I just got a Burny DNC 2.8 and...

Hi all. I am Javier, from Spain. I just bought an old, 1988 machine from Cleveland Machine Controls.
It says BURNY and DNC 2.8
Still have not plugged it in, but I am sure it would pay off if I just change all the electronics (if I can keep the servo motors).
So I just started by collecting all the info, and first thing that comes to my mind that a Mesa 7176E and a thcad might be the way to go.

It has an Hyperterm 100A...but I have not even checked it up. 

Any opinion on this idea? it is the way you would go?
I know CNCs (well...one I have), but it is the first time I get hands on a plasma CNC. Not afraid of learning curve and programming, but I know little about electronics. Maionly I am wondering if I can use the current CMC dc servomotor MT2630-126AF, enconders H20DB-37-SS-60-ABZC-28V-V-SC18, and the drivers with a Mesa717E, but I am openminded and would like your comments and expertise.
Thanks 

DC servo motors, so most probably use +-10V analog control, not step/dir.
So a Mesa 7i77 with one of 7i92(eth) or 5i25(PCI) or 6i25(PCI-E).
Also there is Mesa 7i97.
First try to start and jog the machine to make sure the drives/motors work properly.

First of all, thank you Tommy for the answer.

I am waiting for the electrician to properly review the machine and set a plug for it, but in the meantime I went for a mesa 7i95, since it can use servos and stepper, and I planned to use the old ones if they work and then implement new Z axis with stepper.
I got it to work to work with a raspberry pi4 with linuxcnc 2.9 over ubuntu (as a test), just following the threads about the 7i95 and I just made a stepper to move and now testing limit switches.

So I will keep on learning how .hal files work, and how to set up inputs and outputs (probable a spindle for drilling holes in the future), but the number one on the list is to control the plasma and for that I have seen the THCAD10 board, but also a THCAD 5 for ohmic sensoring? Would two THCAD10 work? They are same price here, so...just asking. I have a Hypertherm max 100 21

Will go back to forum reading but I wanted to thank your effort and time spent already answering lots of questions and giving advices.

We just got one motor to work, and we will try to change the brushes to the other.
Trying to understand the decoder and the hal code. 
Any ideas on the thcad options I asked?
Thanks

2 of Mesa THCAD10 should work just fine, but it would be better to get one and make the machine work with a floating switch first, then you can better evaluate if you need ohmic sensing or not.

tovarna wrote:

Any ideas on the thcad options I asked?
Thanks

Save yourself the hassle and skip THCAD ohmic sensing.

Phill did a nice write up on THCAD vs Relay ohmic sensing (and you can find a schematic to use the relay method there, which you can use pncconf to set up very easily): here

The setup is way less complicated, there is way less fiddling to get it to work, no components to track down in this forum and install, it's cheaper, and it's not bothered by noise/interference, and those of us who have ditched THCAD ohmic have found relay ohmic to be way more reliable, etc. It just works, right out of the box.