PC CAM support

[tengo8]

We have an older (circa '94) Bridgeport EZ-Path lathe for which our tool shop wishes to begin programming offline using Mastercam. I've asked my reseller if he has a post, but I can’t tell him enough about the controller to pin one down. The only manual available is the Programming and Operations Manual (Feb. 1994, Code number 11865457) which describes the local programming sequences but says nothing about the controller software or what the controller expects to see coming out of a post. My reseller said if it is a ‘Boss 9’ controller, he may be able to scare up the post. There are no markings on the controller other than ‘EZ-Path’. I’ve emailed Hardinge but haven’t received and answer yet. Is there another source of information about ‘Boss 9’ or other valuable facts? I’d much rather buy a post than to reverse engineer one myself.

Thanks

[machintek]

The BOSS 9 post will not help you as it is a milling post.
I believe EZCAM (specifically EZTURN) had a post and Feature Turn I am certain had a post that could produce a conversational program that could be edited at the machine. I believe they could also create a G&M code program but you could not edit it at the machine.
Also Bridgeport used to sell a stand alone PC program (the EZSPS series) that would emulate the EZPATH control and produce conversational programs.
But from someone that has installed a lot of these and trained a pile of people, I find it so quick and easy to set up and program right at the machine that you get to a point that manual machining is never done. Simpler and quicker to write a 2 minute program.
I did ask but never received from Bridgeport a list of G & M codes that the EZPATH will understand. Write a program at the machine, load it, be in RUN and press the - key, and you should see the G & M codes that the BMDC has converted the conversational program to. Pay special attention to how it does multiple passes from a rough cut of a path.

George