Desktop to controller cable

[pearcecustoms]

I apologize ahead of time if my technical terms are not correct. This is all new to me.

I hope this is a fairly easy fix. I have searched and read through a ton of other threads and discussions to no avail.

I recentely purchased a used CNC router table. It has AXYZ automation controls. I cannot find any serial ID or basic info on the machine. There is some info on the handheld controller start up but that is all I have found.

What I need to know is this. The cable that connects the desktop to the table controller is cut. The parallel end is not there. So I installed a parallel port onto my desktop and I purchased a d-sub connector. I would appear that all I need is this parallel cable to Tx and Rx info to and from the table and desktop. It is a four wire hook up, actually three as the black wire in the cable does not terminate into the hardware in the controller.

There are four colors in the cable. Red, green, white and black, that I need to solder into the d-sub. Does anyone know which wire goes to which pin on the parallel connector?

After this can tackle the next step. software and all tha jazz. BTW, this table was being used in production just a few days prior to the business closing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am attaching some pictures of what I am talking about as well. Thanks for looking.

This is the opposite end of the parallel cable.


This is inside the control box of that connector.


This is the next stop in wire travel.


Whole control panel.


Table itself.

[Fastest1]

Fortunately the PP can take some abuse. The black wire is a chassis ground I would bet as it doesnt go thru. It is for isolating any noise. The colors are probably not important or follow any reasoning. I personally would go buy a breakout board that would allow you to jump each wire or cross them. You wont hurt the PP by doing this. I just attempted a reverse engineering hardware handshake cable and everything still works great. All errors were on my part. Pin 1 is supposed to go thru, dont misinterpret it as a chassis ground (I did, and it caused a lot of unnecessary connection attempts). It does sound like you have found some info on RS232 pin uses.

[doorknob]

>>So I installed a parallel port onto my desktop and I purchased a d-sub connector.

I have no experience with this controller, but are you sure that it was originally connected to a PC parallel port?

It looks to me like the 4-wire cable is connected to a large controller board that has the function of interpreting the signal from the PC and then splitting out the motor positioning signals for the different axes and sending them to separate driver boards (the smaller, square boards at the left of the controller photo) for each individual stepper or servo motor.

So, this is just a guess, but the large controller board appears to me to be performing the same functions that typical hobby CNC users perform within the computer, going out through a parallel port to a breakout box (BOB).

Which leads me to believe that the cable that was cut originally came from either a PC serial port, or else it likely came from a proprietary PC interface card which you do not have, and it may have been driven by some proprietary software as well, in which case you may be out of luck.

But if you're persistent, you'll probably find someone on this board who knows the details of that controller and can give you the whole answer from direct experience.

[Have you considered bypassing the large controller board, and just using the smaller, square driver boards from a parallel port BOB, or even ignoring the controller and replacing the drivers as well? Maybe you can salvage the power supply and interface cables, but bypass the control and driver electronics completely.]

[pearcecustoms]

Originally Posted by doorknob >>So I installed a parallel port onto my desktop and I purchased a d-sub connector. I have no experience with this controller, but are you sure that it was originally connected to a PC parallel port?

Most cetainly. We followed the cable from the table to the host PC. But in our hast, and a few hours later after getting it loaded (ran out of propane for the forklift) I forgot to grab the cable end. It was so darn long we just cut and I was going to solder a new connector on.

I am gonna try to get back inside the building to grab the orginal connector. Problem solved.

Originally Posted by doorknob >>It looks to me like the 4-wire cable is connected to a large controller board that has the function of interpreting the signal from the PC and then splitting out the motor positioning signals for the different axes and sending them to separate driver boards (the smaller, square boards at the left of the controller photo) for each individual stepper or servo motor. So, this is just a guess, but the large controller board appears to me to be performing the same functions that typical hobby CNC users perform within the computer, going out through a parallel port to a breakout box (BOB). Which leads me to believe that the cable that was cut originally came from either a PC serial port, or else it likely came from a proprietary PC interface card which you do not have, and it may have been driven by some proprietary software as well, in which case you may be out of luck. But if you're persistent, you'll probably find someone on this board who knows the details of that controller and can give you the whole answer from direct experience.

I ran into a person the worked at the shop prior to closing and he said, as far as he knew, it ran on off a software called toolpath. I confirmed this with AXYZ in atlanta. The problem there, is that is no longer offered and there is no support for the outdated control board.

Originally Posted by doorknob >>[Have you considered bypassing the large controller board, and just using the smaller, square driver boards from a parallel port BOB, or even ignoring the controller and replacing the drivers as well? Maybe you can salvage the power supply and interface cables, but bypass the control and driver electronics completely.]

That is exactly the route I am considering. I could upgrade to their new AXYZ controls and software. But I think going with a gecko system or like would be another option. I have been swamped lately and haven't had much time to play with this idea.

I have some legowrk ahead of me. Hopefully I can get it worked out.

I talked with AXYZ and the lady there gave me this tiny bit of info:
it's a model 6010 from 1995.
it has a persky 5.5 hp spindle
an invertor
step motors
runs toolpath software

I appreciate your guys time. Thanks.