I just got an EMCO F1 Mill with controller for my Shop class and was wondering about the best way to get it to work with a computer. i really would like to use the EMCO controller and computer to run programs but, I need a little more insight. Does anyone know what are these connections on the back of the machine are?
Lots of info on the net about it. Found a good thread on it at CNCzone: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop-machines/11812-help-emco-f1-mill.html
It seems that the controller can only handle 210 lines of G code though. So you’ll want to scrap it ( I would assume ), and go for a more modern approach.
From what I saw in my search, it seem the top left connector is a serial port, and one of the others is for a video monitor of some sort, and the others are for a cassette recorder ( for data )…
Also found a couple of manual on it:
http://www.smoregrava.net/CNC/f1pcncservice.pdf
http://www.usinages.com/Documentations/EMCO_F1_cnc%20manual.pdf
Hey Matthew. This is just a suggestion. It might be easier just to install a gecko 540 controller and run this little bad boy via Mach-3. Like I said, just a suggestion? Cheers, Aaron.
Yes, I have considered that. I was really hoping to still be able to use the controller I have. Would that be a simple conversion for use a Gecko540 and adapt it to work with my controller?
@Mat_Helm I have seen both the manual and the site. The F1P is a production machine while the one I have is different. I keep seeing posts that there are many differences between the production and the Education.
You’d just have to trace the wires back to the stepper motors. And any 3 axis controller would work so long as it could handle the amps needed. Thought I read that they were equivalent to nema 23. But that could be anywhere from 2 to 6 amps depending on their size/holding force…
@Matthew_Van_Arsdale Could be I guess. I was mostly going off the pics while searching. More pics would probably help the experts here identify what you need. Specifically of the stepper motors and any labels on them…
https://db.tt/rgWZUcdz here is a link to more pictures of the machine.
Im starting to think a conversion like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NUD_an5ck would be awesome. anyone have experience with these http://www.cs-lab.eu/en/produkt-18,2-CSMIOIPM_4axis_Ethernet_Motion_Controller_stepdir_with_connectors.html