[Greg_B]

I have some cnc experience using a router and a benchtop mill and I use VCarvePro to draw and toolpath. I have ran very large files without fail on my machines but have run into something I don't understand. I have recently used a friends EZ trak that was purchased new in 2000 (it runs on a floppy drive). He use Mastercam v9 and has problems with files over about 100k. The machine just stops. I've been told that this software can somehow break the files into smaller parts that the controller can accept but I don't yet know how to do this. I also was able to get a post from VCarve and tried my software. Pretty much the same problem but for some reason I posted identical toolpaths with both programs and the VCarve ran almost three times the code before stopping the machine. There's a RS-232 port on the cabinet next to the floppy drive. Can I run a computer to this port and solve this issue. And if so, would that mean that any printer cable would work or does it need to wired differently.

Thanks for any help,
Greg

[Greg_B]

Hi gamazuf,
I don't know. I hope to visit my friend by early next week. I'll try to get as much info as I can. Is there anything else in particular that would help right now?
Thanks,
Greg

[machintek]

A EZTRAK (not prototrak) that was new in 2000 would have a control in a box with a industrial half size mother board. The limiting program size factor is the BMDC. It has a 256K storage buffer. Thus anything bigger requires the ability to DNC.
The 2 axis machines did not DNC. The 3 axis machines could.
Bridgeport was married to EZCAM and Feature Cam and I know their posts worked well. Mastercam would be a wild card (unknown) in this mix.
Also this machines will probably have a DISK on a Chip. A 8 MB solid state device that is used instead of a hard drive. The first generation SX machines booted from a floppy. Either there is something screwed up of you are mistaken what generation this machine is. The floppy or RS232 can be used to transfer programs.

George

[Greg_B]

George

I very well could be wrong about the year it was purchased and what generation. It is a 3-axis machine and has dnc capability. I don't understand how to take advantage of that.
I test ran a small 3d file, generated with Aspire, and it ran very smoothly. As far as the EZcam and FeatureCam softwares, are you implying that they would run the larger files?
The machine doesn't boot from the floppy but that is the only way we have transferred files. If we used the RS232 port to transfer the files, would the machine be able to feed from the newer computer the larger files without stopping until the file ends?

Thanks,
Greg

[tsquint1138]

Removed

[Greg_B]

This is an EZTrak 1-13-701, Series 1 Revision AA. Couldn't find bill of sale for Eztrak but he purchased software at the same time in 2002. The controller is a BPC2M.

[machintek]

The posts for EZCAM and FeatureCam are proven out. That is all. The physical limitation of the BMDC board still applies. 256K
I do not know of anyone that has tried to DNC with a EZTRAK. That is the reason for such a forum. The question can be asked with a world wide audience.
I do know that those that DNC to Bridgeports DX control download the program to the machine (hard drive, flash memory) or put it on a floppy and DNC from the Floppy or hard drive. It is not done with RS232. Older machines such as a BOSS 8 or 9 as well as Fanuc control did DNC from a slave PC or EZFILE (Greko box) using Rs232.

George

[Gncc50]

Hi Greg,

You should be able to run programs as George said up to 256k. A 100k program should be no problem. If you get a "buffer overload" when you load and preview the program that will tip you off that you have exceeded the 256K limit. As George has mentioned you can DNC from the floppy drive and then run programs up to the capacity of the floppy. This is usually around 50,000 lines. I have done this many times on an EZtrrak.

If you aren't getting the "Buffer Overload" alarm, the problem more than likely isn't your file size.

Make sure the cam program you are using isn't using a field width on the line numbering of more than 4 places. For example 9999 is OK, 10000 will stop the machine dead.

The attached Thumbnail is a screen shot of a program that I sent someone else about this same issue. Hope this helps.


Also double check your program to make sure it loaded the entire program onto the disk. I just open it in notepad to double check it.







Pete

[Gncc50]

Hi Greg,

I took some pictures of my control. The program that I am loading into the control is 919K. In the first photo, I get the "Buffer Overload" alarm. To Dnc, hit + key for Run. At this screen hit F1 for set options. This will bring up the select options screen, hit 4 to set DNC mode. At this point a red bar will show up and ask you if you want to DNC from a Disk or Macro. Enter 1 for Disk. If this red bar doesn't show up. De select 4 (the DNC option) and select it again. The control will then switch to either the hard drive or the floppy drive and you will cursor down and select the program you want and load it. When it loads it will say DNC on the screen as you will see in the photos. Remember to hit 1 for Auto. Then run or preview the program. If you preview the program you will have to go through this procedure again before you can run it. You will have to do this every time you run the program

This probably sounds like a long procedure but it really only takes seconds once you do it a few times.



Pete

[Greg_B]

Pete,
I followed what you wrote with no problem. I toolpathed a pocket on a piece roughly 18" x 8", (flames outline and skull island), 2 depth passes with 60% stepover with a 1/8" bit at 30"/min. and ran it in air. I wouldn't toolpath this the same if I were actually cutting; I was just trying to create an oversized file for this test run. The file was over 500k (about 13,000 lines) and I ran it in DNC mode from the floppy. It stopped after about 1/3rd of the way into the second passover at depth. Definitely running a larger file than before so its a step in the right direction. It will be another week before I'm able to try again.

Thanks

[Gncc50]

Hi Greg,

Could you attach one of your programs or send me one so I can try it. There is some other problem if it is stopping, other than the file size.


Did you check the numbering??

What line is the program stopping on? Go into edit and see what that line is.

When you "view" the program or simulate at the control, does it run the entire program??

Pete