[NC Cams]

You should be able to hit F8 while booting the machine and this will let you say yes or no to each of the commands in the autoexec.bat and config.sys files as they load.

By saying "NO" to anything that looks like a BMDC control command, you can bypass the loading of the machine control sofware and go directly to DOS.

Anybody with DOS experience should then be able to use EDIT or some other text editor to fix things.

In our case, we loaded a copy of DOSSHELL into the DOS directory on the HDD. We use like it as it is a GUI that is free and lets you do a lot of maintenance real easly.

Doing the F8 at boot enables you to bypass the loading of the BMDC stuff which may be of some benefit for some operations - DEFRAG and SCANDISK are such diagnostic and repair programs that are better to run out of DOS prompt than while the BMDC program is running.

[Larry Callahan]

Thanks for the help. I will try these this morning and let you know how it worked.

[Larry Callahan]

I don't even have a DOS directory. Does anyone know what version of DOS they are running?

[Larry Callahan]

o.k. We loaded DOS 6.2 something and it's working. Now, I need to figure out how to set a tool the right way. I have done it years ago and know how to do it on our Fanuc machines but not this one. It's so different and the book is not making sense to me.

[Larry Callahan]

o.k.. It looks like all is well now. I can edit a program, set tools and run a program. Thanks everyone for the help.

Just a reminder. The machine is still for sale if anyone is interested.

[Larry Callahan]

I looked for and can't seem to find an hour meter on our machine. Any chance ours does not have one?

[NC Cams]

Hour meters were options for BMDC fitted machines. This was the PC based controller that plugged into an ISA slot on the M/B for the Romi and other CNC machines that Bridgeport sold during the 90's.

Although the hour meters are shown on most of the schematics, this does not mean that the machine will actually have one.

[machintek]

I have seen hour meters hidden in plastic housings labeled fuse 13, and i have seen hour meters out in the open. These however, are very cheap and look like a 2 inch high themometers. It has a black dot that is in a silver tube with a scale along side going from 0 to 15,000 hours. Not terrific resolution.

George

[bugzeye]

I have had a Power Path 15 with a SMW 2000 Bar Feeder attached since 1997.
I have had my share of trouble with Harmonic Braking Resistor, Servo Pack Resistor, AUF Board, and recently the Monitor went too! I have found most "After Market" replacement parts online work better and less expensive than the original equipment that I have inquired about. I have to agree with some of the posts, that the programming on these things need a lot of HELP! I named mine "BIG BERTHA" because some days she's got an attitude that rival's most people I know!

[shawn]

Does anybody in San Diego have a manual we could copy for one of these? i cant find one anywhere? We just got one with no manuals and when we fire it up we can not get the emergency stop to go off? any info would be appreciated. Were in the dark on this thing!!
Thanks
Shawn

[bugzeye]

Yes, I have "Operators Manual & Parts Manual", but I am not in CA!

[shawn]

Well looks like a couple plugs in the cabinet came off in shipping so we got it to fire up and all is good. Now we just have no idea how to operate it. Every other machine we have is Fanuc controlled. Still really need to get a manual.
Bugzeye
Is your machine still operable? Are you looking to sell these manuals? At best would there be any way to obtain a copy of them?
Thanks in advance
Shawn

[bugzeye]

Hi Shawn,
Yes my machine is running and operating. You are right about the "Programming" it is a strange way of going about it. I can look into the copying of the books, I do not have a copying machine so I would probably have to go to an office supply store to do it. Haven't had to do that for a long time and have no idea what it costs. There are a lot of pages. Let me check!

[shawn]

Good news we found one. Yeah its a lot of pages. We are reading threw it now and trying to learn it. Any tips or suggestions? I know all machines have there pluses and minuses .

[bugzeye]

There are lots of tricks! The one thing that is strange is that all or most of the lines pull information off of a line that can be at the top of the program. On some programs my "View" screen will show a line of the shape being made, but the program will cut something several thousands OFF! I have to "Edit" the program again and then "View" the line won't show up, but the program will work! So it doesn't hurt to "Load" and "View" a few times.
All I cut is Cast Acrylic Plastic, unless it does what it wants and I cut the jaws! Good Luck!

[NC Cams]

Red GTZ

Check your PM. I"ve gotten myself into a bit of a pickle and need some of your expereixe

Trying to adapt P PAth 15 variant of BMDC to my 15x40 vintage fanuc poered Cacillac lathes. Some P PAth info will help th eprocess imensely. I'd end up with a Psuedo Path and then we could talk/exchange info more.

Yhanks..

[bugzeye]

Hello Red,
I'm not sure I can help you, but I'm willing to try!
Bugzeye

[NC Cams]

I"ve had to copy some Fanuc manuals for guys who's manuals were MIA. Figure on about $0.08 per page at Office Max or Office Depot. QUite reasonable.

PDF's are a lot more expensive, FIgure on about $0.025 per page for a pro. Or you can get a scanner and have your kid do it for tickets to a movie. GO with Mustec 11x17 as it does a good job for not a lot of money and the schematics should be done as 11x17 == cutting and pasting 2 8.5x11's will make you dizzy.

Bugzeye: could use some help with a copy of the back up disks if you don't mind. I have enough to get bye on so far with my adaptation. I coudl use a copy of the parts/maintenance manual and maybe the operator manual. I think I scored an ops manual on Ebay last week. HOpe to see it this week.

As always,will pay for copies of anything offered. I think the back ups fit on 2 floppys. Each can be ZIP"d and sent via email to (nccams at provide.net). I do appreciate your help. Especially with regard to MAINTENANCE and PARTS manuals. PM me for details as this is a neat project

Red - how do you sleep at night without OS backups. One never knows whant things could crash or go corrupt.

[Gncc50]

Just thought I would give this thread a bump. I finally found a Powerpath at a good price. I just paid for it yesterday and I should be able to get it delivered next week. I presently have an EZpath S that I like very much. From what I can tell the control on the Powerpath is very similar. I thought that I would resurrect this thread as I will probably be asking for some help.

I called EMI a year or so ago and they said they could supply parts. Are there parts that you just can't get for these anymore? Machinetek gave me a list a couple of years ago about what to look for. This machine seems to be running well. I got it for what I think was a very good price, but it seems like there are a lot of used machines out there selling for about half of what they were a year or so ago.

I just thought I would let you know there is one more out there. .. I am located in North East Ohio.


Pete

[gm3211]

Anyone know about RS232 communications to the Bridgeport Power Path? Where are the communication settings and what are the requirements.

Thanks in advanced!