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Author Topic: Interfacing to Ah-ha control  (Read 7183 times)

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Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« on: January 22, 2011, 01:35:45 PM »
I have a mill set up with Ah-ha iron. The motherboard in the computer died and mobos with ISA slots are hard to find (read extinct).  So, I would like to keep using the motor driver box but with Mach3 and an interface card that will fit in a PCI (or PCI-e or X) slot.
Any guidance will be appreciated!

Offline Hood

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Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2011, 02:12:30 PM »
Not possible to do that I am afraid, if you can find the pinouts and your drives can accept Step and Direction signals then you could wire up to the parallel port and run from there.
Hood

Offline BR549

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Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2011, 04:19:45 PM »
New MOBOs with ISA are still available.

(;-) TP
Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2011, 05:28:26 PM »
Where and at what price?  I have seen some but they were pretty pricey.
I do have the pinout/signals for the Ah-ha IFB (step, direction, +/- limits and aux I/O).

Offline Hood

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Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2011, 05:34:48 PM »
Should be straightforward enough then, I would get a breakout board as it makes connections easier and will afford some protection to the parallel port if you wire something wrong.

Hood

Oh I preume the Step/Dir signals are 5v? I have seen some servo drives that require 12 or 15v Step/Dir signals.

Offline DaOne

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Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2011, 10:48:26 PM »
Even if they aren't 5 volt.. that can be solved with a simple opto-isolator. I would recommend using them anyways.
Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2011, 10:56:59 PM »
I have a router at work that uses Ah-Ha controls, I have always wanted to convert it to Mach control.
I believe the isa card is a dio card and I think they made pci versions as well.
I have some docs on the Ah-Ha system at work and will share them with you, I will also look
for a spare ISA mobo. I have a lot of machines that need these so I have eveyrone at work
bring me their old computers.
Monday is a "layoff day" for me so I will post here tuesday on what I have.
Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2011, 09:11:17 PM »
Richard - Thanks, I look forward to what ever docs you might have.  I have the Ah-ha user manual V3.1, but nothing beyond that.  It gives the pinouts of the IFB and the Aux DB25.
Standing by...
Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2011, 03:12:00 PM »
Hi,

I have helped a few customers interface our controls to the old Ah-ha drive boxes.  All you need to do is make a crossover cable from their (I think DB37) to a DB25.  I just did it with 2 connectors and soldered wires in between.  Attached is a simple doc that I made a few years ago when I set one up.  There are 2 pins that need to be jumper-ed for enable, and they are not on this doc so you will need to look them up.  Or you could just make a cable and connect the DB37 to a BOB.

Andrew

PS. I just realized the PDF only shows the connections I made to the PPort.  So it really doesn't help you.  But I do know it can be done, I just don't have a document on it any more.  From what I remember all the IO is 5V and it uses standard Step and Dir.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2011, 03:16:00 PM by are1987 »
Andrew
MachMotion
Re: Interfacing to Ah-ha control
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2011, 04:31:39 PM »
are1987 - I hate to appear thick, but what is "our controls"?  Do you mean the Mach software or is there a specific breakout board?  I think I understand what you mean, that is, use the PP and rewire to the Ah-ha 37 pin Dsub and use Mach as the driving software.  Am I close?

JR