23 Dec
2009
23 Dec
'09
5:35 p.m.
From: "Rick Bensene" <rickb at
bensene.com>
Earlier controls had RS-232 ports. I wrote a system
on a PC running
FreeBSD Linux using Perl (a very early version) that would send and
receive programs to all of the controls in the shop over RS-232. I used
a SCSI terminal server box from Central Data that hooked up to the PC
over a SCSI channel, and provided 16 RS-232 serial ports that went out
to all of the machines. Amazingly enough, this thing is still in
service (in a shop environment) after over 15 years, providing an easy
way to load programs on some of the older controls.
I wrote a similar program in 1979 to do a similar job with an Apple ][ europlus (to a
Bridgeport Series 1). It was written in my own high level assembler (for the 6502) and
worked with only one machine at a time and included Apple's word processor integrated
in (by disassembly, converting to high level and inclusion in the source with suitable
links) and we sold a normal version with it with permission from Apple.We also had a
program which emulated a vertical mill and drew the programmed path on screen or on a pen
plotter. I know they were in use about 20 years later but probably all dead by now. We
also did a version which allowed operators to program a Heidenheim 131 or 145(?)
controller on the Apple 2 without tying up the real machine which cost about 30 times as
much as an Apple 2.
23 Dec
23 Dec
6:05 p.m.
One of my medium computer literate friends had rigged up a system using
a single serial port and a switch box to his shop. But all of his code
was commercial. Autocad with addons at the top of the food chain, and
several support translator programs added on.
Costs a fortune for software but he did a lot with a little in terms of
having to get custom hardware rigs, or his own programming. He made
more money programming in CNC language (which he could do by hand) to
pay for the high software costs. I guess programming a PC to multiply
the return is a good way to go too.
I have been looking at Acramatic controls because they are Microdata
1600 based (900 series) but not much else. The ones I'd like to get
hold of of that type would not need a machine attached, since I have
other firmware to run on them.
Jim
Roger Holmes wrote:
From:
"Rick Bensene" <rickb at bensene.com>
> Earlier controls had RS-232 ports. 
24 Dec
24 Dec
8:51 a.m.
My task for the new year is to bring the Autocode NC/CNC product forward to Autocad 2010.
It has turned out that as the last man standing with Source, I am now the last custodian
of the code.
Which translator is your friend using ?
The other Bob
On Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:05:48 -0800, jim s wrote:
One of my medium computer literate friends had rigged
up a system using
a single serial port and a switch box to his shop. But all of his code
was commercial. Autocad with addons at the top of the food chain, and
several support translator programs added on.
Costs a fortune for software but he did a lot with a
little in terms of
having to get custom hardware rigs, or his own programming. He made
more money programming in CNC language (which he could do by hand) to
pay for the high software costs. I guess programming a PC to multiply
the return is a good way to go too.
I have been looking at Acramatic controls because they
are Microdata
1600 based (900 series) but not much else. The ones I'd like to get
hold of of that type would not need a machine attached, since I have
other firmware to run on them.
Jim
Roger Holmes wrote:
>> From: "Rick Bensene" <rickb at bensene.com>
>>
>>
>
>
>> Earlier controls had RS-232 ports.
11:19 a.m.
My task for the new year is to bring the Autocode
NC/CNC product forward
to Autocad 2010. It has turned out that as the last man standing with
Source, I am now the last custodian of the code.
Any idea what you'll end up charging for it? :)
g.
--
Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007
http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.
ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment
A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes.
http://www.scarletdme.org - Get it _today_!
23 Dec
23 Dec
6:08 p.m.
On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 5:35 PM, Roger Holmes
<roger.holmes at microspot.co.uk> wrote:
I wrote a similar program in 1979 to do a similar job
with an Apple ][ europlus (to a Bridgeport Series 1).
Oddly enough, one of my side projects is tracking down a problem with
the original controls for a Bridgeport Series 2. One of the control
cabinets got packed with sawdust from an adjacent woodshop, so it
appears to be power-supply related (all the motor driver and pre-amp
boards check out, but only X moves; Y and Z make noise but are
stationary).
I was really shocked (and pleased) to go through the manuals and find
that at the core of this, there's a genuine DEC quad-height LSI-11
(11/03) processor card.
-ethan
5358
days inactive
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4 comments
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participants (5)
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caveguy＠sbcglobal.net -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
geneb＠deltasoft.com -
jws＠jwsss.com -
roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk