Re: Troubleshooting a BTR

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Jon Elson <elson@p...>
wrote:

> vinnygenovese wrote:
>
> >I am trying to bring an IKEGIA FX25-N / Fanuc 5T back to life. There is a

BTR

> >that I am trying to bring online. Problem is I don't have any instructions or

dip

> >switch settings. I uploaded a photo to http://radiantheat.com/UCM-

BTR.jpg.

> >The board has a single LED , which seems to 'blink' when i send data, but

it

> >seems no signal gets through to the Fanuc 5T. (or I am sending the wrong
> >commands). I googled and googled. It seems they are out of business. Any
> >hints on the dip switch's or other hints would be very welcome.
> >
> >
> Well, I think it can be deciphered. It looks like there is no
> microprocessor there,
> I think the big chip is a 40-pin UART. It also looks like the markings
> have been
> sanded off that chip, but by tracing the power pins, you may be able to
> figure
> out which if the several 40 pin uarts it is. It is socketed, so pulling
> it and
> looking on the back may have some markings that at least identify the
> manufacturer,
> which may be all you need to narrow down the type of UART. Once you
> know this,
> you can see which dip switch is connected to which pin, and with the
> crystal frequency,
> you can figure out how to set the baud rate and transmission characteristics
> (# bits, even/odd/none parity, etc.)
>
> I could be off on this, but there is clearly no EPROM chip, and
> something about
> it just makes me think it predates one-chip micros. I note 1488 and
> 1489 chips,
> and wonder if it is getting the right power to those chips, as they need
> both
> positive and negative voltages.
>
> I don't know Fanuc machines, but most systems need some switch settings
> and/or
> commands or buttons to put them in the right mode to read a program from
> tape
> or to go into DNC mode.
>
> In DNC mode, the computer becomes a file server for the CNC control, and
> doesn't send anything until the CNC control asks for it by file name.
>
> Jon

Thanks for your insights. I have taken the board apart as per your suggestions
and found the UCM logo was painted over the first markings on the large chip
just like you guessed. The original markings are close to gone but I can make
out the lowest line GFSX904 5 or S. On the back it says Malasya. I have
found the trademark (tm) MICRO-BTR on the back, but they must have gone
under in the pre-internet days (nothing on google but one reference to UCM
in LA.).

The dip switch settings on the top dip switch seem to control baud rate, the
traces for that chip go to one SN74LS165N. When I change these settings the
LED blinks out the new baud rate after a reset.

I also learned that if I type into my terminal like a madman and change comm
settings on the fly, sometimes I can get it to lock up and the LED blinks out a
steady 0. The BTR dip switch's came set up for 1200 so I assume a 1979
Faunc 5T defaults to that baud rate ? .

FYI in order to set up my Fanuc 5T control to read the BTR I have set my main
mode switch to 'memory' and pressed the read button on the tape reader. ( as
stated in the Fanuc 5T book that came with the machine. The drive wheel
spins in the reader full time. of course I would throw the BTR board into the
Atlantic if I could afford to replace it ! ! !


Thanks everyone for your interest and suggestions.



vinny