Barnworks shop update

Yea the machine is from 86, and has an analog DC servo control with gals scales as feedback. And was build as a CNC.

Iv‘e already converted a 89 cnc machine to linuxcnc keeping servo an sprinkle drive. As long as they are running I don‘t see any reason to change them. Especially when they are well documented like Sinumerik or Heidenhein. And when they fail and I can‘t repair, they will be replaced with something modern.
I just think it would be fun to get her running as she is to play a bit around. After all there is no real need for this machine yet. I bought it for the fun of it. And she is a really nice addition to have fun with in the shop.

  It's nice when you can keep old iron operating. It's even better when you can improve it with modern electronics.
I hope the project goes well.

Started to look a the Fehlmann, First she got new batteries and her won socket (no more extension cords lying around and I really appreciate the cable channels, they were a good decision)

the I reset the parameters but still got an error message:

this kind of points towards E-Stop or Power Supply. So I checked the E-Stop and found an open connection, but it sill didn't start.
So I took the multimeters and found all Inputs are low, wich is kind of odd. Also the LED's of some of the thingies in the cabinet look darker than others.

I DIsconnected two signals the should habe been high from the Circus board and the they were high.
So my guess at the moment is the 24 / 12 / 6V Powersupply or this circuit board:

Tomorrow I will have a look at the powers supply but also started an IO List and cam to the conclusion I would need an 7I97 and 7IA0 (hope this card is supported) to get enough IO's and I would be able to add Glas scales to the column later.

I would like to keep the key pads but they have a bit logic. You get an button pressed signal and 5 Inputs are used to make a pattern, the led's can get and feedback on the same way. I wonder if this would be possible to get this running. The I Can also keep the hand device cause this works the same way.

Most of the buttons are used in manual mode, so it can be handled in user space I guess. So writing a python component should be an easy solution.

The backlight, loadmeter and segment display can also be done in userspace

Hi ,
Tnc 355
You have to press the ce Button at the num Block After power on .
To Enable for switching estop on .

Hi,  It's a TNC 155 and I've already tried that.

I thought it was the power supply an I found the the second 24V section dead, so I used another power supply to feed 24V to the machine. And also fed the power good and E-stop directly from the power supply.

I checked all the contactors if they were working and they did. 

But nothing really changed except the drives now get power. I tried to read the status f the it's in the control but the control doesn't react to anything. Not even trying ti change parameters. 

I guess I will get new power supplies.
12 V and 6 V I can skip, cause they are for a lamp and the optics, which I won't use or have.
I need to find out what is using 24V AC maybe I can remove / replace that too.

And I will need to get the Mesa boards and a 5V power supply.
So be prepares for a retrofit thread coming soon, where I will as a lot of strange questions like:

how mad is the idea to use python and 6 O's from the mesa board to send data to the control panel:

my guess is they use the rising flank to trigger the read of the four data bits, so speed isn't crucial.

Or can I use two joints overlaying each other where one is the column wich can't be PID controlled and has a simple single speed up and down.
Bit ist be able to get its position from a glas scale. Z improve the Z Axis So don't need to reset the WCS when I move the column.