Need Help!- Need info on Allen Bradley Bandit 1 Closed Loop Controller

[slasher]

Hi I need some information that I can have a post generated by bobcad. I have tried calling A-B and they don't want to help me. They try to say that this controller is out dated and that I need to upgrade. Thats not going to happen any time soon so I have to get this going. It is a nice machine too, this controller also sets on a shizuka mill. It's a pretty rigid machine and would be nice to have going. It has a rotary table and all the motors on it are servos. It is a dinosaur, but quite a nice machine. If anyone can help me I'd really appreciate it. If you now something about this controller I have a list of things I need to know. Here is the link to all the things I need [http://www.bobcadsupport.com/downloa...order_form.pdf
Thanks everyone

[slasher]

I need to know how to hook up a computer through the rs232 port on this controller. This controller is old and has a digital readout deal with the 2 sets of keypads on the face of this controller. My question is, does anyone know if I need a program from Allen Bradley for my computer to even be able to access it. I talked to someone who said that it probably has it's own operating system in the controller itself, if so how do I access it through my rs232 cable?

[FRANKFMON]

slasher:
Hi, I have the same Mach. also found another ,controller asm. with some older Amps.
Yuo say Bob-cad has a Post, that will talk to a Bandit via a rs232 ?
I biught my cable from the people at,
Lane, I'd give Lew Albright at Albright CNC a call. He's
one of the old time Bandit guys. Has lots of spare parts in
stock if needed.

You can reach him at: 406.587.7776 He's located in Montana

[slasher]

Hi Frankfmon,
Thanks, I have spoken to him and yes he does know the bandit controllers. He is who A-B also suggested to me, so far I messed up the controller. The thing wasn't working in MDI mode so I called him up and he tolled me to do a few things. Well something happend and it's not working at all know. It won't even jog, I'm not saying this is his fault at all. He was trying to help me, but I kind of gave up on it because of it's age. I don't know if I should do this or not, but he made it seem like if disk #6 in the card carriage is no good then I have a big problem. The main thing that is going to stop me from fixing this thing is the price of fixing it. I don't want to spend $1000 to fix a old controller, I would sooner put that $1000 towards probably the mach. I've heard pretty good things about them, but if Len Albright has a sensible enough of price then I'd be willing to fix the Bandit1. Yes, Bobcad did say that they could generate a post for the Bandit 1. There is some fuzziness that isn't to clear to me though with bobcad. They tell me before I buy there software that " Oh yea, sure, it's going to work, we guarantee it to work on that and any other cnc's too", but they then after I have already bought it and tried having a post made for my centroid that has'nt even been completed, they then tell me that they can't make a post for the Bandit controllers. So far I'm not to impressed with bobcad at all, I have spent lots of time, wasting time with them to get them to do their job. They tell me on the phone that hey if you buy are software that we'll give you 75hrs. of tech support, well right before 45 days is up they tell me I need to spend $300 to reinstate my tech support. Not to mention that they have'nt even completed the 1 and only post request I requested from them. But I am verry excited and still hopefull that we can work all the flaws out and have it up and running.

[rramras]

Which version of BobCad are you using? I have a Bandit 1 and am currently in the process of writing a post processor for use with bobcad v22. I just lack the circle using quadrants G3, G2. I am looking for some sample gcode.

[HuFlungDung]

The Bandit1 only performs arcs that are 90 degrees (or less), so you need a new command as it crosses each quadrant line. Most cam programs will output this type of code at the users option.

When performing an arc, Bandit uses absolute arc endpoint and absolute arc center point. In incremental mode, it uses incremental endpoint and incremental arc center. So this eliminates the need for a G2 or G3 because there is only one arc possible when the arc center is absolute and the span is 90 degrees. Bandit makes special usage of G2 and G3 to do whole circle movements, but you can really only opt for this type of output if you are programming by hand.

So XY/X/Y is the arc format. You could also interpret /X = I and /Y= J. I do not recall if Bandit converts I and J for you when you upload, but when you load it in manually, the way you press the keys amounts to /X and /Y to get I and J anyways. Hope that is clear

[rramras]

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the information. I have a complete Bandit manual and have read the section on arcs and circles so many times that I could recite it verbatim.

Have spent the last 3 weekends trying to write the Post Processor and the arc did not function. Don't take it lightly, I appreciate your input. It was so valuable that it took me less than an hour to complete and test the post.

Now, we have a working post processor for the latest verion of BobCad which is V22.

If anyone needs a copy, just send an email to millman@telcoautomation.com

Once again, THANKS