HI ALL
I start the post to find/share info with experimented user who have already retrofitted Machines with Analog servo-drives.
I intend to retrofit my CNC Bulleri FPM 2813-Osai controll with CSMIO-IP-A Motion Controll under Mach 3
Reasons:
1-to old and expensive controller (the CNC was dead and cost a lot the replacement), to be free from dedicated systems slavery .....(you know what I mean....) 

To bring the machine on year 2015 I intend to use following:
1-Mach 3
2-CSMIO-IP-A Motion Controll
3-My PC with 2 operation system; one for design and the other one for operator- splitted on 2 SSD OCZ systems,
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2120 CPU @ 3.30GHz  base score on win 7-64 Bit 7.1
Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB base score on win 7-64 Bit 7.5
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 base score on win 7-64 Bit 7.6
Gaming graphics 4095 MB base score on win 7-64 Bit 7.6
Total available graphics memory 7.6
Ssd 64 GB + Ssd112GB Total) base score on win 7-64 Bit 7.9

machine is featured with:
big vacuum table 2600x1300 mm ; splitted on 2 zones; multi drill heads on separate spindle 7 vertical and 2 orizontal X,Y drills...(I have already headicks on Brain - controlls  )
4 servo analogue drives for main Axis XYZ + ATM automated tool changer (8 tools here will be also a lot of tears by Brain design  )
I try to attach some pics but it seems I'm to fresh here , or I made some mistakes on upload....

Looks like a nice machine
Is the toolchange just a wine rack type setup or is it some other design?
I think maybe a macropump would be better than a brain for it but I suppose it depends how much you know about VB script.

Hood

VB=oemLED (0)-
Tool changer is 8 item distributed to C drive who is (was) command on RS 232.
Got a lot of headick on VB script learning....More I read, more know that "I don't know nothing...."
I will need some help for it....
new pics
I made one bench for Input signals (24V)

cnc large ...pics
I read all your posts Hood ; it seems you are the best on CSMIO-IP-A retrofit.....
regards folks

I am not the best at VB, in fact I am probably one of the worst
 I muddle through and usually find a way to make things work but the script is far from elegant but at least it seems to work

Can you explain the sequence of your tool changer a bit more. What I/O does it require? Is it a servo motor controlling it?

Looks like a nice computer, bit of overkill for a CNC controller though

I would keep that computer for my designing (CAD/CAM ) and just build a simple one for the CNC control.

Is that a Corsaid case? Just got myself a Corsair Air540 for my home computer, it is a superb case

Hood

I am not the best at VB, in fact I am probably one of the worst
 I muddle through and usually find a way to make things work but the script is far from elegant but at least it seems to work

Can you explain the sequence of your tool changer a bit more. What I/O does it require? Is it a servo motor controlling it?

Looks like a nice computer, bit of overkill for a CNC controller though

I would keep that computer for my designing (CAD/CAM ) and just build a simple one for the CNC control.

Is that a Corsaid case? Just got myself a Corsair Air540 for my home computer, it is a superb case

Hood

1-Regarding the tool changer:
It's servo motor lead by separate drive .On to the old machine the communication was by RS232 and not as auxiliary axis, it seems that on Mach this must to work as one 4-th Axis I assume...
The computer case is one cheap NOX.It'S modded by me (I own one small modding store - sleeve-modding.com)
Your Design PC looks really good, it seems you like to mode too.
I prepare one Obsidian case 800D for my home App, when will be finish I will post some pics on it...

If it is a servo which I presume the drive can accept +/- 10v command, then it will be relatively simple to write the macro.
You would indeed just use an axis to control it and all that would be required is to home on initial start of Mach so that the position is known.

I have just got back into modding the PC after a lot of years. I used to have fun overclocking. Got a fright the last day when I found my old website files and realised that it was from 15 years ago and looking at things like graphics cards of 124MHz that were fairly decent at the time 
 At that time I had a vapochil with a XP2500+ (1800MHz ) CPU overclocked to 2729MHz.
 Now I am not bothered about overclocking, I just wanted a nice quiet PC

I wish I had known about your site, I ordered some sleeving and connector housings from a UK supplier and I am still waiting, a week later, for delivery.

Look forward to seeing the finished machine and also pics of the home computer.
Hood

Pff for those times the modd it was a HIT.

Based on my OLD inputs:
-home axis x
-home axis y
-home axis z
-vacuum table 1 (pressure gauge 1)
-vacuum table 2 (pressure gauge 2)
-vacuum pump acces
-acces mill 1 (assume is the main spindle)
-acces mill 2 (assume is the drill spindle)
-cone-holder OPEN
-cone holder CLOSE
-thermic inverter
-drill group DOWN
-drill group UP
-dust colector UP
-Inverter OK
-frequency reached
-drive axis C (ATM axis) OK
-pressure reached on the main spindle
-OK Z
-axis overreached (axis limits switches)
-emergency on main panel (emergency switch on the panel)
-machine emergency (chain with pushButtonsMushroom 3, line pressure,lock of main door)
-vacuum termic breaker
-drill unit thermic breaker
-motor stop
-external start
-external stop
-vacuum switch 1
-vacuum switch 2
-inverter frequency level
Outputs :
- 9 outputs for drill heads 1,2,3-----9 (activation of the drill heads I assume they need M codes and VB Macro)
-ascension of 4 guides (0-ing hardware fixtures on each corner of table) depending on each side of table you work - need M codes
-axis C (ATM) enable
-up down dust cover
-drill head UP
-drill head DOWN
-OPEN/CLOSE Tool holder clamp
-vacuum side 1 of table
-vacuum side 2 of the table
-enbla axis X,Y,Z
-enable inverter

what do you think ?
shall I use brains
or shall I use VB macro's ?
or both ?

another problem that I found is:
if I use VB macro with setinbit/reset outbit commands (for csmio) I must not assign port and pin on Match3 set-up.If I do this it seems that they conflicts together....
where can I find some simple VB macro's to corelate Input & Outputs ? simple example will be for me very usefull as I'm nob on this matter.
thank you in advance Hood
it seems on this area (csmio') you are the lonely pro'  

Hi,

don't want to stumble into your your converstion wit Hood.
i have also two csmio machines and i have written many macros for it.

i think that is a VB script project.

some of it will go into macropump.
some of it into M6 and a couple of  it into other macro's.

don't be affraid of VB step by some of us will get you through
this project i think.

first of all is to get all the wiring done, check all in- outputs
and then start one after another.

first to get the axis running, then the spindle then the rest.


your machine is a very interesting machine.

i am "on board" to help you.
we will see who else is comming up.

excuse my bad bavarin english.

Thomas