Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 07:28:47 PM

Author Topic: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach  (Read 3596 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline dresda

*
  •  220 220
    • View Profile
Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« on: April 16, 2010, 11:06:55 PM »
My Milltronics still works good but it is a 386. I would like to convert it to Mach3 and was wondering if I should bother.
It uses Glentek motors with pulse coders, Glentek drives. What sort of motion card would it use and what do milltronics use? can I use the same motion board with the new computer and mach? Would I have to use the DSPMC unit I have from Vital Systems. I guess the Glentek motors are DC brush + - 10v analog, don't know much about Pc motion.
Any recommendations for touch screen monitor?

Thanks.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2010, 02:32:08 AM »
Do you have the model number of the Glentek drives? How does the controller connect to the computer at the moment?

Hood

Offline dresda

*
  •  220 220
    • View Profile
Re: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2010, 01:36:16 PM »
Hi Hood, The Milltronics is not an after thought, it's just like a Hurco. Milltronics said they can upgrade me to a Pentium for $1500.
I will find out the model of motor.
Thanks.

Offline dresda

*
  •  220 220
    • View Profile
Re: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2010, 05:46:02 PM »
OK, I was wrong. The motors are not Glentek they are Milltronics brushed DC servo made in London and identical to my SEM motors, both have pulse coders.
The drives are Glentek GA3703.
The motion boards or whatever are full size boards and are mounted the the 386SX or DX motherboard, they have the tach, Arm, analog inputs.
Are these boards just 1994 versions of the DSPMC and would they compatible to plug into a new computer, knowing my luck, not.
I have been around Fanuc for years and can't get my head around these motion boards, but I am not giving up.
I had no success with the DSPMC and the Fanuc AC drives and motors, that PID tuning is nuts, I am waiting to get my 3 in 1 Fanuc AC drive unit back, they say it's all smoke and mirrors, mine was just smoke and a little fire.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2010, 05:46:48 PM »
Looks like the drives you have are analogue input only drives. If that is the case then you have two options, one is to get new drives and the other is to use a controller that accepts the Step/Dir signals from Mach and outputs the +/- 10v to the drives. The DSPMC is such a controller so as you already have a one it would be best to use it :-)

Hood

Offline dresda

*
  •  220 220
    • View Profile
Re: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2010, 06:50:07 PM »
Wouldn't the 3 boards on the 386 motherboard be the same as the DSpmc? That's a PC 386 from 1992 running analog +- 10v.
What I'm trying to get my head around is, how can I use the old boards from the 386 and adapt the to a pentium4.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Milltronics with 386DX to Mach
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2010, 06:53:03 PM »
The three boards could well be doing the same thing but you will likely need to write a plugin if you want to use them with Mach, much better to use the DSPMC I would have thought. Never used the DSPMC myself but all reports I have seen seem to be favourable.

Hood