[trevj1]

Partner4/Cent V controller.

Still plugging along...

Anyone done any hardware or software hacking on these? I am constantly running into programs that use more blocks than I have available, and have to hand edit the posts (from GibbsCam) in order to get them to fit.

Recently dropped in 2 4meg 30 pin RAM chips, in place of the 1 1Meg chips that were in the machine.(retrieved from the junk box)

Is the size of the program that it will run dependant on hardware, or settings in the parameters? Anything I can do that might increase the available space?

Given that the programs are far smaller than a full 1.44 meg floppy, it seems a little on the tight side, as far as available space goes.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

[Dave1]

Ram in the computer makes no difference, you could put 2 gig chips in (30 pin, never made that big but you get the point) wouldn't help the file size. The memory is on the machine controller board, no parameters to set, nothing. I recommend removing line numbers and any spaces along with any comments, I have been able to greatly increase what the control will read doing this. Other options is to drip feed a large file using rs 232.
Dave

[Ben Colby]

I agree with Dave1, the program memory is on the controller board.
One of the problems with CAM programs is they don't write tight code,
which becomes a problem on older controls (as you've discovered).
Not that long ago many shops stored library volumes of multiple programs
on floppy disks.
If milltronics still supports your control? contact them about any memory or
board upgrades or DNC or Edit as Dave1 suggests.

Ben
COBRO Mfg.

[trevj1]

I think they still support the Cent V, but there is not a bunch of willingness at work to spend any coin on this machine. Not a happy state of affairs really.

The machine seems a bit more stable since the memory swap-in, so that may have been part of the issues, or it may have been something else. The old 1 meg chips now live inside the machine with a note on the envelope telling from where they came.

I was hoping that there were some tweakable or settable arrangements available to be able to up the system memory size. SOL. I guess, on that front.

Time to learn to trim the fat off the code...

Cheers
Trevor Jones

[Dave1]

You can increase the memory size but it is an expensive upgrade, a buddy of mine has a 256 meg compact flash card installed inside his controller. Any decent program editor can remove block numbers and comments along with spaces, you should also be able to setup you post processor to not output the stuff.
Dave

[trevj1]

Kinda funny that it's an expensive upgrade to tweak up a class of computer that is getting hard to find even in the recyclers pile-O-stuff.

Funny like the smell, rather than the joke.

I will take a look around the motherboard and have a boo at what i can see, and maybe something will come of it.

Support from Milltronics looks like a non option at this stage. Hard (and expensive) to get a repair guy of any sort up here as it goes. I'll rattle what chains I can, though, to see if we can get someone competent in.
Last service call on the machine was a little over a $2K touch, with the result being that the guy say's "They pretty much all leak oil, and there's nothing that can be done about it."

I figure this machine to be a great start on a home shop conversion. It's in pretty decent shape, as far as the iron goes, but it is not the gee whiz machine that it was when new.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

[Dave1]

I'm pretty sure the "expensive" memory upgrade is the same on all the controls. Optional I believe. The memory upgrade is actually an add on card, it's not on the motherboard. And, what do you mean he said they all leak oil??? Way lube dripping on the floor? I take it yours is a knee style mill? Then I can see that it leaks oil. The pump is probably pushing 5 cc's every 5 minutes or so.
Dave

[trevj1]

The machine was (and still is) puking oil from the head onto the table.

Causing some contamination issues with some of the materials that were being milled at the time. The operator had to stand by the machine and wipe the oil off the underside of the head every few minutes in order to keep most of it off the work.

They used to leave the machine powered up for days at a time. That did not help. The oil pump would run till it was empty, then they would refill it before use. Lotsa oil in the sump. Fun. Yech!!

Yes, it is a knee style mill. The chip trays catch most of the drool off the table's undersides, provided the table does not get parked way off to one side, but the constant puddle of oil that lands on the table is a minor PITA.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

[Dave1]

We used to have that same problem at work. It wasn't specific to any one machine either, Tree, Bridgeport, whatever, the head always dripped. We machined Teflon PFA for parts that went into the semi-conductor industry, they HATE oil.
Dave

[jpawelk]

MIlltronics does support the Centurion V control. Call 952.442.1401, option 3 for the parts and repair department to inquire about memory upgrading.

[mholden]

The memory size on a cent 5 with the older system is about 100k that you can run a program. but you can DNC the program from memory or load it into the ram or rs232. The editor is the limited so if you would try and edit a big program on the control it would cut the program off at the 100k size.

[trevj1]

We have a limited experience pool to draw on and use Gibbs pretty much exclusively.
It's just me, last guy that had any training, felt that information was to be hoarded or buried. I picked up from the guy that learned on HIS own, in the wake of the keeper of secrets. A lot has been missed along the way.

Net result. Some bloated code, but the work gets done. And I learn.

Been going over the manuals that came with the machine, and thanking my lucky stars for the advances in Cad/Cam tech that are available now.
Can't say that the conversational programming available on the control looks all that intuitive.
Sadly, our software has quite rapidly outrun our hardware.

100 k seems about where the limits have been kicking in. I'll muck about with some posted files and see if I can get a feel for the max size it will load. I would like to be able to at least be able to put a sticky on the wall that tells all involved to beware, when the size gets to a certain point. That way, I'll remember. :-)

I see the controller counting blocks when it loads up. What can I do to maximise the content of each block, aside from dumping stuff like comments, or removing line numbers (All one big line??)?

Thanks guys ! I appreciate the input.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

[TZ250]

This is a cool thread. I'm having the same problems. My mill is a 1998 Centurion VI.

Yesterday, I got it to accept a CAD/CAM program for the first time. The program was 492 lines long. I made of couple of changes and changed the file name. It would not recognize it because of a 'Error 312', which has something to do with memory.

I agree that it should not cost $2,800 for the upgrades. I'd rather do it myself if at all possible.

I don't like the idea of flash memory because it's not hot pluggable. Another option is a ZIP drive.

What I really want is USB compatibility.

What is the best way to use the RS232 port ? I could buy a cheap computer for dedicated use.


Thanks guys. :cheers:

[Dave1]

What cad/cam are you using? You could make sure your cam is outputting full arcs, some systems output 180 deg. arcs by default, that makes a circle 2 lines long, the Milltronics will accept a full arc, 1 line for a full circle. Don't use block numbers for large files, it eats memory. Are you using a floppy disk for transferring files? I used to use a floppy, I wired all my machines for rs232 and a 4 port switchbox and haven't looked back. I use a program called Machine Link, it works great, 100 bucks off ebay. We used the program at a buddy's place and drip fed a 10 meg file to his Partner 1 with great success. (F10 utilities, DNC, rs232) Another thing you can do is load the program to ram and dnc it from there but you can't edit it at the machine.
Dave

This is a cool thread. I'm having the same problems. My mill is a 1998 Centurion VI.

Yesterday, I got it to accept a CAD/CAM program for the first time. The program was 492 lines long. I made of couple of changes and changed the file name. It would not recognize it because of a 'Error 312', which has something to do with memory.

I agree that it should not cost $2,800 for the upgrades. I'd rather do it myself if at all possible.

I don't like the idea of flash memory because it's not hot pluggable. Another option is a ZIP drive.

What I really want is USB compatibility.

What is the best way to use the RS232 port ? I could buy a cheap computer for dedicated use.


Thanks guys. :cheers:

[bborb]

mholden is right, you CAN load the program from your RS232 directly into RAM instead of the installed memory board. After pressing the "RS232" key you press the "RAM" key, then send your program from your laptop (or PC). The program is now in RAM. This bypasses the 100K limit on the memory board and you're only limited by the amount of RAM you've installed.
To run the program you loaded in RAM, go to "DNC" and after pressing "DNC" you select "RAM" and now you're ready to Cycle Start and run the program.

[TZ250]

What cad/cam are you using?

I'm using Dolphin CAD/CAM Level III.

I need to find out how to disable the line numbers. Thanks for the tip on the one line diameter.

I've never used DNC or RS232 to run a program. I will now!

you're only limited by the amount of RAM you've installed.

Can I install more RAM on a Centurion VI? That would definitely help.


Thanks guys.

[Dave1]

Ram, maybe you can add more to the motherboard and load a program to it, still can't edit it though, it'll crash. Even if you load to ram, you still need to get the program from cad to the mill, using "sneaker wear" hehe, or rs232. One draw back to using a floppy is if the floppy errors out, the mill will shut down. On the other hand, if you rs232 a file and your parts storage is full, the machine will shut down. Big programs I just dnc'em and it'll be fine. You can set the dnc parameters to 19200, that's the highest it'll go, no the fastest thing but not the slowest either. Make sure the buffer is set to at least 200, even with small moves like straight line arcs at buffer of 200 the control will still keep up with the mill.
Dave

I'm using Dolphin CAD/CAM Level III.

I need to find out how to disable the line numbers. Thanks for the tip on the one line diameter.

I've never used DNC or RS232 to run a program. I will now!


Can I install more RAM on a Centurion VI? That would definitely help.


Thanks guys.

[TZ250]

Big programs I just dnc'em and it'll be fine.

I must learn how to do that. It's probably in my manual somewhere.


I'll start looking for a cheap dedicated computer for RS232 work.


Thanks again.

[msomerville]

Using DNC is easy. The only thing that sucks is that you can't verify the program. I can't remember right now but you just drop down the utilities menu and there is an option right there, or maybe it is one menu further in I can't remember. From there you have options to run straight from a disk etc. (cant remember exactly).

I am interested myself in upgrading the ram in my machine. Where would one find the correct hardware?