Bridgeport Series 1 R2C3 Problems

[Vigilance]

Hi everyone.

We just got our hands on a Bridgeport Series 1 R2C3, but it appears to be a dead duck at the moment. After several days of frustration and zero progress, we appear to have a dead TNC 145 control. The lower portion of the control almost appears to operate if the screen is unplugged from it, but hardly even lights up if the screen is connected.

To make matters worse, we have problems getting the main power relay (power enable, or CR5) to function or lock in. A jumper or two seems to solve this problem, but not the others.

Worse still, one of the Bosch servo amplifiers (the one on the far right) seems to be a replacement, and appears to have come off of a Series 2 machine. The original two drives are rated at 15A, the other is rated at 25A. This replacement drive does not light, and also appears to be DOA.

After all the work put in so far, we are seriously considering whether or not we should bother trying to repair it. We are thinking we may:
1. Try to repair (unlikely)
2. Retrofit (no idea what is going to be involved)
3. Sell the machine as-is

Mechanically, the machine appears to have very little time on it, and everything else appears to work. The machine has all factory supplied components, no aftermarket mods:
1. Heidenhain TNC 145 Controller
2. Bosch Servo Drives
3. SEM permanent magnet DC servo motors, continuous stall at 2.1 n-m.


We would appreciate any input on this. What is going to be involved in a retrofit? Should we keep the servos and look for a single replacement drive to keep that portion all original, and try to adapt a modern controller to it? Or should we rip everything off and replace it all?

Also, what hardware do you recommend? I've been looking into Mach3 or EMC2, and it wouldn't bother me at all to use either. The part I'm fuzzy on, though, is the hardware to interface the PC to the machine electronics. I've heard of the Mesa boards, and the options provided by MachMotion, but I don't have a clue what I need to buy to make either work with this machine.

Truth be told, it would be nice if the PC-Machine interface was done either by ethernet or USB, beyond that I don't really care. I kind of like the free upgrade ability provided by EMC2, and I think I know at least enough about Linux to make it work (or at least get into a lot of trouble

Any input whatsoever would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[gus]

if the control works the startup is as follows:

all lights should be lit

CE button

leds should mostly go out

[power enable]

should engage the power relay.

if it doesn't you may have lost parameters

it is pretty dicey loading parameters [from the list of r2c3 parameters you found in this forum] without a monitor.

I can sell you a good tested drive, but I do not have spare monitors

they can be found on ebay

a cga or hercules mga monitor can be hacked up to give you a useful image

truthfully you could look for a whole TNC151 setup and have spares, it would be a better machine than most retros, depending on what you are trying to do.

[machintek]

The TNC145 has plug in boards including one that is a power supply board. There is a panel on the top held by 5 counter sunk phillips head screws that when removed allows access to the boards and their removal.
You may have a problem with the power supply board or maybe the CRT is overloading the power supply board.
But maybe the power inside the machine is wrong, Check the transformers for correct configuration to the incoming power. Check your 24VDC power supply. Check the dial on the back bottom of the TNC145 to be set for incoming power to the control.

George

[kenf1111]

Hi,
I have a new TNC 150 control I bought as a spare for my R2C3. I would sell it for $950. if that would help you.