shopsabre wincnc to MP1000-THC MACH3

[dbrown36]

Hello,
I've given up on waiting on ShopSabre and WINCNC to come up with a working THC. (its been 2 more weeks for the last 6 months) So i want to convert my ShopSabre 4896 with servos from a wincnc based cutter to a MACH3 based cutter using the CANDCNC MP1000-THC kit that is listed on the CandCNC site for just under $1000.
i've called and left 2 msg today on there voice mail but i have not gotten a call back yet. does anyone know if this setup will work and can you please give me an idea of what is involved in cutting over from the WINCNC control board to the "2" printer port(s) control of MACH3 MP1000-THC. thanks guys douglas brown 706-681-9292

[massajamesb]

I find it hard to believe that you couldn't get ahold of Tom at Candcnc. You might also try to catch him on his Yahoo group.

I don't work with Wincnc, but from what I understand, you have to remove their driver card from within your PC, and just install Mach3. It will be assigned a parallel port from the setup menu.

I want to say that you will just have to get another parallel port card, plug it in to the motherboard, and assign it in Mach as well.

I have been told by a number of people that it is a simplistic process, and quite worth it in the end.

Good luck!

[dbrown36]

thanks for the quick reply i'm sure he is really busy. also i would like to make it very clear that i love my shopsabre plasma table and the people at shopsabre (jason and jim) are very good people but it's starting to become a real pain (back pain) keeping the head from crasing when i'm cutting.

[dbrown36]

my plan is to start with a new DELL P4 computer and load it with Mach3 and the 2nd LPT-1 card so incase i have problems i can fall back to the WINCNC setup. so far the only thing that i really dont understand is how i interface the onboard LPT-1 port to the servo amp. thanks douglas

[massajamesb]

I have been told by one or two people that when they converted, they purchased new stepper or servo drives, though I don't know if it was a neccesity, don't quote me on that. Agaiin, I don't have that particular system setup.

There are a number of other threads on here, some of which deal with other members converting their Wincnc-driven tables over to Mach and the MP1000 as well. I would look around the Cnc plasma forum archives and see what other information you can get.

I can say that I have seen most of Candcnc's products up close, and the quality and workmanship can't be beat. Their combo in conjunction with Mach and Sheetcam seems to be a real winner.

[dbrown36]

i called wincnc today and ordered there new THC. if it works as well as that say it should i'll keep the WINCNC setup a bit longer.

[Torchhead]

Hey, gimme a break! You called Wednesday and I was out of the office (working on trying to make a 100A HF start machine work with our THC) and I had over 20 VM to go through.

I answered your post on my support site in detail (post 1709). We have done a large number of retro fits for the WINCNC and I know the hardware and software.

Little bit of info: 2 years ago the WINCNC owner had his employee call me and offer if I would send them a "loaner" THC they would write an interface and make me rich from all the added sales. I declined. The Owner called me 8 months ago and wanted to "work" with us to write an interface for our THC. I declined the offer since it was largely driven by a mfg they sell to that has such a bad reputation that I felt it would degrade our products. (not Shop Saber).

There are a LOT of things that go into a THC that are not obvious at first glance. Of course anything would be better than what they had, which was nothing.

Hopefully they have someone on staff that has experience with plasma cutting. Most of my support time goes with teaching guys HOW to use a plasma system and getting decent results in dealing with all the variables of plasma cutting. MicroSolutions (WINCNC) has never been keen on doing end-user support so this might be a new experience for them.

I don't see any hardware listed on their site for THC just a 300.00 software add-on to "support" THC so what did you buy?

We have a complete electronics "package" (less motors) on the website (www.CandCNC.com/PSC650+MP1000Bundle.htm) that is a Digital THC (with readout), interface to MACH3 on the PC, MACH3 license, power controller with 3 Gecko servo drives and even the 2nd parallel port card for less than the other THC solutions I have seen out there. The MP1000 series supports the new 28 function digital hand pendant that comes out next week. There will be a Plasma specific version.

Let us know how the new WINCNC solution works for you.

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[dbrown36]

the THC kit for the WINCNC is a low cost card upgrade to the cutter and i am still very interested in changing over to the mach3/MP1000-THC kit you have listed. i just got to get ready to cut a job of parts next week for a guy i work with that are going in to 50!!! FORD F-550's i've never heard of a 550 before. but any ways no problem i understand we all get busy. and i will get you the pin outs that you asked about on your site. again thank you very much for your time and help. douglas

[Torchhead]

I responded to your posts over on my support site. I will work with you to have a plug-n-go solution for the Shop Sabre for MACH3 and the MP1000-THC. We can add that option to the list of other controllers we support. The timing for you to make any change for this upcoming job is too tight. I know from experience that it takes some time with any THC to get it tuned and for you to learn how to use it. It can be frustating when you are facing a production deadline.

[Torchhead]

Follow up on the Mitsubishi Drives: I can't find ANY technical information on the web for those drives. The two bits of information I need is if they are Step & Dir input and is the feedback loop (positional) done in the drive. They appear to be either AC servo or Brushless DC (similar in operation). Doesn't really matter but the input signals do.

[dbrown36]

hello, its been a few months now from installing the WINCNC THC and after working out the quarks sofar it has worked out better then i thought it would.
but even after 6 months i'm still learning better ways of using the setting offered in the new(ER) software.

[dbrown36]

has anyone ever tried using o2 with a powermax1000