[Holzwurm56]

Hello ,
i am using an EZ Trak Series 2 with Software Version 4.0 . It is possible to update the software to a newer version ? I send some mails to bridgeport / hardinge but i get no answer . On the emi homepage i see no email address , so i send a fax to emi but i get no answer .
What can i do ?
Many thanks for every answer .
Hans

[NC Cams]

Suggestions: Call, don't e-mail.

Industrial CNC suppliers don't monitor their e-mail as do the web based suppliers.

I got my version 6 update from Hardinge - and regretted it.

Go with version 5 if you can get it. I got a copy from Hardinge after I *****ed enough about the problems of version 6 - they sent me to an old timer from Bridgeport who e-mailed me a copy.

If you contact EMI, have your serial number and machine description handy. They won't sell it to you (any version) without a S/N.

You can also try Brian at BPT Machines in Carol Stream Illinois. Real easy and reasonable guy to work with.

Still no answer, contact me via P/M

[machintek]

In theory, most EZTRAKs can be upgraded to version 5 or 6. The older ones I leave at 3.02 which is the first version with a screen saver. This statement does not include the southwestern versions.
Version 5 is very stable.
There is a new version 6 that corrects a lot of the errors of the original version 6. No, I do not have it (yet). Version 6 does have engraving and can import DXF files(very limited).

George

[NC Cams]

George: please see my prior post.

I bought version 6 and it was the beginning of a nighmare. Upon loading it, it started locking up and doing all kinds of bizarre, stoopid things.

Hardinge was CLUELESS with regard to ver 6 support. THey even wanted to charge me AGAIN for version 5 as my ver 5 discs were found to be corupted when we tried to reinstall. I didn't feel like paying EMI for phone support.

I finally got shuffled off to a former BPT guy who was doing field work for Hardinge. He explained a lot of the history and sent me a copy of ver 5 out of sympathy.

Yes, version 5 is/was stable. I now have ver 7 as it was installed by former BPT tech who came and tuned my machine. It works fine as long as you don't shut down in metric. No problem. We shoot anyone who wants to work in metric and force them to work in real units, inches.

My advice is BYPASS VER 6 LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!!

Be carefult who you get ver 7 from as it could be buggy as there were supposedly various beta versions out there.... If you do install version 7 do NOT shut down in METRIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[machintek]

Yes the parameters get changed to metric values and then the machine boots in inch. Not a good mix that version 7. None were released, all were beta but they were better than 6. A few months back we sold our last 2 EZTRAKS to Saturn. They both had the buggy version 6. About 6 weeks ago, Hardinge came out with a better version which was installed at Saturn. We have not heard of any horror stories with this latest release. Time will tell.

George