New to me Milltronics Partner MB16

[MarioMP]

I'm the son lol. I will try to take a look in the next day or two and get all my settings to try to help you get up and running.

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Chris, what machine do you have?

[cbChris]

I have a 1996 partner 1H with the Centurion 5 control. I'm guessing my comm parameters would probably work on yours. At least hopefully lol.

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[machinehop5]

...just a thought double check in Device manager for your USB adapter COM port number your Transfer/Receive program is using... also, CNC setting my guess is E/7/1 XON/XOFF (9600) and try *.txt file ext

DJ

[cbChris]

Here is the settings in my machine. I'm running a USB to the connector in the pic (I forget the name but I'm sure someone else can chime in) to cat5. Then to a cat5 to RS232 adapter at the back of the machine. It is only 3 wires used but I don't remember which pins, and yes there are 2 that you have to flip until you get it right and the 3rd stays the same. I use onecnc to transfer files. My files are "file" type but I think nc and tap files work as does txt files if I remember correctly. Onecnc IS particular about which USB port you are using. That just takes some trial and error to figure out which one. When you use the "send" button in the software a second window opens and will have a few lines with your settings then a line that says ready to send. If that's not there then you need to try a different USB port. File transfers should start instantly, so if you don't see it loading at the machine in a second or two it's not working. That's most of what I remember. Hope it helps.

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[cbChris]

Heres the settings in my computer.

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[machinehop5]

What does RS232 EOF do...end of file? ASCII decimal would be 037 for a % ?

[cbChris]

I'm not sure what that one is for. I can say though, that my machine does not use the "%" at the beginning or end of the program. I don't think any milltronics do.

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[MarioMP]

I got it working.
I'm able to send files -- receive is a bit of hit and miss. Seems like the file starts uploading OK but then starts spitting a bunch of garbage.

My bigger issue is to setup post-processing to work off of G54. All GCode files have Z go to positive number, which hits the upper limit switch and aborts the program.

[cbChris]

Check the parameter I circled. Might be why you're getting garbled on the upload back to the computer.

How are you setting your tool offsets? The values should be negative numbers like -14.xxx etc.

There are a hundred different ways to do it, but here's what works for me:

Set G54 Z=0 in coordinates menu.
Set all tools to the table with a 2" presetter sitting on a 2" block, using the tool set cycle under the run menu. Block height is zero, diameters are always zero.
After last tool is set go to hand wheel and jog to z=0 on part, jaw, etc. I use the presetter here also and account for it. Whatever your z value reads on the screen is what you put into G54 z under coordinates (minus the presetter height if you use one). For G55 or others just jog over to that z=0 (with G54 still active) and do the same thing and enter that into G55 under coordinates.

This makes it easy to do global z shifts for each coordinate system, and if a tool breaks, just set G54 back to zero in coordinates, touch off the tool in the tool set cycle same as before, then put G54 back to what it was.

Oh, there's a particular way the code has to be ordered to make it pick up H values for each tool also. I'll have to look tomorrow sometime, can't remember it off the top of my head. That will cause it to go up and alarm out also. Ran into that when I first got my mill. The milltronics post in f360 should get that right though. I was using a hand jammed program when I ran into that. It won't get rigid tapping right though, so if you have that let me know and I'll send you the post I customized to work a lot better than the stock one.

Wow, that was long, sorry for the novel. Hope it makes some sort of sense.

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[MarioMP]

Thank you for the replay. I'll try to get on the machine tomorrow and start setting things up. Feel free to make posts as long as you'd like -- it can only help. BTW, I started recording things for others in my other hobbies and throwing it up on YouTube as private right from my phone and sharing a link if that makes things simpler/easier for you.

Back to topic at hand: I have not messed with tool heights at all. I was using the JOG to find the edge of workplace and set that in the G54X and G54Y and used F7 (I think) tool change/height option to set Z=0
But as soon as I ran the program, the machine would shoot up to top, due to Z=0.259 or something like that and tipping the limit switch.
figured that was due to G90 setting in the GCode. I even tried to put G54 command at the beginning based on someone's tutorial, but that didn't work either.

Do you have a tool holder for every tool or do you just bottom them out in the holder so that you know that when you change them, they'll be the same height?

I think our machines use NMTB 30 so I ordered few different ones from eBay to try out.
I'm trying to figure out what tools are a must for the beginner. If you have a recommendation or just a simple picture of your setup, that would help me get started and have what I need, but not blowing a grand on tooling I may rarely use.

Check the parameter I circled. Might be why you're getting garbled on the upload back to the computer.

How are you setting your tool offsets? The values should be negative numbers like -14.xxx etc.

There are a hundred different ways to do it, but here's what works for me:

Set G54 Z=0 in coordinates menu.
Set all tools to the table with a 2" presetter sitting on a 2" block, using the tool set cycle under the run menu. Block height is zero, diameters are always zero.
After last tool is set go to hand wheel and jog to z=0 on part, jaw, etc. I use the presetter here also and account for it. Whatever your z value reads on the screen is what you put into G54 z under coordinates (minus the presetter height if you use one). For G55 or others just jog over to that z=0 (with G54 still active) and do the same thing and enter that into G55 under coordinates.

This makes it easy to do global z shifts for each coordinate system, and if a tool breaks, just set G54 back to zero in coordinates, touch off the tool in the tool set cycle same as before, then put G54 back to what it was.

Oh, there's a particular way the code has to be ordered to make it pick up H values for each tool also. I'll have to look tomorrow sometime, can't remember it off the top of my head. That will cause it to go up and alarm out also. Ran into that when I first got my mill. The milltronics post in f360 should get that right though. I was using a hand jammed program when I ran into that. It won't get rigid tapping right though, so if you have that let me know and I'll send you the post I customized to work a lot better than the stock one.

Wow, that was long, sorry for the novel. Hope it makes some sort of sense.

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[MarioMP]

I will take a look at that End of Block setting.

Here is what one of the preloaded files spit out:
O0005 (SIDE HOLES)(Conversational File) G20 G90 N1 G0 X 1.0000 Y 0.0000 N2 G0 X
2.63 Y0 N3 M5 (END OF O0005)~@#$%^&*()49436F00010204000A5349444520484F4C 45530000
00000000000000002D00000040000000590000006900000000 0301060100140A5349444520484F4C
455300010401110100180720312E30303030190720302E3030 3030000104011101001804322E3633
190130007F090107020000

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[Brian L]

Check out some videos that Robert posted years back, they give a pretty good tutorial on how to set up and operate the machines.

[allen mullis]

Boy that seems like forever ago. I've learned a lot since I did that video!

[REG791]

If you go to Milltronics documentation library you can find the programing manual for your machine. The centroinics 1 is the controller version. The non-Yaskawa indicates the spindle motor and is necessary to know for the electrical manual.

[machinehop5]

If you go to Milltronics documentation library you can find the programing manual for your machine. The centroinics 1 is the controller version. The non-Yaskawa indicates the spindle motor and is necessary to know for the electrical manual.

Service does make a differance ///ask the Maytag repairman

[MakinMan]

i know this is a late post.
but in regard to your feed rate not being accurate i am guessing someone change out the potentiometer with one that wasn't exact match.
as with my mb17 they cost 700 but many similar ones are under 50 dollars on ebay.
perhaps check to see if it looks as though it was changed by looking for crappy solder job. LOL

i have worked all the kinks out of mine since i acquired it this summer.
had to reformat the Simm drive
acquired a new monitor.
replaced battery
replaced power supply
mine came without the original sheet metal chip guards so i will work on replacing those.
i am going to try restoring the keys to their original color
and source new way covers

[MarioMP]

i know this is a late post.
but in regard to your feed rate not being accurate i am guessing someone change out the potentiometer with one that wasn't exact match.
as with my mb17 they cost 700 but many similar ones are under 50 dollars on ebay.
perhaps check to see if it looks as though it was changed by looking for crappy solder job. LOL

i have worked all the kinks out of mine since i acquired it this summer.
had to reformat the Simm drive
acquired a new monitor.
replaced battery
replaced power supply
mine came without the original sheet metal chip guards so i will work on replacing those.
i am going to try restoring the keys to their original color
and source new way covers

I'd love to see some pictures.
Interesting though about the pot being the cause. I'll have to look into that.

[MakinMan]

did a test to bring the keys back to their old glory.. did a test on one of them.
i used the 12% peroxide method. although one should let them soak 12 hours this was after 5 hours

[MarioMP]

i know this is a late post.
but in regard to your feed rate not being accurate i am guessing someone change out the potentiometer with one that wasn't exact match.
as with my mb17 they cost 700 but many similar ones are under 50 dollars on ebay.
perhaps check to see if it looks as though it was changed by looking for crappy solder job. LOL

i have worked all the kinks out of mine since i acquired it this summer.
had to reformat the Simm drive
acquired a new monitor.
replaced battery
replaced power supply
mine came without the original sheet metal chip guards so i will work on replacing those.
i am going to try restoring the keys to their original color
and source new way covers

My unit just gave me a boot error because of CMOS battery.
Do you recall where the battery is on/around this motherboard?
It is not the standard CR2032 one.
MB has a place for it with traces and markings, but no holder, so it must be external.

[MarioMP]

I'm also reading about the importance of making parameter backups for CMOS.
When I first boot up, I get the POST and the battery message.
Only key that works is the F1, which takes me to BIOS.
In BIOS menu the keyboard doesn't do anything, but there is a mouse cursor.
I do not have a mouse for this thing.
Anyone knows what kind of mouse or trackball is compatible and where it plugs in?
Would it be the same AT port on the side of the monitor that the keyboard plugs into?
Sorry, it's been few decades since I had to play with non-USB devices.