[cjsamples]

Hey guys, I hope this will be the best place to put this thread as it is a build….sort of. I have exhausted all of the search terms I could figure out and decided it might just be best to make a thread.

I recently acquired a slightly used ESAB piecemaker 2. I say slightly because it was originally used in a school environment and shows very few cut marks in the table slats, basically the first three feet. The original software is intact and can move the torch, run a predetermined shape, etc. I have a mind boggling 50+ shapes at my disposal, it’s so 1999. I, of course, want to upgrade the software to Mach or better to run designs off my computer.

Looking in the boxes I noticed the X and Y are servo driven with encoder feedback straight back to the Vision CNC board. Should be easy enough to run Geckos and reroute encoders back to them. That should handle X and Y. The Z on this table is a DC torch lift motor, it operates as advertised I do believe. Looking at the schematics it has a torch height control card installed and has input from the plasma cutter for information. The schematics show how to wire in several of the mainstream cutters(Hypertherm, TD, etc.).
I will post the main page of the schematic showing the THC, but I am left with a few questions.
1. What is my best option for a BOB? Smoothstepper and card for I/O? USB or Ether SS?
2. Mach 3/4 , Sheetcam?
3. Can I use the THC already installed with this BOB?
4. Will the DC lift motor do the job? It is already in place. Or will I need to run a new Z and stepper?
5. I will eventually want to run a scribe as well, so I would like options down the road.
6. I would like to get it running with the ESAB cutter I got with the table for now but I already have options in place.

Thanks in advance on any help you can provide, Chris.

[xjdubber]

if the control system works good as it is, I personally would not touch it. That is an industrial quality control, there will be a way, most likely rs232, to send part programs to the controller.

[cjsamples]

The only input device it has is a 3.5 floppy and very minimal memory. Some of the shapes says "out of memory". I will look up some of the motherboard specs and see if I can update some of the internals. If I could find more information on the Vision 500 software it might be feasible. The existing interface is very clunky, I have been spoiled by my router. Upgraded the controls on it and never looked back. It was an older setup with steppers on all three axis. No THC to worry about and I had no working controller for it.
Most of my concern is over the THC and making a rock solid system. If any one of the internals I have now goes south I will be at square one with an antiquated control system. Eventually I will want to load a 5X10 sheet of metal and have it process the whole sheet.

[TomKerekes]

Hi Chris,

Regarding your PM to me our KFLOP+Kanalog boards should certainly be capable of controlling that system. The AMC drives are commonly used with KFLOP+Kanalog. We are actually a verified 3rd party compatible with AMC drives. See Controllers Tab here:
Third Party Compatibility

So you would need our KFLOP and Kanalog boards.

I often suggest a test where you might apply a small voltage (1.5V battery through a 1K ohm resistor) to the analog inputs of the drives (Ref). The motor should drive with 15% torque. Reversing the voltage should drive the opposite direction.

I'm sure we can help you through any tuning issues if you get stuck. So you shouldn't be afraid of that. But it will take time.

Regarding THC I'm not sure what the existing BOB provides. Ideally a proportional voltage signal should be interfaced back to KFLOP. Some have used an Up/down type signal but I don't expect that would be as good. Do you know how it works now? You will need a few lines of C code as glue to tie things together depending on how you decide to go.

The schematics you posted are too low resolution to read. If you have specific questions regarding schematics those you should re post higher resolution images.

HTH
Regards