Hurco site nothing else but only Hurco only right?

Hope this takes off.

All Hurco owners, please raise your hand.

do i hear crickets in here

I have a VM1 and it runs without any problems. Takes programs from Gibbs and Bobcad.

mc_n_g

I don't own a hurco but I work on a Hurco BMC30 and have 24hr access to it to do whatever I want.

I don't own a Hurco myself but we have 2 VM1 at the work place. We just got the second one in a week ago.

Ken W

I have a VM2 we bought it brand new. So far so good. Hey if anybody needs a simple loop program to run multiple parts. I am using the basic nc package and have one I have been using. Work well, it uses G54,-G59. Reply to this with your email and I will get it to you.

I have a Hurco kmb-1 that I bought last fall. I work as a machinist and I also have my own shop at home. I usually make custom parts for pulling tractors. I actually bought this mill to make custom rockers arms and other small tractor parts. Since buying the mill, I have gotten a job that requires me to drill three 17/32 holes in each part. I am using this mill to drill 600 of these parts per month. My wife or one of my kids usually runs this mill. My son is 10 and my daughter is 9 and they do an excellent job running the mill.

All Hurco owners, please raise your hand.

Okay.. I'm raising my hand. I am aquiring a fully functioning Hurco KM-1 in the next few weeks. I know that *some* upgrades have been done to it, but I don't know what they are yet.

However, it's fully functioning and the seller is being extremely fair to me, so I'm not going to turn it down. It will be my first cnc machine.

I think I may have a bit of a learning curve ahead of me. :cool:

Michael

Radius: Make sure you get the option disk, parameter disk and any of the manuals in the back. You might want to get a parameter back up before it is turned off and unplugged. Always a good idea. As far as what options it has. You can call Hurco technical support and let them know the serial number of the machine. And they can tell you the options it has or at least what it was sold with. Or if the machine is still under power you can turn it on press the Auxilliary button on the front pannel, Then press the System config button (F4), and then the Display Machine Specifications (F4). This should list the options on it now. Hey I do Hurco training and have my own manuals I have made for training. They are very lead you through by your nose. I use to be a Senior Applications Engineer for Hurco several years ago. You can reach me the quickes here or at gsilberberg@progressive-plastics.net Let me know what I can do to help you. I also do ball bar testing and programing on the side. Let me know what I can do for you. Oh I also have a VM2 in my shop. Just remember it's all fun and games till someone looses an eye.

Radius: Make sure you get the option disk, parameter disk and any of the manuals in the back. You might want to get a parameter back up before it is turned off and unplugged. Always a good idea. As far as what options it has. You can call Hurco technical support and let them know the serial number of the machine. And they can tell you the options it has or at least what it was sold with. Or if the machine is still under power you can turn it on press the Auxilliary button on the front pannel, Then press the System config button (F4), and then the Display Machine Specifications (F4). This should list the options on it now. Hey I do Hurco training and have my own manuals I have made for training. They are very lead you through by your nose. I use to be a Senior Applications Engineer for Hurco several years ago. You can reach me the quickes here or at gsilberberg@progressive-plastics.net Let me know what I can do to help you. I also do ball bar testing and programing on the side. Let me know what I can do for you. Oh I also have a VM2 in my shop. Just remember it's all fun and games till someone looses an eye.

I'm not sure how to do any of that. I'll try and find out when I pick it up in a couple of weeks.

I do know that it has a tape drive eliminator device that allows you to load the master program from a PC via a serial port. Also I seem to remember that it's been upgraded with a 64K memory board. I have a feeling that came from cmcsystems, but I'm not sure.

I should have all the manuals tonight so I can start doing some reading. :)

Michael

Okay..

I have a little more information about this machine I'm aquiring.

It has a 64KB memory board upgrade, a tape drive eliminator from cmcsystems.com and I think it also has a Westamp servo control board.

After I'm finished doing my part of the trade and get my hands on the machine, I'll be able to really dig in and see what's what.

I do have the factory manual for the machine though, so I'll be reading through that for a few nights. :)

Michael

Since we got the DXF installed on the Hurco, I'm having fun doing those DXF files and run them. Not so far on it but learning as I go. Also got the laptop WinMax but I find that one kinda not up to what it can do on the machine easy, always different than I can get off the machine. Doing DXF on the machine it is always ready to run, on the laptop it always stops me as it gives me the wrong arcs. Wondered about that so I did the DXF on the machine as I did on the laptop it works right... do u get that trouble or is it my laptop part not working right?

Since we got the DXF installed on the Hurco, I'm having fun doing those DXF files and run them. Not so far on it but learning as I go. Also got the laptop WinMax but I find that one kinda not up to what it can do on the machine easy, always different than I can get off the machine. Doing DXF on the machine it is always ready to run, on the laptop it always stops me as it gives me the wrong arcs. Wondered about that so I did the DXF on the machine as I did on the laptop it works right... do u get that trouble or is it my laptop part not working right?

Is this some kind of retrofit? I'm curious as to what you have there..

On a related note, I feel like a proud papa. I just unloaded the KM-1 off the trailer and it's sitting in my garage. I have a long way to go before I get it all hooked up and running again. Gotta borrow a forklift since rearranging the garage will involve moving my lathe, etc.

Oh yeah.. And I think I'm going to have to cut out some of the drywall in the garage ceiling. The Hurco stands 97" tall with the cover over the head and the ceiling is 96" :o

Michael

I have a training manual that I made and used to train several customers. I made the manual myself and was able to give it to customers and it is not needed to have an instructor. Screen dumps and button by button moves. All commands are underlined and bold. My past experience, I was once a Senior Application Engineer for Hurco. Let me know if you are interested in the manual. I could send you a page so you would know what it looks like. It is has a copy write protect on it. I have been selling the intro manuals for $40.00. I have an advance manual that includes the intro for $70.00. Send me an email and I will shoot you a screen shot of the manual. I do not have a set up for taking money. A guy I work with has a pay pal set up we could use. My email is gsilberberg@progressive-plastics.net have fun.

We just took delivery on a vmx42 and damn is that thing fast. We just got rid of a 40 and have 2 30's and it blows them out of the water.

I Have Km3p Knee Mill I Pc Retrofitted With Mach3 ,touchscreen Etc,on Jobs I Have Ran About 6 Diffrent Models Over 10 Years,will Try To Help

I'm brand-new to the milling/CNC field and have looked at a couple of Hurco Hawk 5D's. A '94 model is on E-bay for a $12,500 "Buy It Now" price, and a local machinery dealer has two 6-to-8 year old units that he's asking about $18K for (each).

It's too early for me to make a decision, but never too early to do the research.

Regards.

Work at a machine shop that has 13 CNC Mills, 5 CNC lathes, and other manual machines.

Of the CNC 13 mills, 9 of them are Hurco:

BMC/HT 30/M
BMC 30/M
VSX 24
VMX 30 - 2 Mills
VMX 42 - 2 Mills
VMX 64 - Machine weight 32,000 pounds
HTX500 - Horizontal Mill

I would be intrested in how you did the mach 3 conversion, I have a km3p, that i would like to convert, thank You... gachezem@comcast.net

Do you know how to program to use more than the alotted (6) work offsets for production milling using a muli-sided tombstone? We are tying to machine 4 parts per side 2 of top and 2 of bottom on each of the 4 sides of the tombstone. We would like to control the offsets at the machine using G55-G59 but we really need (16) G5?s. Have you heard of anyone using G53s in this instance with any success?

Do you know how to program to use more than the alotted (6) work offsets for production milling using a muli-sided tombstone? We are tying to machine 4 parts per side 2 of top and 2 of bottom on each of the 4 sides of the tombstone. We would like to control the offsets at the machine using G55-G59 but we really need (16) G5?s. Have you heard of anyone using G53s in this instance with any success?

I have been doing set-up and programing on a Hurco Horizontal Mill with the Ultimax 4 controller for the past 6 months. I have not had a set-up yet that has needed to use many work offset like you may be running into. Don't know much about G53's but I do know you can create a new part offset by using a G10 command.

G10: offset setting command
G90: Absolute Value
G91: Incermental Value
L2: Work offset setting (G54-G59)
P1 = G54
P2 = G55
P3 = G56
P4 = G57
P5 = G58
P6 = G59
X, Y, Z, B = new values

Example:

G10 G90 L2 P1 X0. Y0. Z0. B0.

This block of code sets the G54 offset to X0. Y0. Z0. B0.

It is important to note that different CNC controlers use different L and P letters to set the values

I think what Chipload is useing requires your machine to have macro B programing capabilities. This allows you to write from the program to the machine. Then read variables to reset the work offsets.

Radius:

What you are getting is a is a HURCO Control built on a BRIDGEPORT 2J Frame. Last one was built in 1980. (Serialnumber will tell for sure.)
Good simple control. Not a lot of options were available. The emulator replaced the original tape drive unit. The tape unit was used to load the MASTER PROGRAM (operating system) and was used to save parts programs. The emualtor was a vast improvment.

Radius:

What you are getting is a is a HURCO Control built on a BRIDGEPORT 2J Frame. Last one was built in 1980. (Serialnumber will tell for sure.)
Good simple control. Not a lot of options were available. The emulator replaced the original tape drive unit. The tape unit was used to load the MASTER PROGRAM (operating system) and was used to save parts programs. The emualtor was a vast improvment.

Hi Frenchman

Yup, that's exactly what it is. Pretty decent machine really, especially considering the vintage.

I've made a few parts with it which has caused me to get more serious about a real VMC. :D

Thanks,
Michael

We got a VM1 in january with Mastercam. very happy so far.

I don't own them, but I do work on them, we have 12 Hurco's ranging from Max 2 KM-5 to Max 3 50's. We have a continuing struggle to keep all of them up at the same time, but when we do, we are running a lot of product out the door

Hi Frenchman

Yup, that's exactly what it is. Pretty decent machine really, especially considering the vintage.

I've made a few parts with it which has caused me to get more serious about a real VMC. :D

Thanks,
Michael

I'm sure you've figured out that there are no parameter etc. disks for this machine. That one guy is, apparently, not familiar with the old Hurco "B" controls. The KM-1 is about the most popular of the old Hurcos and a great garage machine. They're cheap, relatively easy to program, fairly cheap to repair (although that is changing) and it has the power and torque of the Bridgeport head even though you have to manually vary the RPM. I have a lot of info on the old machines as far as troubleshooting problems and such, not a complete reference by far but good info. There are several good websites for these old Hurcos too.

JohnF
Phoenix

I have a Hurco ultimax SSM Things I dont like:-

1. Poor screen visibility. The human eye is most sensitive to green so it must make sense to make it orange!. displayed digits are too small, you'd be ok if you were 7 ft tall with telescopic vision.

2. Sometimes loses datum when using DNC link.

3. Poor start to canned cycles no ramping thats just lazy programming ive written pocket mill macros, its not rocket science.

4. can only look at a conversational programme one line at a time

5. If something goes wrong only Hurco can mend it. and they charge over the top for spares.

6. PC Max software only runs on a pentium 166

The best thing about it is the manuals and the programme interupt.

stu m3, green monitors have been gone for a long time. the ssm console was an economical alternative to the more costly dual screen. customer's choice of consoles. unhook the vga cable to your monitor and hook up color vga monitor and you will have a much larger color display. the video card will sense the color monitor and display color just fine. if you are using the serial port to dnc programs, try using a five wire cts/rts hook-up. i would assume you are using the more common x on/x off protocol. serial communication is very dependent the length of the line and the protocol used. try the cts/rts or a lower baud rate. if you have version 2.12 or higher, you can get the ultinet software option and used true ethernet to download and upload files. the transfer can be done in the background while the machine is running. if you upgrade the software to version 2.33/2.34 or higher, and have ultipockets, you can get helical ramp entry to allow ramping into a pocket instead of just a straight plung. this allows the operator to enter the pocket at any designated point with a helical plung. very user freindly and fast. pcmax will run on most pc's, but beware there will be an issue with most new video cards. there is a workaround for some of the video cards. you need to set up an autoexec.bat file to start pcmax to work with these video cards. contact steve artz at hurco in indianapolis for that info. you can contact him through the hurco website. you will probably get the best results running pcmax in pure dos, win95, win98, or nt4. hurco has for some time now had a replacement for pcmax called winmax desktop. it runs well with winxp. don't know about vista. don't think anyone knows about vista!! you might lsit the machine model you're using. good luck, ron

Ron, Thank you for your comments. I will certainly look into what you have said.
I've never had the time yet to contact hurco. It is not a machine of choice I just inherited it when i bought the buisiness. At the moment the power supply is dead so im not using it at the moment.

Regards Stu