1994 Bridgeport V2xt

[Big Daddy]

I don't know what to tell ya,,,, I bought the board in late 2005.... EMI....$1,200.00....And They only bought the rights.... They didn't develope. The upgrade only enhanced the parameters then after installed & some fime tunning.. walla! Perfect finishes! Whats happening today in that world, I could'nt tell you.

[NC Cams]

RE: "...They didn't develope..."

That's not the story as it was conveyed to me by several trusted people who I ran across during my research into/about using the BMDC for other than BPT operations use:

Supposedly, there were 3 or 4 guys who were the mainstay/"braintrust" behind the BMDC. These are/were the guys who literally developed the BMDC hardware and interfaced it to the various machines. Anyway, 2 of the 3 or 3 of the 4 started EMI, the remaining braintrust guy supposedly passed away.

Anyway, they worked at the "controls facility" which was remotely located in PA - the main offices of Bridgeport Machines were in CT. When BPT started to consolidate operations prior to their demise, a decision was made to close the controls division. For various reasons, the "braintrust" elected NOT to relocate but rather decided to seek fame and fortune on their own.

Since BPT was either in the process of going under or had gone under (not clear re: the actual timing) the guys decided it might be a good market to support - namely the now defunct Bridgeport Machines. Seemed like a good idea in light of the number of machines sold and to whom the machines had been sold to (IE: major aircraft contractors, industry, etc).

As ANYBODY in aftermarket distribution knows, there is GOOD MONEY in after sales service, ESPECIALLY if/when a "name" company with a lot of high tech product in the market goes belly up - the machines WILL need service and who better to support it than ex-factory guys????.

EDIT: Even the guys from EMI toot their own horn from time to time, although not with the details for perhaps obvious reasons. See the following

http://www.cnczone.com/cg...1;t=002236;p=0

especially the post near the bottom from "ex BPT guy".

END EDIT

All was well until the BPT "assets" were liquidated by the bankruptcy court. According to my understanding of internet records (do "Bridgeport bankruptcy search"), a enterpising assets liquidating outfit (Goldman I believe) outbid the former execs and and other suitors and won the "rights" to the Bridgeport intellectual properties (I/P) and/or the other tangible assets.

They then licensed the name, I/P"s and various other North American "rights" to the production Bridgeport machinery and former designs to Hardinge. That's when the "fun" started. Hardinge then elected to protect the assets they purchased the rights to via agressive legal means and this did not bode well for the principals of EMI.

THe EMI guys developed or were highly instrumental in developing the BMDC code and/or hardware. Yet, Hardinge acquired the North American rights to market the Bridgeport assets from the asset liquidator (again, do a Bridgeport bankruptcy search - it is all explained in public records and press releases). In effect, one guy owned only the "legal rights" but another knew what it took to make the stuff work - can't ultimately use one without the other, no???

EMI eventually won/purchased/acquired the right to use or exclusively license the BMDC via a settlement that was reached with Hardinge. This made sense primarily becasue the EMI guys were the ONLY guys who knew anything about servicing the darn thing and Hardinge suppposedly still was on the hook for servicing some machines - they essentialy "needed" each other at that point.

Hardinge sold off what parts they had. If you call Hardinge for service anymore, they'll simply refer you to EMI (been there, done that). Learned of the above sequence of event from a long tangled web of calls all over the country trying to get around having to deal with EMI a couple of years ago when I had some bizarre problems with an Extrak. Unfortunately, i tangled with an obnoxious sales guy at EMI who is not there anymore.

Fortunately, I also met and talked with one of the EMI principals who was VERY informative and helpful.

Knowing a bit about prototype electronics assembly and mfg, I simply realize that the technology incorporated in the BMDC is quite dated and currently VERY overpriced. The ONLY reason why the board costs $1200, $1500 or reportedly now over $2000 exchange today is because there is NO alternative. Pieces/parts count and totals for a consolidated duplicate are a far, far cry from that amount.

The technology is mature, developed and simply that of make/assemble/ test/sell. There should be no appreciable devlopment time or cost needed to duplicate something that was proven and produced over 10 years ago.

If one has the info on the BMDC (EMI admittedly has the factory test equipment and/ or the schematics, afterall they do test and repair the BMDC's - see P/M link above), you surely could make new ones, especially if you in fact "have acquired the rights to the device" as they publicly claim.

Are there multiple versions of BMDC boards? Yes.

Can one consolidated board be used to service many? By EMI's own admission, YES.

Can "basic/consolidated" boards be made and then populated as needed to save cost? YES This sort of thing is done all the time in aftermarket service - simply sell one base unit to simplify marketing and/or raise voumes to take advantage of volume pricing discounts.

Moreover, when you do something like that, you can FURTHER expand your market by offering retrofit "kits" to the DIY and/or the Bridgeport aftermarket service market.

Worried about knock offs or unuathorized copying? This can/will ONLY happen if the price embrella is too high and there is room for competition below your threshold price.

Worried about unauthorized software and/or hardware copying? DUH if you don't know how to protect your software and hardware with today's technology, some might claim that you deserve to have it stolen.

I personally think that there is a market for BMDC's outside of the hard core machine tool service industry. I understand why the I/P holders might not want to venture outside of their comfort zone.

However, there is a way to exploit the technology, protect it and NOT hurt your cash cow market while also managing/creating a whole new market for what is now "orphan" technology - been there done that.

HOwever, when people say "that's not part of our business plan....". there isn't a lot someone with an alternate and viable technical marketing strategy can do about it..

[Big Daddy]

I would absolutely agree for the most part with your well laid out recollection of the chain of events with only a couple of small not important exceptions. But yes you’re right. I also see that if someone had the vision and could look down the road they might be able to see a clear direction to apply their vision to this “nitch market”. I’m also a firm believer there is nothing wrong with taking 90’s iron and concepts & extending (maybe even dramatically extending) its usefulness by applying new 21st century thinking. Let’s face it, it’s a competitive world out there. The equipment has to remain as such.

[NC Cams]

I talked with someone from EMI about bits of the idea as well as with well connected friends outside of EMI about my concept. Obviously, I coudn't/woudn't tell the whole plan - no sense "giving the ideas" away in a bragadocious display of "look what I know".

There simply isn't/wasn't any interest expressed in the teasers. HOWEVER, when ex-BPT service people hear about more detailed vestiges of the idea, they seem to drool over the possibiities. Why? it lets them make some money doing what they do best while also putting cash into the pockets of the guys who make the electronics and also the guys who hold the software I/P rights - especially if they have or can resurrect the source code. Someone has the code or the manuals - even some of the factory documentation of the BMDC service literature mentions a "software developer's manual".

No programmer/developer in their right mind throws that sort of stuff out, especially if they are going to seriously support an "out of business" operating system as the "braintrust" apparently planned to do way back when.

Imagine the availabiltiy of a psuedo "factory developed" CNC system. Moreover, one that is available to use and or fit onto a lathe, mill or VMC or even surface grinder for 2, 3 or 4 axis that would run pre-made developed software providing you properly did the parameter adjusting.

Imagine a 2, 3 or 4 axis system that would run on a simple, cheap DOS computer - and frankly on a computer that you could get for nearly if not abolutiely NOTHING. Granted, some guys could make it run on Windows boxes but why bother? (the question is purely rhetorical).

A system that has/could have a ready made, connect the dots wiring diagram DONE and offered with the "kit". A kit that has all the factory connectors pre bagged, perhaps pre-made harnesses or semi finished you cut to lenght harnesses DONE. All you do is cut the wire, crimp on connectors and go.

Support? Imagine calling a FACTORY TRAINED ex-BPT service guy (I can give the name of a GOOD one in the midwest) and they can come and tune it for a nominal service charge. Or, buy the WELL WRITTEN manual and tune it yourself. In effect, the OEM Bridgeport system was nothing more than a factory developed retrofit "kit" that had factory turning procedures - If they could do it, or teach guys to do it, why couldn't anyone else????

Or, offer over the phone service that could be paid for via 1-900 or MC/VISA??? Heck, if you duplicated some simple 2 or 3 axis machine, you could even get FREE help here or thru some other user support group involvment - like even CNCZONE.COM. DUH

Could you get rich from it? Probably not. Do well or comfortably from it? I think so and would be willing to take a serious run at the task. Did that with my "you can't do that" cam company and a hot rod auto parts program - I don't see why the DIY machine tool retrofit business would be much different - same level of technical acument in most instances.

However, at this point, without movement or replies or even a token morsel of suport/interest from the alleged I/P holders, you can't push a rope too far if at all.....

[Big Daddy]

Well what ever you do don’t let the cat out of the bag. Believe me I made that mistake only to see my concept on the cover of a nationally distributed machinery magazine back in 2002 and someone else reaping the rewards even still today.

[NC Cams]

RE: letting cats out of bags.

I don't plan to explain ANYTHING about an alternate technical marketing strategy to ANYONE without protection - especially on/about a CNC controller that I don't have the source code(s) or the necessary secure software to run it with. I essentially did that for a former employer nearly 25 years ago and they're STILL selling some of the parts that I designed and developed to this very day!!!

Sadly (for them), they didn't take the WHOLE program (which I'd outlined in many a bitter battle/discussion) into consideration until many, many years later. To some extent, they TOTALLY misssed the crest of the wave and, to some extent, STILL don't have totally market ready, application suitable parts.

The company even went so far as to de-evolve some of the critical refocusing efforts that we inititated which ultimately diluted their ability to target market focus in today's market - this is/was critical to servicing the market as it ultimately morphed into what it became today. Oh well....

Do I care? Yes Can I do anything about it? No. Will it happen again? Not if I can help it. That's why I run my own little business now. Focused, unique and boutique in nature. Why that way?

Simple. When you are deeply involved in the market and can SEE the forests in spite of the trees, you pretty much know what the players need/want. Add a bit of a college education, a strong and diverse technical background and some specific business courses (and NOT MBA courses either) combined with some face to face retail selling and you develop a knack for seeing a wholistic picture. I found a niche market and do OK with a meager investment although we've not grown as fast as I'd hoped.

There are times when technology is too far advanced or not adequately developed for its time. There are also cases when a technology of a certain time is not quite ready or adequate for today but time eventually catches up with it and it is quite adequate for tomorrow. To some extent, that's the case with the BMDC.

Sadly, the folks who know it best technically have chosen to live in the past and merely let it mark time. By not evolving it, demand for the device will predictably wither- at some point, the value of the technology will wither as well as demand dries up or the price to fix things becomes far too prohibitive. Eventually, all old electronics stuff reaches that point.

Instead of nurturning and evolving the BMDC, the "caretakers" seem content to merely milk the cow until it dries up. That is a common business model that is practiced and promoted by a lot of business colleges. It is a good strategy for maximizing short term profit at the expense of long term viability. There are other strategies, however and folks like Caterpillar (who support old technology long past the last day of production) prove that you can be quite profitable in doing so.

If you have other means of making a buck, do the short term thing. But what about the customers who can't afford to use it and throw it away or buy anew?

To some extent, that's what Bridgeport stood for - legacy reputable equipment that you bought because you KNEW you COULD get service and parts for, year after year, machine after machine. That ain't necessarily the case anymore.

GM doesn't put the "old" small block engine into ANY production vehicles anymore. Yet they still make and sell "crate motor" engines that were first made over 50 years ago!!! And they STILL make them today and make oodles of money selling 50 year old engine designs they still make on limited production lines.

Heck, they even sell pre built "crate motor race engines" directly to/thru aftermarket outlets, around their dealer network. This from a corporation that once totally shunned ANY form of racing activity whatsoever. Why? Because there is profit in selling engines. It is now to the point that it is literally CHEAPER to buy a new crate motor that to rebuild your old one. Think that similar logic would not work with the BMDC? YOu shouldn't have to think very hard....

Perhaps there isn't a HUGE market for all the old Bridgeport iron and/or parts anymore but the darn things still sell - used, abused or otherwise. Granted, some of the old stepper technology is getting pretty dated and some parts hard to come by. But, when you're dealing with a PC based "plug and play" system like the BMDC, you have a different sort of animal.

What the controls division conceived as a PC based "fits all controller" back in the early 90's may not have been optimized in its day, but, technology has changed. After seeing what's been done and with the advantage of time and technolgy, something quite more viable could be exploited if properly packaged/repackaged using some contemporary technology and/or marketing strategies.

The choice seems to have been made - march lock step in support of the prior albeit failed business model were made by business execs who ran a noted legacy machine tool company into the ground. As opposed to an alternate strategy of taking a gem that was created at the time, polishing it up a bit, remounting it and resurrecting it a market that today is much more technically suited to applying/using it.

Sadly, the alternative strategy seems to be "... is not part of our business model....". Ahhhh, spoken like a true and well trainied MBA.

Some day, ask me what the MBA's did to a $200million/year highly profitable aftermarket parts distribution division over and above driving it out of business.

[Big Daddy]

Again I have to agree to your rather lengthy delineation.
Beyond that I absolutely will not comment....

[DF-ENTERPRISES]

Thanks for everybodys comments. I just hooked up my machine to power today. Next step is to hook up the new board and hard drive. I'm sure I'll need some input down the road.

Thanks again.