Mimaki ME-500 Data transfer

Hi, I'm not new to CNC zone, I've read through countless postings here but have never posted anything myself. I recently purchased an older Mimaki engraver/plotter. I've contacted Mimaki in Japan, and in the USA. I've also contacted several Mimaki dealers. It seems that it's past it support date by a large margin, so the only thing I received from anyone was an operation manual which I already have.

My issue it sending data to the machine from my PC. I'm using a simple DNC program which sets the com, baud rate, parity, stop bits, and handshake settings. I'm using a 9-25 null modem serial cable to go from my PC to the machine. The machine is compatible with .nc and is also compatible with hp-gl. I have vcarve pro from vectric and it has a post processor that will output both formats of code. But when I go to send the file from the DNC program to the machine I get zero response.

Any help in trying to solve how to send file to the engraver would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Travis

Hi Travis,

Got any hit on this?
I have a ME-300 that I'm trying to put to work and would love to find some puzzle pieces too.

I was able to make the machine move by using the Generic HP-GL post processor in VCarve and using the checkbox in "Output direct to machine".
I never heard of DNC program before but in short I added a new printer and set the parameters you listed above manually.
I'm sure I can find it if you need the info.

I could only have it to work at one set height though (Z height is set in the controller) because HP-GL only give the command PD and PU to drive the Z axis.
(PD and PU mean Pen Down and Pen Up)
So with PD the machine goes to the set height and goes back up with PU... Let's say it's a bit limiting.

I tried guessing a couple things in the command code to control the Z height but apart from the standard PD and PU nothing worked so far.:confused:
I wish I could find information on MGL-iic3 command so I could finish writing the post processor for it!
Every search I did seem to bring me back the numerous Mimaki flyers of their various machines.
Their machines support the command code that no one seem to know about! :bs:(nuts)

Hello,

the Mimaki implementation of HPGL ("MGL-IIC3") has some extensions to control the Z-axis:

use !PZ to set the Z-axis.With one parameter you set the down-position, with two parameters you can set down and up position. (units are always in 0.01mm)

so e.g.
!PZ-200;
sets the down postion to -2mm on the next PD command.

!PZ without parameters restores the up/down postitions to the values entered on the panel.

other commands:
!VZ (set moving speed vo Z axis)
!MC (set spindle rotation)
VS (set X/Y spindle speed in mm/s)

hope that helps!

Hi boingboing,

Thank you so much for the reply!

I did not have the time to integrate and test it yet but I will let you know as soon as I do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by get_f8

Hi boingboing,

Thank you so much for the reply!

I did not have the time to integrate and test it yet but I will let you know as soon as I do.

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Hello,
I also have this machine.
Did you manage to write a driver for it?

Thanks in advance,
Martin