EZ Trak and G Code

[melamark]

Hello All,

We recently purchased a Bridgeport EZ Trak SX II. The machine works great and we are very happy. The manual states that G code can be loaded into the controller and run. I have been unable to make this happen! Loading and running post-processed G Code is not covered at all in any of the manuals we have.
Does anyone have any experience doing what I am attempting. Some of our 2D contours are too difficult to program with the EZ-Trak controller.

Thanks,
Mark

[hughesbros]

Hello Mark,
Here's an example G code file for a 2 axis Eztrak.

'START| 1.PGM'
N0 G71 G75 G90
F9=150
N1 G0 X0.0000 Y-5.0000 Z10.0000 ' Change To 6mm slotdrill ' T1 D6 M6
N2 Z2.0000
N3 G1 Z-5.0000 F500
N4 G41 X-5.4210 Y-16.4286 Z-5.0000 F9
N5 X-5.4210 Y-16.4286 Z-5.0000
N6 G3 X0.0000 Y-25.0000 I0.0000 J-19.0000
N7 G1 X15.0000
N8 G3 X25.0000 Y-15.0000 I15.0000 J-15.0000
N9 G1 Y15.0000
N10 G3 X15.0000 Y25.0000 I15.0000 J15.0000
N11 G1 X-15.0000
N12 G3 X-25.0000 Y15.0000 I-15.0000 J15.0000
N13 G1 Y-15.0000
N14 G3 X-15.0000 Y-25.0000 I-15.0000 J-15.0000
N15 G1 X0.0000
N16 G3 X5.4210 Y-16.4286 I0.0000 J-19.0000
N17 G40 G1 X0.0000 Y-5.0000
N18 G0 X0.0000 Y-5.0000 Z20.0000 F1000

Save it to a floppy as test.txt, load into the Eztrack press F4 and F5 to select the A drive and G code file. The program produces a 50mm square with 10mm corners using cutter compensation with a 6mm cutter.

The line F9=150 sets the feed, F9 is a variable used on line N4 to set the feed to 150.0mm\min.

Lines N4 & N5 use the same coordinates to apply the cutter comp, this is a bit different to the other controls I've used but the only way I could get it to work on the Eztrack.

The eztrak controller converts the conversational program into g code before they are run, to display the converted program load a program and in run mode press the minus key.

Regards Mark.

[melamark]

Mark,

Thanks for the reply. My problem is getting the EZ-Trak to recognize that I am trying to load G code, and not an EZ-Trak program. The only option of loading a program is an *.pgm file. I can change the extension from test.txt to test.pgm, and it loads without error. But when we hit run, it does nothing. We are using software version 3.08, dated 10/15/97, P/N 31943014.

I can't seem to find a way to tell the controller that the file is already G code, and it does not need to run its "translation" routine. As you can surely tell, I have very little experience in this area, but I am trying...

Thanks for any assistance,
Mark

[hughesbros]

Mark,
You cannot edit or view g code files with the Eztrack software, you can only run or simulate the tool paths.

To load a G code program from the floppy drive you must be on the auto/run screen press the left arrow key (LOAD) this should bring up a file list, now press F4 to select the A drive and F5 to display all files with .txt extension select the g code file and press + to load. If you use the test file I posted before press the right arrow key to simulate, next press 5 and set the display size to -50,-50,50,50 and press + to simulate. Now exit the simulation and return to the Auto screen to run.

In England health and safety made Bridgeport retrofit all there Eztracks with extra guards and manual switches to select the different software modes Edit/MDI/SDI and I'm not sure if the new software was the same as the old, but if you load the program to run not edit you should be ok.

Regards Mark.

[melamark]

Mark,

GOT IT!!

Thanks for your help. It was the left arrow key in run mode that I was missing. I wish this was in the manual (maybe I don't have a complete manual).
Anyway, all my programs load and execute successfully. I really appreciate you taking the time to guide me through this.
Off I go in my quest to gouge my first part...

Best Regards,
Mark

[machintek]

The machine does not specifically ask for TXT files. Instead it considers these Other files.
Also which buttons to press is software version dependent.

manuals for these machines can be purchased reasonably on CDROM in PDF format at machinemanulas.net

By the way if you load a .PGM file and are in the run screen, press the minus button. You will see the G & M code program that the PGM file has been converted to by the BMDC board.

George W.

[cnczone_en]

I just ran into the same problem, but with a twist.

I had no PGM files on the harddrive, so when I tried to load a file, it would check the harddrive and the floppy, then tell me that there were no files. So it never brought up the window where you could select F4 to see the floppy drive and F5 to see all files. Definitely a bug.

So I created a PGM file with one line in it, and then I was able to use F4 and F5 to find the TXT files.

Thanks for the help, though. I wasn't able to figure out my problem without your solution.

[eman5oh]

Quick question, I have a Ez trak sx and thier is a sticker on the door to the floppy drive that says do not remove. I know that the disk can be removed, but when it safe to do so? Does the machine have to be off to safly remove the disk? Can it be booted up without a floppy or a different floppy in the drive. The manual that came with the machine does not cover this at all. Thanks for any help with this.

[machintek]

The EZTRAK SX machines had no hard drive unless one was added later. They needed the floppy to boot. Once the machine has booted, and the activity LED turns off, the boot floppy can be removed and your program floppy can be inserted and used for loading or saving part program files. Just remember that when you set your part program zero it gets saved as a SYS.BEZ file. If you do not have the boot floppy in when you do this, the zero point gets saved to whatever floppy is in the machine. Therefore, the next time you boot from the boot floppy, the zero point will be whatever is on the boot floopy. Advice whenever setting zero make sure the boot floppy is in. You can remove or insert a floppy any time the activity light is off.

George

[balsaman]

machintek,

Do you know everything about every cnc machine ever made?

I am impressed.

Eric

[machintek]

Just enough to fix it after I crash it.

George

[eman5oh]

Thanks for the help. That brings me to one other question, Can the boot disk be copied with a pc for the purpose of making a backup in the event a disk failure occurs, or is it a funky file system on the floppy. Thanks again.