Newbie- New to me 308 with DX32

[Ranchero50]

Hey guys, been trolling around for a bit and finally built up the courage to ask a really dumb question for my first post. I have a new to me 1991 Bridgeport Discovery 308 with ugraded DX32 controls that I just got powered up. I have the DX32 CNC operators manual for a V2XT / Explorer I, the programming manual for the DX32 and the IOP manual for the 308 with DX32 and for the life of me I haven't found the M codes for starting and stopping the spindle and I'm not sure how the tool changer commands work... The programming manual has M3 scribbled in for spindle on CW, but spindle off is missing. Am I being too dense? I've played a good bit on a J head DX32 XY machine and liked it enough to buy this beast, just wish this one was as conversational.



Thanks in advance,

Jamie

[machintek]

M3 is clockwise.
M4 is CCW.
M5 is spindle off.
M30 is spindle off, quill up, go to clearance point, rewind program.
ETC.
There was a piece of software called EZSPS-MILL that could be loaded onto such a machine and it emulated the EZTRAK conversational. It was meant for the V2XT as it did not support the spindle codes but they could always be added in.
check machinemanuals.net for the proper books on CDROM.

George

[Ranchero50]

Thanks George, spent a couple hours playing with it today, got the tool change and TLO set up figured out, started playing with the MDI and it's fighting me with feed rates for drill and mill functions (not recognizing them). Other than the controls I'm really happy with the machine, it's quiet. I've only been abusing a large chunk of pine with a 1/2" EM so I don't have to worry about crashing it.

The machine was owned by Black and Decker and has been upgraded with a 8k spindle and new drives by EMI. It was really funky inside but has cleaned up nice. I'm goingt o copy the B+D files and print them outas guides for my programs.

This is what the machine will be making:



Jamie

[Ranchero50]

Thanks, I spent some of today playing with the machine. Got the tool changer working and the TLO setup for each tool. Did some cuts into a big chunk of soft pine to get used to the controls. Great machine, just not very user friendly.

[Ranchero50]

Figured out more on the user friendly this evening. God only knows why you have to put a period behind a number, but once that's done all sorts of cool stuff is possible. I expect to me making parts by the weekend.

Making shavings...



Jamie

[machintek]

Since the software does not have a spell checker, it is just like any older PC. One wrong keystroke and you are in trouble. Or putting it another way. it expects you to know what you are doing. but it is a very powerful control. Since you said the drives were updated by EMI, did they optimize the SIEMENS drives? Or did they replace the original MSI drives? Since it is a DX and not an SX, it must have the BMDC, which is a lot better board than the FMDC. I think you made a very good purchase.

George

[Ranchero50]

Yep, It's got the BMDC, Auxbob, Auxauf and a couple other cards. New drives for the servos and a new spindle drive in the other cabinet, I'm not sure who's they are, it looks like the backplane was replaced. While cleaning it I ran the Z axis against the limit, then got to troubleshoot why I couldn't enable the drives to move it down until I jumpered out the Z limit. Rather poorly designed logic control there...

I was playing with some of the B+D test programs and one was called Eucilid (more of less). 1" EM drops .75" into the material and cuts a 4" spaure, comes up .25" and makes an overlapping circle, then another .25" to cut a triangle. Then it does a finish cut at a good bit more speed. Ran the base program, 2400rpm then 4000rpm spindle speeds. The machine ran really smooth and quiet, nothing like the J head at speed. Ran another Eucilid called fast with spinlde speed starting at 3600rpm, then it stepped up to 9950rpm for the finish cut. Didn't expect that much speed out of it, supposed to have an 8k spindle. Thank God my tooling is balanced to 12k. I'm not sure what they ran. Mostly I cleaned plastic out of it and aluminum, very little steel. The paint is in decent shape inside and the linear bearings look really good.

It's funny you mentioned the price, I first saw it on eBay before Christmas, $6000 reserve not met, no one bid on it. Found out their reserve was $8500, but I wasn't sure it was for me, I ended up getting it for $10,500 February 29th. I wanted Z axis CNC, a tool changer,and a full enclosure. We have a 1998 DXII knee mill at work so I understand the programming conversationally, just need to convert it to G code. EMI did the pendant upgrade on that machine so I felt better about getting this one.

Jamie

[Ranchero50]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-Bridgeport-...QQcmdZViewItem

A good deal.

[brujo]

I just got a machine just like the one in the picture. I have no manual but I got it to move and start spindle, the problem is changing the tool, I command it to change tool, it takes position but does not change the tool.

I am also not sure what the "probe" thing for?

thank you