Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine

[samco]

I have aquired a Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine.. Doing a quick search I cannot find much info on it. Does anyone know of a source for manual and such?

thanks
sam

[hot knobs]

Try this www.engravers journal.com or go right to Hermes.

[samco]

Thank you.. Have not decided what I want to do with this..

I plugged it in - and it homed - then smoked (not a big deal - fixable but I would rather use emc2 to control it..)
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/engraver/drive.JPG
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/engraver/rip.JPG

I hooked a parker microstepping drive up to one of the axis's and ran it thru emc2.. Worked great and zipped it around at 120ipm with no issues. I used 1000steps per rev and the lead screw was 4 thread per inch which gives .00025.
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/...r/engraver.JPG

they are only 1.5a 5v 6wire steppers - I hooked up just one of each coil running bipolar.

[samco]

its work envelope is 20"X12"X2.25" - nice size.

sam

[samco]

got 3 parker/compumotor drives hooked up the the existing steppers. So far so good.

Crappy picture of my foot
that was zipping around at 60ipm.

[samco]

here is a quick video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKz81fY1OjY

sam

[tomtexas]

Originally Posted by samco I have aquired a Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine.. Doing a quick search I cannot find much info on it. Does anyone know of a source for manual and such? thanks sam

I just got a Vanguard 7000 with the same problem. Looking for info on the command set. It seems to use either serial or parrallel so I'm guessing it may be something like HPGL. If you hear anything please let me know and I'll do the same...
Tom

[57phillip]

Originally Posted by tomtexas I just got a Vanguard 7000 with the same problem. Looking for info on the command set. It seems to use either serial or parrallel so I'm guessing it may be something like HPGL. If you hear anything please let me know and I'll do the same... Tom

Hey Tom,
I am new here also and I see no one answered your request for help on new hermes 7000as of today.
I also just bought a 7000 to do some watch engraving. Have you figured out how to get your machine working. I bought the program Open Sys from gravograph but it is a dos program and there is no way to use it without training. The training from them is outragous and time to enroll is min 4 months. I think their motive is selling the new $5000program or a new machine Beats me.

[samco]

Honestly.. I would just get some stepping drives and run it with emc or mach.. The new gecko 4 axis 3.5a drives would be a great match.

Cheap drives?

That would allow you to use real cad/cam software to develope your parts.

I sold mine on ebay a few months back. (I am in greater need of a garage)

sam

This was using emc2

YouTube - EMC2 running Hermes engraver making PCB

YouTube - EMC2 running Hermes engraver making PCB

YouTube - EMC2 running hermes 450ipm 50in/s/s doublefreq

YouTube - EMC2 running hermes 450ipm 50in/s/s doublefreq

YouTube - emc2 dry run of the 3d_chips test program (linuxcnc penguin)

YouTube - emc2 dry run of the 3d_chips test program (linuxcnc penguin)

[57phillip]

Thanks for even replying to me. This forum is so large I am a bit overwhelmed just by the site, Not to mention that I know nothing about these machines. I am a retired Autobody Shop owner and somewhat Ill. This machine is to complement my hobby (Watches) I want to engrave on new dials. My machine will run on new style software and the machine was working fine when bid on by the guy I bought it from. Graveograph sells a program that runs this baby right away, but it is $5000.00 I will sell the machine before paying that much to see it chip away. It will take the code through a parallel cable. I don't think I can wire in new stepper motors unless I saw someone else doing it. This animal is really not anything I have even touched before. This is why I was looking for a friendly person with a Vanguard 7000EP that is working and on what software. I know this machine will work when set up right. At the auction where it came from a couple of finefellows lifted the computer with software and this is the problem. No guys in sight now!!
Thanks for your suggestion and help,
Phil

[aminear]

I have done some reading on these machines.

They will should run using the HPGL drivers, just like a printer doing graphics.

You should be able to just load the windows drivers for HPGL and go.


I have an older machine the 3400 but the EP controller had problems. (the motherboard CMOS battery had corroded and damaged the motherboard)

I tossed it and rewired the motor driver board directly to the printer port.
Now I run the machine directly from my computer using MACH3.
I just finished figuring out the limitswitches last night and got them configured also so I can do homing. If anyone needs the schematic I built for doing this rewiring let me know and I can email it to you.

Arnie

[57phillip]

Hello,
Yes, I would be very interested in a copy of your schematic you made. And anything else you have I may copy and send back to you. Do you have the Windows version to run the new hermes it is Gravograph 5 I think. anything I learn is more than I know. This machine was working fine until the computer came up missing.
my home e-mail is philandpatty@cox.net
Sencerely,
Phil