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Author Topic: Hardinge HNC lathe conversion  (Read 3595 times)

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Hardinge HNC lathe conversion
« on: March 15, 2009, 09:36:38 PM »
I have been running the CNC lathes and mills in my shop for many years now using Flashcut and Turbocnc V4.01. I am currently trying out Mach3 turn on our HNC lathe and need advice on how to map more than the 6 outputs currently visible on the diagnostics panel. I need the following outputs:  M03 1 output,  M04 1 output,  M07 1 output,  M22 1 output,  M21 1 output, Vertical slide 1 output,  Turret index solenoid 1 output, Turret stop solenoid 1 output.
I know how to write the VB script for activating and deactivating the outputs. This works very well for the 6 outputs that are listed, but how do you map the remaining outputs? How would you write the VB script for output 8  ActivateSignal(output8) and how would you assign a port and pin number to it since the ports and pins dialogue only goes to 6 outputs? Also can you use the enable lines as outputs to control solenoids etc instead of their normal function?

Offline Chip

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Re: Hardinge HNC lathe conversion
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2009, 01:13:35 AM »
Hi, Helitool

There are more output's (20) total, I think and if you run out of pin's you could add a 2nd printer port (port 2) or Smooth-Stepper.

You can Add the Led's to Diagnostic screen with screen4 (screen) Editor.

Chip
Re: Hardinge HNC lathe conversion
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2009, 07:30:58 AM »
Thanks for the answer! The problem was that I had not yet installed the second printer card! After I installed it today the remainder of the 20 output ports magically appeared in the output dialogue. Whenever someone can't seem to find all of the 20 outputs the first thing to ask them is "did you install the second card and its software driver yet?"  :D  At this point everything works except that the VB editor has caused Machturn to crash several times when I was writing the Mcodes. And I still haven't gotten the second printer ports pins to light up yet, maybe tomorrow. If anyone is converting an HNC or an CHNC they can email me at rsuiter@helitool.com for help as I have been running a couple that I converted a few years ago. It's really a simple conversion to do.

Offline Hood

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Re: Hardinge HNC lathe conversion
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2009, 07:58:25 AM »
You dont need to install a second port for the OutPuts to show, possibly you didnt scroll down enough as they are seperated in the list from the first six by the Chargepumps etc.
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As for doing the Hardinge, there are quite a few that have done them (not sure if same models), you will see info on some in the Show and Tell section of the forum. Would be good if you did your own thread regarding this as the more info the better :)
Hood