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IndustryArena Forum > Other Machines > Engraving Machines > Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine
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  1. #1
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    Jul 2003
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    1753

    Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine

    I have aquired a Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine.. Doing a quick search I cannot find much info on it. Does anyone know of a source for manual and such?

    thanks
    sam

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    17

    New Hermes

    Try this www.engravers journal.com or go right to Hermes.

  3. #3
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    Jul 2003
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    Thank you.. Have not decided what I want to do with this..

    I plugged it in - and it homed - then smoked (not a big deal - fixable but I would rather use emc2 to control it..)
    http://www.electronicsam.com/images/engraver/drive.JPG
    http://www.electronicsam.com/images/engraver/rip.JPG

    I hooked a parker microstepping drive up to one of the axis's and ran it thru emc2.. Worked great and zipped it around at 120ipm with no issues. I used 1000steps per rev and the lead screw was 4 thread per inch which gives .00025.
    http://www.electronicsam.com/images/...r/engraver.JPG

    they are only 1.5a 5v 6wire steppers - I hooked up just one of each coil running bipolar.

  4. #4
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    Jul 2003
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    its work envelope is 20"X12"X2.25" - nice size.

    sam

  5. #5
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    Jul 2003
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    got 3 parker/compumotor drives hooked up the the existing steppers. So far so good.

    Crappy picture of my foot
    that was zipping around at 60ipm.


  6. #6
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    Jul 2003
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    here is a quick video

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKz81fY1OjY

    sam

  7. #7
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    Dec 2007
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    7
    Quote Originally Posted by samco View Post
    I have aquired a Hermes Vanguard 7200 Engraving machine.. Doing a quick search I cannot find much info on it. Does anyone know of a source for manual and such?

    thanks
    sam
    I just got a Vanguard 7000 with the same problem. Looking for info on the command set. It seems to use either serial or parrallel so I'm guessing it may be something like HPGL. If you hear anything please let me know and I'll do the same...
    Tom

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    8
    Quote Originally Posted by tomtexas View Post
    I just got a Vanguard 7000 with the same problem. Looking for info on the command set. It seems to use either serial or parrallel so I'm guessing it may be something like HPGL. If you hear anything please let me know and I'll do the same...
    Tom
    Hey Tom,
    I am new here also and I see no one answered your request for help on new hermes 7000as of today.
    I also just bought a 7000 to do some watch engraving. Have you figured out how to get your machine working. I bought the program Open Sys from gravograph but it is a dos program and there is no way to use it without training. The training from them is outragous and time to enroll is min 4 months. I think their motive is selling the new $5000program or a new machine Beats me.

  9. #9
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    Jul 2003
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    1753
    Honestly.. I would just get some stepping drives and run it with emc or mach.. The new gecko 4 axis 3.5a drives would be a great match.

    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51083

    That would allow you to use real cad/cam software to develope your parts.

    I sold mine on ebay a few months back. (I am in greater need of a garage)

    sam

    This was using emc2
    [ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Og6V-nS2dig"]YouTube - EMC2 running Hermes engraver making PCB[/ame]
    [ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=a_OUNLruaVQ"]YouTube - EMC2 running hermes 450ipm 50in/s/s doublefreq[/ame]
    [ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hdhn_j6PrCw"]YouTube - emc2 dry run of the 3d_chips test program (linuxcnc penguin)[/ame]

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    8
    Thanks for even replying to me. This forum is so large I am a bit overwhelmed just by the site, Not to mention that I know nothing about these machines. I am a retired Autobody Shop owner and somewhat Ill. This machine is to complement my hobby (Watches) I want to engrave on new dials. My machine will run on new style software and the machine was working fine when bid on by the guy I bought it from. Graveograph sells a program that runs this baby right away, but it is $5000.00 I will sell the machine before paying that much to see it chip away. It will take the code through a parallel cable. I don't think I can wire in new stepper motors unless I saw someone else doing it. This animal is really not anything I have even touched before. This is why I was looking for a friendly person with a Vanguard 7000EP that is working and on what software. I know this machine will work when set up right. At the auction where it came from a couple of finefellows lifted the computer with software and this is the problem. No guys in sight now!!
    Thanks for your suggestion and help,
    Phil

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    171

    drivers

    I have done some reading on these machines.

    They will should run using the HPGL drivers, just like a printer doing graphics.

    You should be able to just load the windows drivers for HPGL and go.


    I have an older machine the 3400 but the EP controller had problems. (the motherboard CMOS battery had corroded and damaged the motherboard)

    I tossed it and rewired the motor driver board directly to the printer port.
    Now I run the machine directly from my computer using MACH3.
    I just finished figuring out the limitswitches last night and got them configured also so I can do homing. If anyone needs the schematic I built for doing this rewiring let me know and I can email it to you.

    Arnie

  12. #12
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    Jul 2008
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    8
    Hello,
    Yes, I would be very interested in a copy of your schematic you made. And anything else you have I may copy and send back to you. Do you have the Windows version to run the new hermes it is Gravograph 5 I think. anything I learn is more than I know. This machine was working fine until the computer came up missing.
    my home e-mail is [email protected]
    Sencerely,
    Phil

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    2

    New Hermes Vanguard 8000

    Hello,

    I have a New Hermes Vanguard 8000 that I have recently come into ownership on. It has a seperate computer for control, but it is non functional. Can anyone point me to a source for information about this router. I have an electrical engineering background and would like to take on the project of upgrading this equipment.

    The mechanical side of the machine looks to be in fairly good condition. Are there any websites out there that may have schematics or some type of information about the interface to the machine. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Stan

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    8
    Hey Stan,
    I have just bought a Vanguard 7000 EP. It had no computer or software at all because someone lifted it after the auction. I got the DOS program from Gravograph $125.00 but it is junk unless you are trained on it. I could not get anything out of the machine until I loaded a HPGL\2plotter driver from windows and it now will turn the bit drive and come forward to the limit switch and stop.Then the panel on the front reads "unknown code".

    Do you have the computer that goes with your machine as was it suppose to work? If you just want to rewire the machine anyway there are tons of guys here to help. I think some of them break things so they can fix them again. Just kidding. I sent a you a crappy pic of the panel on mine. I'll be interested in what you do.
    Phil

  15. #15
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    Jul 2008
    Posts
    2

    vanguard 8000

    I'm leaning towards a Cambell Designs breakout board, and MACH3 software. There is a knob on the front of my unit for speed control. It seems to work just fine.

    I'm thinking that I will just add the breakout box and tap into the DB25 connector to run the X, Y, and Z. I'm going to try to get it running so I can cut phenalic tags for my electrical panel shop first.

    I'll try to post some pictures of my unit later.

    If anyone has it available I would really appreciate a pinout diagram of the DB-25 connector on the rear of the machine.

    Thanks,
    Stan

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    171

    You might be in luck

    Stan,

    If you open up the machine and see what kind of controller boards you have you could be in luck if they are similar to the older ones.

    On mine I it consisted of a separate computer (an old dos machine) that ran the engraving software, it sends HPGL commands to the controller box (EP controller).

    The EP controller box consisted of a standalone motherboard (PC style) with a plugin motion controller board that recieves the HPGL commands from the computer over a parallel port.

    This motion controller then connects to a motor driver board through a 20pin ribbon cable.

    The motor driver board is a standalone board, not plugged into the motherboard.

    There is also a power supply board.

    Older computers were so slow they could not calculate motion control commands and output a motor control pulse stream while taking care of other tasks like video all at the same time so they had to pass off movement commands to a separate controller that was dedicated to coordinating motion among the axis. Today with faster computers, that is not a problem, they are fast enough to do all these tasks.

    On my machine (3400) the motherboard in the EP controller was toast. I tossed the mother board and the daughter board (motion controller).

    Take a look at your system internals and determine if this is the same or similar to what you have. If so I was able to trace the circuit out on the motor driver board, build a schematic, then rewire the 20pin ribbon cable connection to hook the motor driver directly to my parallel port on a newer faster XP machine. Now I am running Mach3 software on an 800mhz computer outputting on the parallel port connected to the engraver motor driver board, engraving & 3D machining (with other software).

    I can share what I have done, it is in Eagle's schematic format.

    I am considering offering a premade parallel breakout board with the appropriate connectors, pullups & current limiting resistors prewired.


    Arnie

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    8

    Question My machine is like yours was.

    Hi Arnie,
    I have been tring to figure out how to get this Vanguard 7000 to respond. The last post you made to help Stan sounds like the same inner workings of my machine. It is a DOS base program that runs it and I have a HPGL printer driver on com1 but it still doesn't do the right moves. I know the machine is mechanically okay, it moves in all directions and the cutter motor runs. I ran a toolpath from cut2 directly to machine as per Tony's idea and oddly enough
    the panel read something like too much information and made a remark obout 256K. So I think the only way to get this thing to really cut with todays speed programs is to do what you did. I don't want to use the DOS program I have even if it worked okay. I will try to upload a couple of pics of my machine and if you are interested in talking about a prewired board and you are sure it will work, we can talk price. I can take some other pics with the control panel out, it is only one screw. The pic of the panel doesn't show the small joy stick to the right just a hair.
    My regular e-mail is [email protected] if you don't mine sending your schematic I may be able to see if it looks like what you have. I am really wanting to make this thing turn-up but it is all a new toy to me.
    Thanks
    Phil
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails PIC_0120.jpg   PIC_0121.jpg  

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    171

    Update on Vanguard engraver

    Just an update on the progress on a Vanguard engraver. I am working on Phil's machine and have examined the control boards. I am in the process of making a schematic and determining how to rewire it so he can run it under control of Mach3 or other machine controller softwares.

    It is going pretty good, I am close to starting the wiring changes now.

    The stepper motor driver board on this mdl 7000 is a simple 3 axis controller using the special purpose chips L297 & L298. It is normally controlled by the onboard computer using a special motion controller card. I will be rewiring it bypassing the motion controller card & onboard computer, going directly from the parallel port to the stepper motor driver board.

    I will post again with the results of my testing in a week or so.

    Arnie

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by aminear View Post
    Just an update on the progress on a Vanguard engraver. I am working on Phil's machine and have examined the control boards. I am in the process of making a schematic and determining how to rewire it so he can run it under control of Mach3 or other machine controller softwares.

    It is going pretty good, I am close to starting the wiring changes now.

    The stepper motor driver board on this mdl 7000 is a simple 3 axis controller using the special purpose chips L297 & L298. It is normally controlled by the onboard computer using a special motion controller card. I will be rewiring it bypassing the motion controller card & onboard computer, going directly from the parallel port to the stepper motor driver board.

    I will post again with the results of my testing in a week or so.

    Arnie
    Arnie,
    I have a Vanguard 8000, everything works but I can only do lettering. I would like to connect this machine to an XP running Mach3 but need a schematic to make a cable. Is the 7000 similar or would you recommend changing to a seperate controller. I have a mechtronics 3 axis board that I can use but wanted to retain the old functionality.
    Suggestions welcomed
    Rich Longfellow

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    171
    Rich,

    I am not familiar with the 8000 so I couldn't say for sure. But the similarities between the 7000 of Phils and my older 3400 were not too far out. They both used the same chip set for the driver board. l289's If that is the same as yours it could be close. If you want to take some pictures of your boards and send them to me at aminear at wyomingwireless dot com. I would be glad to comment.

    Arnie

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