Prototrak 2000 MX3

Hi everyone, I have a Prototrak 2000 fitted with a MX3 control which I believe is a 2.5 axis machine that I load programs via floppy disk off my pc which is running alphacam cad\cam.
I feel a little frustrated and would like to be able to use the machine in full 3 axis mode and have been told that I need to buy a DND kit to drip feed the programs via RS232 cable?
Is this doable by way of a "free" DNC system to anyone's knowledge?

Also will I need another post processor to be able of achieving full 3 axis movement?
I bought the cable and have the manual for the DNC link up but not sure if it will work without a dongle?
Any assistance would be very much appreciated,
cheers, bugattiman

Curious if you found out anything on running full 3 axis w/o dongle?

I actually bought the dongle and cable last December but have not got around to trying it out yet!
Been too busy but really need to get my act together and make the machine earn its keep. I managed to get athe latest version of alphacam and would now like a simple sample of a 3d curvy object to try out the machining in full 3D mode via cable on the prototrak.
I have never tried 3D machining so really its a slow learning curve for me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bugattiman

I actually bought the dongle and cable last December but have not got around to trying it out yet!
Been too busy but really need to get my act together and make the machine earn its keep. I managed to get athe latest version of alphacam and would now like a simple sample of a 3d curvy object to try out the machining in full 3D mode via cable on the prototrak.
I have never tried 3D machining so really its a slow learning curve for me.

---

Hi Bugattiman, have you tried the dongle for 3-d yet? Does this dongle plug into the machine?

Would you consider selling the 3-D dongle?

Robert

Hi folks, just an update on the XYZ Prototrak. I (with the help of a very good friend) managed to get the machine running in full 3 axis mode and have to run it in DNC mode but it means I can run large programs that was a pain using the standard mx3 input. Sorry Robert I would not consider selling the dongle at the moment. Maybe if I upgrade all the whols control system sometime in the near future to go "modern" anmd have the 4th axis I would sell the whole system including the dongle etc. An invaluable help was from a man in Tasmania who actually wrote the post processor for me to allow the dongle to function correctly.