Techno Isel questions/help

[LJG]

I aquired a small Techno Isel gantry and an old PC. I talked to Techno support and got the driver software, but I'm stuck at that point. I upgraded the PC to a newer 400 mhz machine since the old one was a 386. My understanding is that I have to run the PC in dos to operate the machine. The controller card is a full slot MAC100. I have Windows 98 on the PC. The stepper motor control powers up and the axis home when I turn it on but that's all I can get. I don't know if I have the PC configured correctly. Is there another controller card that I can use and newer software? I want to use this machine for some engraving first then maybe play with routing. Any help would be very appreciated. I can't find anyone around who remembers enough about stepper motor controls to help me locally.

LJG

[cpsheets]

I had the same problem, with no help from techno because they just wanted to upgrade me from steppers to servos for $4k. I finally just built a new controller with geckos and c-10 breakout board from cnc4pc used the power supply transformer and added my own rectifier , caps, and resistor. Because the Mac100 controller supplies 26v ac to each individual axis controller card. Then switched to Mach 3 and works like a charm. It's a little bit of Mod work but after messing with techno for 2 months with no luck this took about a week and a half.

[LJG]

Cpsheets,

Thank you for the reply. I'm not sure I'm up to the task of building power supplies etc. I do have a friend who's a EE and may be willing to help if I can give him some info to start with. He said it's been a long time since he played with steppers.

LJG

[denver hights]

i have a rg 4896 i run it in windows, whats the problem, i do not run the thing in dos, the software is in a windows format not dos. it is very easy to use, maybe a little too easy, you realy don't need help to run it, at least i didn't. i hope my statments didn't offend but it is sooooooooo easy i was cutting after the 3rd day, and i purchased a used router, and tried my hand at cad/cam software for the first time in my life, and i'm not that bright.

[LJG]

I have a small 3 axis gantry that was running on a 386 PC with DOS only operating system. I could not get the old PC to run so, I called Techno and they sent me DOS based software to run the system. It has a MAC100 controller and I have gotten the software to run but now I can't get it to communicate with the gantry motor drivers. The system gives me a communication error. I was told by Techno that this is a DOS based only system. I would love to be able to use Windows based software but I'm told it won't work. That's the problem I have now. I am going to talk to Techno one more time to see if they can tell me how to troubleshoot the MAC100 controller card or if I can buy a newer version that will run on Windows.
I think it all depends on which controller card is installed. This system was built and sold in 1983. I think DOS was the only thing running on a PC at that time.

LJG

[adrenaline]

I have the same controller and techno isel told me that I have to buy new motors also. I teach in a school and finding 4k isn't so easy. Could you tell me more about making my own controller of sorts?

Thanks

[Ferny]

Does your machine have a 9 pin serial port cable for control?
I have one I am converting to run with Mach3 and a parallel breakout board.
My model is a Davinci 3 axis table top model 1986 vintage. Very nicely built all aluminum extrusions and castings. I have the PAL DOS based software to run it. It worked but since Techno does not run G-Code it was a real pain.

I decided to scrounge motor drives, power supplies, and enclosures at work. We have a lot of stuff in stock. I disconnected all factory motor wiring, internal drives, and power. So far I have the motors wired, drives connected to the parallel board, power ready to go. No I am rounding up a computer to run it. I should have it up and running next week. I can't wait!

Private message me, I have the manuals for the software and an old card.

Ferny.

[dmauch]

Several months ago I got a rash of orders for retrofitting both stepper and servo systems on Techno routers using Gecko servo amps. When one of my customers bought the servo system it was with the understanding that he would have to connect the home and limit switches. Recently, he asked it I would do that for him. Since he lives only 20 miles away I agreed. We agreed on a unfront price and later he added that he wanted the Z axis counterbalanced because we eliminated the brake on the Z axis. His router is one of the Porter Cable and together with the slide portion of the Z axis it weighted in at 40 Lbs.

I was able to get the home and limit switches working on Mach3 after I had to lengthen the X axis home/limit actuating rod by making a new one ( the old one was broken off and too short). I replaced the Y axis home switch because it was intermitent. Last I replaced the Z axis limit microswitch because it was damaged. The home and limit switches all work fine under Mach3 which uses the home switch as a combination home and limit switch.

The big problem was the Z axis counter balance spring. For some reason I had a mental block on how to hook it up and came up with all kind of complex solutions. Finally it dawned on me that there was a stupidly simple method for connecting the air spring to the Z axis. This completely eliminates the need for the brake and the complexity of energizing the brake everytime the Z axis stop movement. After connecting it I can trun the ballscrew cw/ccw with zero force. The ever so slight drag is equal to both raising and lowering the Z axis. I ran the z axis up adnd down for a half hour with no heating of the servo motor at all. The only thing I don't like is that is so quiet that unless you are looking at the Z axis you cannot hear it move.

From what I hear Techno want an ton of money for upgrading to windows. For those that are aware of Mach3 I have found it to be a great program and a very low cost.

If others are interested in retofitting their machines to Mach3 while retaining the existing servo motors I be happy to answer any questions.


Dan Mauch
Camtronics Inc
www.camtronics-cnc.com
dmauch@camtronics-cnc.com

[dmauch]

I recently finished my 4th Techno retrofit. It was a stepper system about 44/33. Interestingly it was tougher than the servo retrofits I did. The reson that it was more difficult was that the motors had amphenol connectors on them running the motor power leads, the home/limit switch and in the case of the Z axis the brake power leads. The issue that I had was that several of the axis were causing Mach3 to reset becuase I was picking up electrical noise from the motor power leads. I solved that problem by installing a low pass filter on each of the input leads from the siwithces.
The other issue was how to cycle the brake on the Z axis off . That was fairly simple fix by setting up a charge pump to a relay that when Mach3 resets the brake would come on even if the motor engage switch was engaged. If you disengae the motor outputs then the brake comes on again.
If you engage the outputs to the motor and reset Mach3 then the brake is released again. Works slick .
Dan Mauch
www.camtronics-cnc.com
low cost cases for Gecko drive
assembled and tested systems
kits for DIY
dmauch@camtronics-cnc.com

[rayb12]

Hi All,

I have a MAC100 controller from Techno. Recently the old pc that we had the software on and running the controller crashed. Of course we had backups but when we restored from backup we discovered that we had only been backing up modified files (i.e. data files). So now we do not have the original software that runs the MAC100. We can't even find the original disks.

I have 2 questions to this forum:

1. Does anyone have the original software for a MAC100? And if so would you mind emailing or ftping it to me? I called Techno and they don't seem to have it anymore. The software we had was the "Techno Program/Compiler" aka "techno.exe", the "MAC100 AutoCad Interface" and the "Techno HPGL Interface" which consisted of several files.

2. How many people out there have and still use the original MAC100/MAC200 and it's dos based software? The reason for this question is, that I also own a software development company and would entertain a request to write a windows interface/translator for the MAC controllers if there were enough interest in this. It certainly would be better than having to upgrade your hardware, especially at $4k and you would be able to use your system "as is" as well as be able to use any of the newer windows based cad/cam software systems seamlessly.

Thank you in advance for your help as well as any thought, comments, replys.

[dmauch]

Why build new software when Mach3 is already availble? If your drivers in your mac and step and direction then all you would need is a breakout board.
and a little bit of rewiring.
Dan

Originally Posted by rayb12 Hi All, I have a MAC100 controller from Techno. Recently the old pc that we had the software on and running the controller crashed. Of course we had backups but when we restored from backup we discovered that we had only been backing up modified files (i.e. data files). So now we do not have the original software that runs the MAC100. We can't even find the original disks. I have 2 questions to this forum: 1. Does anyone have the original software for a MAC100? And if so would you mind emailing or ftping it to me? I called Techno and they don't seem to have it anymore. The software we had was the "Techno Program/Compiler" aka "techno.exe", the "MAC100 AutoCad Interface" and the "Techno HPGL Interface" which consisted of several files. 2. How many people out there have and still use the original MAC100/MAC200 and it's dos based software? The reason for this question is, that I also own a software development company and would entertain a request to write a windows interface/translator for the MAC controllers if there were enough interest in this. It certainly would be better than having to upgrade your hardware, especially at $4k and you would be able to use your system "as is" as well as be able to use any of the newer windows based cad/cam software systems seamlessly. Thank you in advance for your help as well as any thought, comments, replys.

[stevec]

I have a similar problem and question. Please see my post here Techno CNC Help Please!!! no one has replied to it yet so I figured no one has seen it.


Steve