Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Can I drip feed a bridgeport boss 5

Hi Luke,

I see how it's working, they are simulating a paper tape reader! I
should think any '386 computer running 33Mhz or faster should be fine.
You'll be able to use an "older" parallel port, which should have
sufficient drive.

Do you have a cable made up for this process? I'm thinking pins 1-9 and
a few grounds (18-25). I'd bet that the "STROBE" line (pin 1) is used
to "clock" the data on pins 2-9. Very simple stuff. The drip program
would then send the data at some defined rate. Any additional lines
would imply some "handshaking", to allow the BOSS to get blocks or words
at it's own speed.

More below:

Luke1027 wrote:

> Hello Alan,
>
> Thanks for the reply.
> Please understand that I only based my first post on what I was told
> from the man who gave me the program. Let me add more of the exact
> quotes from his emails, maybe you can clarify more on the subject on the
> parallel port.
>
> First off he states “These large programs must be fed to the machine
> (Boss5) in increments that can be stored in the machines memory. The
> only way to accomplish this on the a Bridgeport Boss5 control is to use
> the Parallel interface for the tape reader. Basically, the DRIP.EXE
> program sends commands from the a computers Parallel port to the tape
> reader interface connector (the cable that normally plugs into the tape
> reader) one line at a time. The machine loads the line, executes it and
> then deletes it from active storage. It then request to the PC for the
> next line which is then loaded, executed and deleted and so on, until
> the program is completed. No settings are required in DOS, the software
> has full control over the parallel port.”

Sounds like it uses a line to "ask" for the next block of Gcode. The
normal initialization from the BIOS would be sufficient for this.
Venalla stuff.

>
> Also,
>
> “It is not possible to dripfeed with the Serial Communications. The
> serial interface can only be made active while the machine is stopped
> and is therefore only useful for program transfer to the machines RAM
> which will hold about 4kb (3000 lines.).”
>
> “You will need an OLD computer to run the software with at least one
> available printer port, DOS operating system, 386 is perfect. Newer
> computers are built to ever slacking standards for the printer ports and
> they lack the drive capacity to interface with the bridgeport control.”

Good points, these old machines will probably outlast us! But unless
it's a laptop, or a GREEN machine, you're probably OK. After all, if it
runs a CNC mill, the parallel port runs fine.

>
> “Make sure you start the spindle before dripfeeding or it will appear to
> “hang” the control. Also the tool offset needs to be loaded prior to
> dripfeeding or strange things will happen. Double check your cable
> wiring, particularly the flow control wiring. You might also check that
> the computer printer port is set for “Standard” mode in the BIOS. I'm
> not sure how an ECP and EPP port would be handled by the dripfeed
> program...”

Flow control is the BUSY/ACK lines handshaking. Standard parallel
configuration will set up these pins. You Don't want ECP/EPP, or even
bidirectional parallel.

>
> You can download this “DRIPFEED.EXE” programs from here:
>
> www.pennswoods.net/~luke1027/DRIP.zip
> <http://www.pennswoods.net/%7Eluke1027/DRIP.zip>
>
> Maybe you can help us from the hardware end of things.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Luke

Any diagrams with that? What is the cable pinout?

Go ahead and try it on any good DOS (older) desk machine you have!

Alan KM6VV

> Alan Marconett wrote:
>
>
>>Hi Luke,
>>
>>Interesting that you mention the 286 parallel port instructions are
>>different? I know of no such differences, and I was quite involved
>>with them starting with the IBM PC. Actually, there are no specific
>>"parallel port instructions". There are I/O instructions that are used
>>to access the parallel (and other peripheral devices) in a PC. The
>>original PC used a 8255 parallel port interface chip, which had to be
>>initialized. Perhaps you are thinking of that. Newer PC's mimmic the
>>chip, and the BIOS initializes the chip. Perhaps you are thinking of
>>that?
>>
>>Alan KM6VV
>>
>>Luke1027 wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Brady,
>>>
>>>I do have a program and pin out from parallel port
>>>to drip feed to the Boss5. I am told that
>>>this program needs to run a 286 PC since it handles
>>>the parallel port instructions different than the newer mother
>>>boards do. I have not gotten it to work consistently
>>>yet, nor have I spend a lot of time trying to do so.
>>>I did get it to talk one day but never got it to work very well.
>>>The guy I got it from uses it all the time running programs
>>>for 6-8 hours. It was written by a friend of his in basic. However,
>>>this man died shortly after it was finished and he never did get the
>>>source code.
>>>If you would like, I can find all the info I have on it and email
>>>it to you off line. Maybe you and find out
>>>what I am doing wrong!!??
>>>
>>>Luke
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>
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