old machine Pinout for Mach3

[finelinemachine]

I am helping with a non-profit organization working on starting a Maker Station in Fort Wayne, IN. we were given an old retrofitted 3 axis CNC Mill which had "JeDi Cam" as the control software. the machine worked fine with the old DOS based control, but we would like to update to Mach3 if possible. I thought it would be an easy switch to Mach3, but after 12+ hours none of the steppers are moving.

this is all i know about the machine and controls:

it has a DB25 connector going in - the only pins i know for sure are Pins 18-25 go to "ground". (I have tracked most of the other pins to their respective PIC16C54-HS/P chips on the board, but not sure what is going on in the chip)

The circuit boards are labeled "J&S Products P/N 0373A"

the steppers are Eastern Air Devices Stepping Motors 3.1Volt, 2Ph, 5.0A, 1.8Deg, Model LA34CKK-2J, Date Code: 9435

I have reformatted the Dell desktop and only have Windows XP, Mach 3, MachScreen, and Adobe Reader Loaded

I have triple checked the Com port for Mach3, and have tried countless combinations of Pin #'s for the step and direction. without knowing the original pin designation, is there anyway to narrow down in mach3 what the set-up needs to be to make this machine work without buying a new stepper control box?

[ger21]

I have triple checked the Com port for Mach3

MAch3 uses the LPT port, not the COM port.

You might want to watch the tutorial videos.
http://www.machsupport.com/videos/

[BR549]

The Jedi Cam was probably a serial controlled motion board setup. Mach3 will NOT interface to it as Mach uses the LPT port to communicate directly to the Drives.

IF it is not too late you may want to put it back as a JediCam unit.

If it is to late then you will have to remove the control board and wire MaCH3 From the LPT port to the existing drives IF they are step/direction drives. IF the machine had servos and they were analog control then you are in for a much longer ordeal to convert the machine.

Hope that helps, (;-) TP

[finelinemachine]

Sorry (I am a machinist not so good at computer terms),

we are using the 25 pin LPT port #378

we do still have JeDi Cam available, the group (TekVenture.org) already has a CNC router running Mach3 and it would be nice to have the same program on the mill since there will be volunteers running the show and it will be easier for them to learn and teach one program.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! for all your guidance already

[BR549]

Do you have any info on the Jedi system? If so perhaps we could help with the interfacing to the system.

(;-) TP

[finelinemachine]

we do have the operator's manual, but nothing on the pinouts.

[BR549]

As I mentioned before I believe the Jedi SYSTEM used a serial (25 pin as well Db25) port to control the card in the machine NOT an lpt port. SO that means that MACH3 cannot control it directly.

You may stilll be able to make it all work BUT you will have to rewire the machine to accept Mach3 signals from the LPT port. You have to rewire around the control baord and wire directly to the DRIVES themselves.

Does the user manual tell IF the machine is a stepper drive or servo drive?

(;-) TP