Swift cut plasma

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Tue May 12, 2020 9:02 am

Hi. Can anyone help me with this... Iv a swift cut cnc plasma, my hard drive on my computer went on fire (not much damage) my problem now is I haven't got mach 3 anymore

. When I contacted swift they wanted 5k to replace it.... Anyone know how the hell I can get and running... Ie mach 3 cheap please

Post by **acourtjester** » Tue May 12, 2020 9:41 am

Mach 3 should not be a problem to get the problem is the license. If Swift had purchase a license from Mach for that machine they own that license, and there may be other things in the software/hardware that may make it hard to recover. If it also was running a windows operating system you will need to get a new product key for that. Now if the BOB and drivers are generic you could buy a refurb PC (some with Win 7 or 10) and buy your own license from Mach, that would be much cheaper. Or replace the BOB and PC and go for another CNC setup as many here have done. here is what I used on the last table I built, they have cheaper one without monitors too.
https://www.overstock.com/Electronics/D ... ters&rfmt=

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Tue May 12, 2020 12:37 pm

Well
I should of said, I got a new hardrive fitted with windows 10.is there any other programs that would work with the drives?? I'm not very cleaver with this stuff!!

Post by **robertspark** » Tue May 12, 2020 2:20 pm

How is the controller fed mach3 signals?

Does it use a parallel port interface?
Usb
Ethernet
Smooth stepper?

Take some photos of the control cabinet

Post by **acourtjester** » Tue May 12, 2020 2:52 pm

When installing mach 3 on a Win 10 operating system you cannot use a parallel printer port, same thing with and Win 7 running 64 bit. I just ran into this when changing to different PC but you can run a USB BOB board with Win 10 and Mach 3, just do not load the parallel driver when installing mach 3.

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Wed May 13, 2020 4:33 am

It's using the parallel port interface I'll send some photos in a bit

Post by **robertspark** » Wed May 13, 2020 5:30 am

Ok, then your options are limited a little.

you can use Windows XP to 7 providing your install the 32bit windows version with Mach3.

If you can find a Windows 7 licence number (any old laptop or PC should have a sticker on them you can reuse)
you can download a version from here (it seems, not tried it)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwar ... d/windows7

64 bit versions of windows will NOT work with Mach3 (as acourtjester said) with the parallel / LPT port. They ONLY work with a motion controller.

I would not recommend buying Mach3 for $175 as it is essentially obsolete and no longer being developed.

However if you REALLY want Mach3, then you could but a UC100 from cncdrive available from a few locations such as:
Stateside Seller: https://www.cnc4pc.com/uc100-usb-motion-controller.html

Make sure you buy a Genuine one from a retailer such as cnc4pc as there are a few fakes about that don't work so well with mach3 as some functions are internal within the motion controller such as jogging, probing, Torch Height Control (axis UP & DN) and M10/M11 which are all internal functions within the motion controller.

if you buy a UC100 for an extra $60 (or less if you buy it with a UC100 motion controller as a package deal) you can get UCCNC which is a development of Mach3 (similar but different ) that has a lot of benefits better than Mach3 where Mach3 left off. Quite a few have converted to UCCNC from Mach3 now

if you buy a UC100 you can always flip back to Mach3 if you want or use UCCNC. note the UC hardware is hard coded to the software via a licence / serial number.

the UC100 will plug straight into the parallel port and work as it did before.

the UC100 uses a USB cable interface to the PC.

I would recommend that you install the development version of UCCNC (as that is where some of the newer features are and the screensets appear better in my opinion). It will run as a demo and you can load the plasma screenset to have a look at and play with. It will run in demo mode but will not output any motion pulses until you buy a cncdrive motion controller (UC100, UC300ETH, UC400ETH, AXBB-E) and a licence for UCCNC with the matching hardware serial number on the cncdrive motion controller.
http://www.forum.cncdrive.com/viewtopic ... 442#p18850

Users tend to say that the motion is much smoother with UCCNC and you can achieve higher acceleration than Mach3 because the acceleration is controlled via adjustable parameters which are not available in Mach3 relating to G64 blended motion. Mach3 can do some odd things with acceleration and the hence you end up running the machine slower to compensate.

______________________________________________________
You could always use LinuxCNC + plasmac as that will work with a parallel port..... but will require more fiddling in my opinion than just plugging in the UC100 and installing Mach3 or UCCNC. It depends on how much you want to play under the bonnet to get things to work.
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/pla ... guide.html

Rodw · Post by **Rodw** » Thu May 14, 2020 5:06 am

robertspark wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 5:30 am You could always use LinuxCNC + plasmac as that will work with a parallel port..... but will require more fiddling in my opinion than just plugging in the UC100 and installing Mach3 or UCCNC. It depends on how much you want to play under the bonnet to get things to work.
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/pla ... guide.html

Yeh, I'm involved in a project to bring pre-built plasmac solution to market. But its probably not going to help the OP as its not here right now. But it will happen.

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 1:52 pm

Photo of the back of pc

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 1:54 pm

Photo 2

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 1:54 pm

Photos 3

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 1:55 pm

Photo4

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 1:56 pm

Last photo

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 2:01 pm

Call me stupit, but all that info has gone over my head..... As iv said before, I'm not cleaver on these things!! I'm a blacksmith and I can get hot metal to sing but when it started to become computerised... I'm drowning!!!

Post by **Larry83301** » Thu May 14, 2020 4:49 pm

Savid wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:01 pm Call me stupit, but all that info has gone over my head..... As iv said before, I'm not cleaver on these things!! I'm a blacksmith and I can get hot metal to sing but when it started to become computerised... I'm drowning!!!

I had the computer that was running my CNC with Mach-3 crash the hard drive, it had been doing OK since 2006, lost some files but most were on another computer. I tried one of the USB to printer port things only to find out that Mach -3 only uses a certain port and the converters can not be directed to the correct port. Went on EBAY and found an older computer with WIN XP and a real printer port, reinstalled Match -3 from the disk I got 14 years ago and it's up and running, only thing I had to do was re-tune my axis motors and slave the A axis motor to my Y-axis and all was well. Do you still have the original disk for MACH -3 or not? Perhaps I can help you, PM me with your email address and we can discuses your problem further.

Larry

PS the computer cost $60. and I was back in business.

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Thu May 14, 2020 5:37 pm

Hi larry
I never got the disc with the machine.... Or I lost it. So no disc here. Do I put my email address here??

Blackslacks · Post by **Blackslacks** » Thu May 14, 2020 8:32 pm

My 2c--- why would you spend $ on a comp and software based on technology that is 20 years old. Move up and do as RS suggested a uc100 and uccnc. You won't look back and you can get a combo deal for about 140.00US. This parallel port stuff is yesterday.

Post by **Larry83301** » Thu May 14, 2020 11:00 pm

Savid wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:37 pm Hi larry
I never got the disc with the machine.... Or I lost it. So no disc here. Do I put my email address here??

I don't suggest putting your email on Facebook, send me a PM with the info inside it. By the way do you know how to make a disk, just checking.

Larry

Savid · Post by **Savid** » Fri May 15, 2020 2:22 pm

OK so, iv being reading up on the options given here... Think I'd be better go with the new technology!! The uc100 and uccnc looks the best route... Can anyone tell me how easy is it done?? Is it just a case of ordering both, downloading mach 3 or 4 and go...
Any advice welcome please. David

Post by **robertspark** » Fri May 15, 2020 3:10 pm

You will need to buy a uc100 and a uccnc licence.

If you are stateside, then cnc4pc would be your best bet in my opinion.

$165.00
Summary
Motion Controller:
1 x UC100 USB MOTION CONTROLLER
Control Software:
1 x UCCNC License File Bundle

Uccnc replaces mach3 /4

You plug in the uc100 and then load uccnc and copy the licence file from your email to the uccnc folder and then set up your ports and pins for step and direction signals

What concerns me is you have candcnc hardware from your photo below and I have no idea what it does or how it communicated with mach3 so do not want to give you a whole load of other aggravation..... It would be helpful if Tom could offer some advice

Savid wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 1:54 pmPhoto 2

Rodw · Post by **Rodw** » Fri May 15, 2020 3:18 pm

If you are going to retrofit your machine and you have no existing attachment to a Windows based control system, You should also consider Linuxcnc's plasmac. It will do a better job short of using a Hypertherm control
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/2.8/html/plasm ... guide.html
A mesa 7i96 ethernet card and a Mesa THCAD-10 will set you back $188 total
Before you start down this path, you should also read the Linuxcnc plasma primer
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/2.8/html/plasm ... rimer.html
If you decide to go this way, ask your questions on the Linuxcnc forum. We will look after you.

Post by **robertspark** » Fri May 15, 2020 5:06 pm

....you may also need a 26 pin idc to 25pin lpt cable with linuxcnc and Mesa hardware....

I am concerned with the candcnc hardware you have as regardless of what solution you go with (uccnc or linuxcnc ) you really want to avoid rewiring and headscratching if you are not the tinkerer type

I'd suggest providing a few more photos of the control cabinet

Rodw · Post by **Rodw** » Fri May 15, 2020 8:55 pm

The main thing to determine is if the existing controls are active high or active low.

For a new build (skipping to another board for a moment), you would use the 7i76e which is active high.

If it was active low, Mesa have an alternative generally reserved for retrofits that are active low switching, the 7i76eD

I'd have to check if there is a D version of the 7i96.

Post by **robertspark** » Sat May 16, 2020 1:42 am

Hmm... Rod be careful what you recommend without knowing all the information. The guy just wants his machine to work and he wants the solution to be as easy as possible.

Linuxcnc + plasmac is good but it's not the solution for everyone or everything.

I was hoping Tom from CandCNC would shed some light on the candcnc hardware.

Rodw · Post by **Rodw** » Sat May 16, 2020 2:12 am

I think its up to the OP to make decisions on what he wants to do based on available options.
Surely he can approach CandCNC directly about upgrade paths available from them. Which could take him back to Linuxcnc anyway.

Swift cut plasma

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