bandit controller retrofit

The flat control cable from the driver's controller has 16 pins, I shouldn't try it because I'm afraid that there will be some ``smoke signal''

...except, a friend will lend me a hand-held oscilloscope, where I could establish by moving the jog buttons on the controller's keyboard what the signals are.

Doesn't look like there much logic on the power cards, it may be the there are 4 individual
winding drive signals on the cable.

A good picture on the top of the card so you can read the part numbers might help figure
out whats going on.
 

ok, i can try to remove logic board to see the top.

Probably best solution:

Scrap/sell old drives.
Scrap/sell everything else in the bandit except transformers and power filters, etc.
Buy a new stepper drive (possibly hybrid servo), if your machine has an encoder of some sort.
Install LinuxCNC on a PC with a parallel port (parhaps a PCIe/PCI card).
Buy a breakout board.
Connect it up.
Done!

Where does the 48VDC come from?

If there is a transformer leading to a rectifier bridge, just connect the transformer directly to the new drives (connect each drive separately through a terminal block or something, do not "daisy chain" drivers).

I have never purchased either of these, but it might work well for you: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005972825346.html

www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005944387369.htm

What does the motor say on it?

Remember: the motor sticker/plate specifies the average (RMS) current.

The driver current will be listed as peak current (about 1.4x the average).

Therefore, a 4.6A stepper motor needs a 6.5A driver, for example.