Need Help! Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!


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Thread: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

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    Angry Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    Hello everyone, been a regular to the site for help and entertainment all through my education the last two years. I recently graduated here in Minnesota with a CIM degree and am a big fan of this site so any help from someone who may know would be so fantastic. But I have reached the end of my rope and tried all that I can think of. I have a 1985 Bridgeport R2E4 cnc mill that I got from a local high school. It is in great shape and has never seen production scenarios. In trying to get it running I have attempting to communicate using the ports on the back labeled A and B. The connector I am using is RS-232. Also tried RS-422. I have tried to us EZ-Link to add a program to the machine, no luck. Tried to drip feed and got skunked. Tried DOS and XP with no luck. Bought a cable from a guy on eBay to use port A and a different software but no luck. When I do attempt to use Port B I get a error message that says No Char Xon Port B. I don't know if it is my pin out or a setting on the machine or something. Baud rate is right and all other settings I can think of. I am just completely stumped and don't know where to go from here. This is my first machine and first post so any help would be greatly appreciated.

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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    caseman9191,

    I have a 1985 Bridgeport Series 1 R2E4 with boss 9 and can drip feed no problem running win XP and EZ-Link. Works like a charm.

    I am using port B. Port A I could not get working at all. I dont use this machine anymore since I got my VMC converted to Linuxcnc.

    Let me know if you need pinouts and baudrates and stuff. I could power it back up and check.


    Bob



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    Quote Originally Posted by bevins View Post
    caseman9191,

    I have a 1985 Bridgeport Series 1 R2E4 with boss 9 and can drip feed no problem running win XP and EZ-Link. Works like a charm.

    I am using port B. Port A I could not get working at all. I dont use this machine anymore since I got my VMC converted to Linuxcnc.

    Let me know if you need pinouts and baudrates and stuff. I could power it back up and check.


    Bob
    I would really appreciate a pin out and baudrate. Also what key strokes on the cnc do you use? I would like to perhaps wire it direct with RS-232 and get rid of the black plugs. Also is there anything special in the program?



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    baud 4800 7 even 1

    Straight rs232



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    PC R2E4 Port B

    pin 2(tx)-------pin 8(rx)
    pin 3(rx)-------pin 6(tx)
    pin 5 (gnd)-------pin 7(gnd)



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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bevins View Post
    PC R2E4 Port B

    pin 2(tx)-------pin 8(rx)
    pin 3(rx)-------pin 6(tx)
    pin 5 (gnd)-------pin 7(gnd)
    Thank you so much! So after you have it hooked up how do you usually enter DNC for the drip feed?



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    On the bridgeport i dont remember.... would have to check,

    but after two keystrokes it should say DNC Link, if not you have to check because it wont load if you dont.



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    I, (my company), am also in possession of one of these gems. Our IT guy is currently working on getting us communications between the PC,( Win95 and EZLink) and the CNC R2E4. My problem is not knowing which keys to hit and in what order to hit them on either machine.

    I believe he is down to configuring the port on the PC so that communications can pass thru. I have found the Programming manual online but it is for an older version of the BOSS software, we have 9 on ours. I just cant seem to locate the proper key stroke sequence anywhere.

    I even got as far as being able to enter our very short program into the machine itself, but got one line in and then subsequent lines would not insert in order as I don't know the proper keystrokes for that either...

    We currently run 2 HAAS VF4SS and those are much easier to send programs to...lol Yeah so the tech is a bit newer on them...
    Any help out there?

    Thanks

    Richard



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    We have made it thru the transfer of file from PC to machine issue.

    If anyone wants the proper configs and keystroke sequence. let me know.

    Regards

    Richard



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    Quote Originally Posted by RWhiteoutboard View Post
    We have made it thru the transfer of file from PC to machine issue.

    If anyone wants the proper configs and keystroke sequence. let me know.

    Regards

    Richard
    Hi Richard, I recently picked up a nice older machine. Everything seems to work but I'd like to connect to a PC. Can you supply the proper configs and keystroke sequence you mentioned?

    Did you use the below pin out for the round port B connector? I ordered the connector only, didn't have luck finding a communications cable.

    pin 2(tx)-------pin 8(rx)
    pin 3(rx)-------pin 6(tx)
    pin 5 (gnd)-------pin 7(gnd)

    Thanks for your reply!



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    woburn,
    I will answer this in 2 parts..

    One thing you must realize. you should use a Windows XP machine. anything newer than that and the Bridgeport cant get the info. It likes the data slow... and at this point I do not believe you can run these on anything newer.
    I will gather the rest of the info in legible terms and post here shortly.... as I am at work and this is not technically company work it may take me a day or 3.

    Regards

    Richard



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    Thanks for your quick response! I've saved a couple of XP PC's just for this type of thing. No worries on the timing. I really appreciate the info.

    You mentioned you/your company uses EZLink. Would it be possible to get a copy of EZLink?

    Last edited by woburn; 02-16-2018 at 03:24 PM.


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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    So here is the wiring as explained by the manual. First do you have that? the full maintenance manual and the one they call the programming manual are available for free download. Anyway, I have attached the one page that shows pinouts. I did not make our cable, our Maintenance dept did, so I am sorry if I am no help there. I will get with our QC dept as one of the more ambitious Tech's created documents detailing machine startup procedures, how to load a program and we can even get the sequence for loading a program from the computer..

    But here is the pinout sheet...

    I can send you a ton of info, would it be easier to just direct email it to you?
    Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!-r2e4-startup-pg1-pdf
    Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!-r2e4-startup-pg2-pdf
    Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!-r2e4-startup-pg3-pdf
    Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!-r2e4-startup-pg4-pdf

    The above files are proper machine startup procedures

    It does not seem to allow me to add the much larger files...grr, stand by..lol

    You can just click and save those files



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    Default Re: Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

    Forgot the pinout sheet

    Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!-0891_001-pdf



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Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!

Bridgeport R2E4 with BOSS 9 communication issues!