[inventor30]

I have a vintage 1987 bmc 40 that was having problems knowing its machine size. I talked to Huco tech support (mistake) and they had me re arrange chips on the memory board. Machine quit running at that point, and I havent been able to get it going since. I had the older style memory board with the three batteries on the edge (they had been recently replaced). I sent the board out for repair, and was sent an upgraded board that did not have the batteries. Now all I get is a blinking cursor when I try to boot up. I tried another memory board of the same style that I bought on Ebay, same results. Someone told me that the crt controller might have died, but if I flip dip switch 8, I can press keys and get different letters on the screen, depending on which key I press.
Anyone have any ideas? I would really appreciate the help. JC

[bloke]

Well, where do we start with this one?
When you swapped the chips on the memory board, which ones did you swap?
Memory board switches should be:
SW1 all on
SW2 all on except 3
SW3 all on except 1 & 2
SW4 5,6,7 & 8 on, 1,2,3 & 4 off

You could try booting it up with the dual axis cards pulled out of the slots in the backplane (no need to pull them all the way out). If it does start, replace them one at a time to find the culprit. the system will run slowly with these out).

It may be a comms problem between the CPU and the CRT controller. You could replace U14 & U15 on the CPU (under the graphics card) and U11 & U15 on the CRT controller. These are MC1488 & MC1489 (one of each on each board) and do the serial link between the boards.

[inventor30]

Which chips did I swap? With the board on the table plug in side down, I re arranged the 4 OUTSIDE chips in the row of 8 . When that didn't help, I put them back in their original positions. At this point machine still booted, but had multiple problems...creeping in one axis....inputs not reading correctly..

[bloke]

The four inside ones (nearest the centre of the board) are the ones that have program and parameter storage in them.

[inventor30]

I will try booting with the dual axis cards pulled out this weekend, see if that helps. Do you know if it matters if the memory board was the older style with the batteries vs the newer style without the batteries? This "wont boot up at all" problem appeared with the new style memory board, and I am still wondering if my whole problem is the wrong vintage of memory card?

[bloke]

The memory boards are the same apart from the batteries and four SRAMs in place of the old Dallas RAMs. The only other change is jumper E89.
Were all the EPROMs seated nicely and in the right sockets on the newer board? I have seen these things fail because of a bent pin on one of the chips.

[inventor30]

One of the replacement boards came from a repair shop that usuallly does an excellent job.(and I know he tests them before he sends them out).......the other came from an e bay vendor who claimed it came from a working machine....but neither one would even boot in my machine. This is why I am so puzzled. I didnt have the proper dip switch settings.....now I can check them also. Thanks

[inventor30]

This machine has (I think ) 7.24 software. It thinks it is a BMC 30, although it is a BMC 40. I can change the dip switch settings for size on the back plane and re boot the machine, but it still thinks it is a BMC 30. Machine will run, just cannot use full table travel. Any ideas? Thanks JC

[bloke]

The DIP switches you need to set are on the CRP card (the relay panel that has all the cables from the dual axis boards connected to it).
For a BMC 30, SW1 should have 1 & 2 turned off. For a BMC 40, it should have number 2 on. If this makes no change, you could try telling it it's a BMC 50 by turning on just SW1 number 1 and leaving number 2 off. If it works, and you regain longer travel, it'll be a bad opto on the personality card.

[inventor30]

Thanks, will try that. Too late to do it today, but can later this week. JC

[kawipilot650]

This machine has (I think ) 7.24 software. It thinks it is a BMC 30, although it is a BMC 40. I can change the dip switch settings for size on the back plane and re boot the machine, but it still thinks it is a BMC 30. Machine will run, just cannot use full table travel. Any ideas? Thanks JC

call hurco indianapolis and ask for brock rexing, he will help you

[inventor30]

After FINALLY getting my boards back from testing, the machine will boot up again. It STILL thinks it is a bmc 30 no matter how I set the second dip switch, AND is not getting inputs from spindle clamp/unclamp....magazine up/down or magazine left/right . These all seem to plug into the same area on the board where the dip switches are. Is there somehow I can test this for power or connections? I have the wiring diagrams that came with the machine, but they seem to be missing the part I need ....












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[bloke]

Looking at the schematics for the personality card, it seems you may be missing 5v to U29 or U29 has failed. This handles the inputs from the switches.

[inventor30]

Thanks much for the help. I will see if I have 5 v on u29 on the personality board, and if it does, I will replace it.. Thanks. JC

[inventor30]

And nothing changed. I did a continuity test on ALL the switches, magazine up,down, left, right, spindle clamp, unclamp. Seem to have continuity all the way back to the C01 plug on the machine board Common side of these seems to be connected to vdc common. When machine is on, and I am on the ATC/machine diagnostics screen, these items are on the screen, but not highlighted, and dont highlight even when the switches are deperssed. I have 4.9 volts on the back of the board where the C01 plug goes into, and 23.6vdc.
Bloke suggested that I needed to test for 5vdc on the personality board,,,,,How or where do I do that in the machine. ( I now have a spare to look at at least) Anyone got any ideas?
JC

[inventor30]

Turned out that the plug socket on the board was bad. When I wiggled the cable and watched the screen I got a couple of the bits to blink. I powered down machine, hosed the connections with contact cleaner several times and problem solved. Much thanks to all for the help and advice. JC