I just picked up a good running Boss5 Bridgeport CNC and want to convert it over to Mach2 control w/Campbell breakout board and Geckos. I want to keep the original power supply and steppers.

Does anyone know what the Bridgeport Boss5 power supply specs are? I am asking because my biggest concern is over amping the Geckos. Has anyone on here done this type of conversion? Is there a way to limit the amperage of the PS to Geckos to prevent smoking them? My other option is to use the Larken drives, (max 16A) but I hear from a friend that they are a bit noisy compared to Geckos.

Thanks in advance,
-Brady

I may be wrong, but I don't think you can 'over amp' the drives. A fuse on each would prevent it anyway. Can you not limit the current output on the gecko?


Keep as much of the original bridgeport power panel as possible, they are really nice. Too bad the controls weren't.

Yeah, that's what I hear...I plan on keeping the power supply and just gutting the control box.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done this, what drivers they used etc. Not really interested in a Centroid or other retrofit package...just driver recommendations.

Thanks!
-Brady

The original setup used the secondaries of a 3 phase transformer to make 3 separate power supplies, one for each axis. There is a another single power supply that chops across a saturatable reator for each axis to limit the current.

For your setup you would disregaurd the single supply and reators. Just guessing the separate supplies will be around 100VDC maybe higher. I used the original drives in my setup.

A word of advise the original steppers do not like microstepping. If your ideal is to get better positioning accuracy than the stock 0.001 for the Series I, or 0.0005 for the Series II you may want to consider DC servos with encoders.

Darek

Nope...not looking to get any better resolution. If it does, great...if not .001 is good enough for the time being.

You didn't say what drivers you were using. If they are putting out 100v+/- then the Geckos are out of the question.

-Brady

The only think I changed was the computer. The K8 plug into XDI board accepts quadrature drive signals. I originally used MaxNC software but have switched to Mach 2.
I use the MaxNC CL option on Mach 2 to get the quadrature signals.

Darek

So you are saying that it is possible to use the BOSS5 XDI board to suck in quadruture signals???!!!!

What model BOSS are you using? Wondering if this is one of those BOSS6+ options or if it is valid for the BOSS5...If so...I need to throw one of those dancing bananas on here! LOL!

-Brady

The XDI board outputs these signals to the drives. Basically in the side cabinet everything below the terminal and fuse strip is removed and replaced with a PC.

Darek

Thanks Darek!

I may pick your brain a bit as time goes on. I just got it last Friday and haven't even powered it up in my shop yet (just finished huge carbon fiber parts order last night at midnight)...Now I can play a bit with the BP.

Thanks!
-Brady

The XDI board outputs these signals to the drives. Basically in the side cabinet everything below the terminal and fuse strip is removed and replaced with a PC.

Darek


So if I understand this correctly, the breakdown would be like this:

Mach2 (setup for MaxNC Waveform data output) -> Campbell breakout board -> X8 connector on XDI board -> SDB -> Motors

Not sure if the Campbell board will work...I definately want the port isolated.

-Brady

Here is a couple of links to the breakout board I built. It is a duplicate of the circuit on the XDI board.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5152
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104&page=4&pp=5

Darek

FYI. The Bridgeport drives have 10 amp fuses for the DC side of the stepper drives. Fuses 12,13, and 14. The current is limited to 8.0 to 8.2 amps by the ACC card using those saturable core reactors. Interesting is that the 8.0 amps has the DC volts down to about 9.5VDC when the motors are stationary. When they are running at max, the current drops to just above 2 amps (unless the motors are tired and weak) and the voltage comes up to about 60 VDC.
The XDI board interfacrs to the UFP board in the control panel and puts out the axis drive pulses through the SMD boards. These signals are isolated by opto couplers on the XDI (ZDI on the BOSS 6).
The BOSS 6 did step in .0005 inches and was available as a series 1 and 2 machine.

George W.

For some reason I can't see the thumbnails or access the pics....I am logged in...will have to try on another machine.

I just got the machine off of the pallet...and down on the ground. When I was out there I took a gander into the control box and power box. Beefy on the power side...Funny on the control side (just laughing at our technology in the 70s :)

Outside of the control box there are 2 8-pin connectors. The one on the left is uncapped and reasonably clean. The one on the right is capped and looks like someone took a dielectric crap on it when you remove the cap. Both appear to connect to the XDI board...which one is THE one? Is there a reference somewhere for the pin-outs on the connector?...or do I have to hack the whole thing apart to trace the wires?

I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to this sort of thing...right now I am just in unchartered territory. I DO appreciate all of the help guys!!!

Thanks!!
-Brady

The only think I changed was the computer. The K8 plug into XDI board accepts quadrature drive signals. I originally used MaxNC software but have switched to Mach 2.
I use the MaxNC CL option on Mach 2 to get the quadrature signals.

Darek

Darek...OK I'm on the same page with you now...I thought that you meant the 8-pin connector OUTSIDE of the control box...I now get that you mean the K8 plug on the ERS board.

Did you have to change any of the dip-switch positions for it to accept the drive signals?

Thanks!
-Brady

Here is a picture of the XDI board. The outlined area is the K8 plug and isolation circuit.

Darek

FYI: Those two connectors are the "local" and "remote" RS232 /20macurrent loop comm ports. Only the local port is available to you. Pins 1,2,3,4 and 5 are for 20MA current loop. Pins 1, 6,7 and 8 are for Rs232. Baud set on ERS with DIP switches.

George W.

Hmmm...So when I am running Mach2 out of the parallel port, what parallel pins correspond to what ERS pins? I am pretty sure that you can jack RS232 into the K6 plug, but I am unsure about a 'local' wiring scheme.

Obviously I'm not the electronics master...Darek, if I understand it correctly, you built your own 'XDI' board and yanked out the original one, correct? Basically, I need to know if I need to build one OR if I can wire directly to the K8 OR I can use a Campbell board & wire to the K8.

I am not very clear on the wiring.

Thanks!
-Brady

Now you got it. I do not use any of the pictured stuff anymore. Mine was missing the computer power supply so I decided to go PC.

Darek

Thanks Darek.

You have mail.

-Brady

Somehow I missed the mail???? How did you send it?

This is the same system in this link. I am running it directly from the printer port, no isolation. It is a 486 PC running DOS so if something were to go wrong and kill the PC no big deal.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4770&page=5

With Mach 2 PC requirements I think isolation would be advisible!

Darek

I sent it through here. I was going to ask you if you wanted to make another breakout board with wiring instructions for a fee...since I can't seem to find all of the info that you have already done elsewhere. I'm not clear on how each pair of X1, X2 quadruture lines wire up from the parallel to the BP board.

Let me know off-list...my e-mail should work through here.

Thanks!
-Brady

Brady,

I will E-mail you some info.

I must add at this time the Bridgeport maintenance manuals for these machines are phenomenal, that is where I got the information. The schematics show every component in the control and there is a basic description of how the circuits operate.

Darek

Thanks Darek!!!

Seems that I have the operating, installation and programming manual...but not the maintainance manual...

-Brady

I have recieved several E&P-mails about this subject. I have since sold this machine and the new owner loves it. This is all the documentation I have and the printer port pin #'s relate to MAXNC deluxe sofware.

Darek

The Larkens make a slight audable noise compared to a Gecko, but it doesn't affect anything. But they are more reliable when driving motors > 6 amps.

WHOA, WHOA. WHOA! Are you guys telling me that all's I gottst'a do is throw away some crap and plug in a pc? I was planning on doing a retro with new drivers but, not steppers. My only goal in doing so is to get longer part files and a better graphical op. interface. Where can I get all of the info for this? I'm no electronics whiz, but I can read a diagram and am pretty handy with the DC. My BOSS5 runs great but lacks the modern convenience I desire. Thanks in advance!-Dave

HEY HILLBILLY! whatever you send the braidmiester, could you copy me on it as well? I would gladly pay you tuesday for some conversion info today.

There are two connections on the XDI board K8 and K5 that are concerned. The K8 connector goes to the drives and is fed A/B phase drive signals. Mach 3 set to MaxNC CL setting will produce phase drive signals. The K5 connection is for the input signals. I have the K8 pinout I will try to find the K5 pinout and post both.

Darek

MrHorsepower
There is a bit of info on doing this on here http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14835 It might help you a bit.

Need to mine at some point too.

Cheers

Chris

XDI - K8 signals
1 - XSM1Y - x axis
2 - XSM2Y - x axis
3 - YSM1Y - y axis
4 - YSM2Y - y axis
5 - ZSM1Y - z axis
6 - ZSM1Y - z axis
7 - 24Vrtn
8 - 24Vrtn
9 - 24Vrtn
10 - 24Vrtn

To jog in the + X direction, you must pulse the pins as follows:
2 1 (pins 4 3 for Y axis) (pins 6 5 for Z axis)
L L
H L
H H
L H
L L
H L
H H
L H

To jog in the - X direction:
2 1
L L
L H
H H
H L
L L
L H
H H
H L