Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Allen Bradley NC Controller

dshulbert7 wrote:

> This is just a general question. Not knowing much about NC/CNC,is
>an old Allen Bradley NC controller (don't have the model
>handy,picked up for $10 at a plant closing auction several years
>ago) of any value for a home or commercial machine shop considering
>the advances in low cost CNC in the last couple of years?
>
>

If it is a 7320 (or any 73xx series) it is a truly ancient monstrosity.
If it is an 8300 or 9000, it is much more likely to be of use. but, if you
don't have the executive software or the manuals, it may be VERY hard to
configure it for any particular machine.

Even if you don't have the model #, if you can describe it, I might be able
to identify the vintage. The 7320 has a 100 Hz update rate, which leads
to sluggish
machine response, and the executive
is normally recompiled by the A-B factory for machine configuration. I
hacked the
executive by hand, but only an old minicomputer guru can be expected to
play games
like that.

The 8300 and 9000 series have a "configurator" program that you run to
make all
the machine-specific adaptations.

Jon