New Hermes Engraver

[aminear]

I am working on retrofitting a Vanguard 3400 engraver and need a little help.

I am trying to figure out the wiring for the limit switches. My problem is the covers on the machine are screwed on so tight I have broken 2 allen wrenches trying to open it up to look at the wiring. They are allen head countersunk screws so no go on putting a pair of pliers on them.

Does anyone know how the limits are wired?

Also the spindle motor, any clues on its wiring? Some of it I can see, what I do see looks like it is just a single speed motor with a start capacitor. If that is it then I don't need any help.

I have gutted the EP controller and am using the power supply and motor driver card which is a stepper motor driver based upon the L297 & L298 stepper driver chips. Driving it with Mach3 via parallel port. This is working fine.

Arnie

[keencoyote]

I know this is a long time after you posted it but...

I also have a 3400, I have the original technical documents which have the schematics, let me know if this is still needed.

As to the screws not budging, try heating with a torch, they probably have too high a grade of Locktite applied.

Have you been successful in your conversion?

- George Lawrence Storm, Kenmore, Washington

[aminear]

George,

Yes I am very interested in the documentation you have. I have been building a schematic diagram of the motor driver board by hand tracing the circuit traces. Let me know how I could get the info. I would gladly pay the shipping both ways to borrow your manual and then make a copy for my use.

Arnie

[aminear]

The rest of the answer, yes the conversion is going pretty good.

I have the steppers running great. I can run them upwards of 250ipm, but have slowed them down to 100 just until I am comfortable with it.

I was able to modify the wiring to include the motor spindle start & stop from Mach3.

I have a few mechanical things to work on,

The spindle depth adjuster needs a new lockscrew.
A little cleaning.
I also need to figure out how to use all the table parts, the best way to clamp stuff etc. I was thinking about putting a piece of MDF and running a vaccum hold down, or using double sided tape?, not sure which would work best, or just use the existing clamping plates?

I am going to build a rotary attachment so I can do a 4th axis rotary.

Arnie

[keencoyote]

What is your location? In the off chance you are in the Pacific Northwest it would make exchanging the data easier.

[aminear]

George,

I am in Wheatland, Wyoming. My direct email is aminear@wyomingwireless.com or aminear@bepc.com

[tomtexas]

Dose anyone know what the protocol or i/o is on the New Hermes Vanguard 7000? It has both a parallel and serial port. I guess what I'm really looking for is the command set. HPGL?

Just picked one up without pc or software so I need a starting point to reverse engineer this thing.

Thanks,
Tom

[aminear]

Does it have the EP controller? A separate box. If not can you take a picture of the controller.

I do have the Gravo98 software & dongle key for it that I don't use since I bypassed most of my EP controller on my Vanguard 3400.

Arnie

[keencoyote]

I would be interested in your Gravo98 Software & Dongle.

I finally dug out my books yesterday, Although it has some schematics and fairly detailed drawings of the mechanical assembly I could not find specifics regarding the limit switches. It does look like I have a second copy of the prints I can send you. Contact me off line to see if any of the other documentation would be of use.

-------------

I am not familiar with the 7000, it looks as if the controller is built into the base. I have been told that the EP controller uses the HPGL protocol, I would assume your 7000 uses the same.

[tomtexas]

Originally Posted by aminear Does it have the EP controller? A separate box. If not can you take a picture of the controller. I do have the Gravo98 software & dongle key for it that I don't use since I bypassed most of my EP controller on my Vanguard 3400. Arnie

Thanks, I sent a picture direct. I'm sure there is a way to do it here but it's not intuative. The Vanguard 7000 has a built in controller.

Thanks,
Tom

[tomtexas]

Originally Posted by keencoyote I would be interested in your Gravo98 Software & Dongle. I finally dug out my books yesterday, Although it has some schematics and fairly detailed drawings of the mechanical assembly I could not find specifics regarding the limit switches. It does look like I have a second copy of the prints I can send you. Contact me off line to see if any of the other documentation would be of use. ------------- I am not familiar with the 7000, it looks as if the controller is built into the base. I have been told that the EP controller uses the HPGL protocol, I would assume your 7000 uses the same.

Thanks George, I'll try throwing some hpgl at it and see what happens. I suspect they have some extension to the command set to control Zaxis and spindle etc.
Tom

[aminear]

George,

Thanks for the tip, I put a small pencil butane torch to those stuck screws and they finally relented. I was able to trace the limitswitch wiring out now and I am marking up my schematic to show those also.

Arnie