--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Don" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "turbulatordude" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > I pulled apart an old HP plotter ...... > > Has anyone ever tried to use the plotter motors ? > > > Has anyone ever hacked the controller board for these for CNC > use ? > > Any ideas what to do with them ? > > Since I have three more plotters I'm not sure if I should pull them > > apart for parts or just junk them. > > > > Dave. > > Dave, > This is the idea that gave me the CNC bug many moons ago. > I still haven't shaken it and a relapse was brought on recently with > the imminent delivery of a free HP 7475A Graphics Plotter. I already > received the (Operator's) Manual. > Hopefully, the motors in mine are steppers, for simplicity. > To keep things simple, I will use the output motor phase signals and > add a simple Driver Stage (eg. Higher Voltage stage with 4x > darlingtons to bigger steppers). I intend to stick with the HPGL and > drive it as a Plotter as designed. > The original cheap Plotter that I first played with was on a SHARP > MZ700 64kB computer circa 1978. It had 4 wee coloured ballpoint pens > in a rotating chamber. Motors were driven by 5V TTL Hi levels on the > phase wires! > A BASIC command such as "CIRCLE 5,46,0,360,0.2" (Draw a circle with > centre at X=5,Y=46, Radius:123,Start Angle:0,End Angle:360,Step > Angle:0.2 degrees) involved sending ASCII codes > for "C","comma","5","comma","4","6","comma","0","comma","3","6","0","c > omma","0",".","2" to an onboard interpreter). > HPGL may well be interpreted onboard in vintage plotters in a similar > way. Axis co-ordination being done onboard.(A reason to stick with > that command format.) > There are a few different ways of achieving extra controls. Pen- > Up /Down is readily available (including successive Pen-Dns!)and the > pen change movements can be modified also. (The SHARP simply drove > the pen carousel against an off-plot-area stop with the pen up. Each > motion against the stop indexed the carousel to the next pen by a > simple mechanical ratchet.) > Pen cleaning movement routines are often available for playing with, > too. > I scrapped the SHARP project because it only addressed -480 to +480 > clicks on X-axis. HP7475A does -32767 to +32767 clicks per axis, so > 32" at 0.001" resolution is possible! > Don't throw those boards out yet! They may be smarter than you think. > (Or throw them my way.) > Anyone wanting to share manuals/info/hardware/ideas on plotters, > please keep in touch. Hurry, though, because I just ordered a 4 axis > Xylotex Driver, and am in danger of going mainstream unless > encouraged. :) > > Cheers, Don. > > P.S. Photos will be forthcoming, Dave, but I don't seem able to post > to Files area ....
Does your manual have schematics ? It may be possible that the boards are similar. I can get you numbers off the boards. I am going to put them on E-bay if I can't get someone to get me a schematic or trace out the connections. For the $35 bux or so for the 4 I have left I can buy a Xylotex and use my steppers. as for posting pictures, the files area is closed to public posting. unfortunatly, it got filled and no one deleted stuff. There are a few other yahoo groups you can post, one is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNC-pics Or send them to me and I'll post them. Dave Addresses: FAQ: http://www.ktmarketing.com/faq.html FILES: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO/files/ Post Messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Moderator: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Moderators] URL to this group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO OFF Topic POSTS: General Machining If you wish to post on unlimited OT subjects goto: aol://5863:126/rec.crafts.metalworking or go thru Google.com to reach it if you have trouble. http://www.metalworking.com/news_servers.html http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jobshophomeshop I consider this to be a sister site to the CCED group, as many of the same members are there, for OT subjects, that are not allowed on the CCED list. NOTICE: ALL POSTINGS TO THIS GROUP BECOME PUBLIC DOMAIN BY POSTING THEM. DON'T POST IF YOU CAN NOT ACCEPT THIS.....NO EXCEPTIONS........ bill List Mom List Owner Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
