By using floppies for data transfer do you mean that you load the Gcode to the controller with floppies, and then run the code or does it run the code from the floppy? If the latter is true then it may be harder to convert as this may require a type of Terminal connection using zmodem or xmoden or someother terminal emulation. Older machines that used tape drives and floppies usually have some similar setup and have to be drip fed the code so to speak using a serial connection. These types usually are not supported by Mach3 or EMC2 as they use parallel ports vs com ports and require more pinouts.

I'm not trying to shoot you in the foot, just want more info as this might be very easy or not.

edited to add: Okay I just read the controller specs on there website. They use serial or ethernet communications. This could be a drawback. Not sure without more study?


More study, I have found that some of the Precix use a knock off of the Automated Direct servos 750watt as well as a smooth stepper breakout board. The Servos would be fine but MAch3 does have issues with the smooth stepper board at this current time. I'm not sure about EMC2 and the SS boards?
Mike

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I'm outside looking in, just farther from the window than most.

Mike,

Thanks a lot for researching that stuff for me. I am very low tone when it comes computer things!! This machine is a step above their sign maker model in that it does have servos and Perske spindle. Anyway, the boys were around and sent me a new code but told me to be sure that the BIOS and QNX times were correct. The BIOS time was back in 1997 so I adjusted that and everything just went back to work!! I didn't even have to enter the new code. Still, I would like to explore being able to load larger files. I can serial (I think) into the controller with a crossover cable but I need to map everytime I want to do that and that is a pain in a dusty environment. So I am still considering other options for down the road. But at the moment I am back up and running!

Thanks again

Shane

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Canada

not that I know squat about CNC, but you saying the BIOS date was 1997 makes me think the CMOS battery is gone and the machine got unplugged so all settings were lost because of the dead battery...