Post processor Sei

[2006Nobull]

Hi,
Is there any one out there who can help me?
I have an Sei 810 personel router and need a driver / post processor so I use HPGL does anyone have one? I have tried Sei who now only make laser machines, but I can't get any response out of them.
Thanks, Paul

[Swarfing]

Paul

I see you have been on the Vectis forum too, question do you really need to use HPGL?

[2006Nobull]

2e0poz,
Thanks for your reply
I must admit to being completely green to CNC, so any advice is very much appreciated. I have looked in the manual and it says that the machine will recieve commands in Sei, HPGL or DM/PL. Cut 2d doesn't offer a Sei post processor so I am assuming the generic HPGL is my only option.

[Swarfing]

No worries i'm not an expert either but there always ways round things. the two options i see you have is either convert your code? or change the machine control software? have you looked at either of these? Do you have enough information about the components setup of your machine? what motors is it using? what controller (drivers) does it have screw sizes etc

[2006Nobull]

I do have a manual with some data in it. All the parts seem to relate to Sei parts numbers rather than what sort of drivers screws etc. I think the motors are steppers with encoders fitted and it's fitted with a 3 phase industrial spindle.
It does say in the manual that data is transmitted in ASCII if that means any thing to you. To be honest I won't have a clue how to change the operating software or change the code.
I had hoped that I would be able to muddle may way through learning from my mistakes but I don't seem to be able to get to the stage where I can make mistakes.

Thanks, for your interest,
Paul

[Swarfing]

Paul

HPGL is a language that used to be used to speak to printers via line drivers (microchips from days of yor). It lent itself well to basic machine control and grew up a bit. Post as much info as you can about your machine, links to on line manuals etc. You may be able to use Mach3, EMC2 or similar to control your machine. This means that you will be able to use a more common standard that is more structured in the way of G code. This will be much easier to support. If you have encoders on the motors they could be DC motors or servos. Don't worry too much about it i'm sure with a bit of input from the community here you can be up and running :-).
Have a good look around the control unit and find out any board info/ markings. Let us know what power supply voltages are etc. As much info as you can gather. People convert huge industrial machines to run on G code from proprietary systems so getting tis alive should be the same process. Look up biesse machines running on the above and you will see what i mean.

[John S]

How does it control the Z axis, that's the tool up and down if it used HPGL ?

I always though in HPGL it was either up or down ?

[Swarfing]

More to it than that John, to be honest i have not got a clue just spent half my life replacing blown line drive chips in HP printers for a livin. Back in the days when computer engineers actually took things apart and got the soldering iron out. There is plenty on the web about the code and don't forget it was used with plotters as well. they have to lift the pen off the paper (usually just a solenoid actuator)

[2006Nobull]

I've looked over the machine and all the circuit boards seem to be specific to Sei ie they all have their name and part numbers on. The X-Y motors according to the manual are HY200 3437 s with encoder heads RM21D- 1000 and the Z axis PH268E2.3B with a 5540-A06 encoder head but I will have to clarify that tomorrow.
The manual states that the motor power consumption I assume for the three axis is 0.8kw
There's a page on the power supply describing the warning LEDs, which states the XY power at 60v and the Z at 33 volts.
The spindle is three phase and 3hp .
I do have the manual in PDF
Thanks,
Paul

[John S]

Sounds like an impressive bit of kit then with 3~ 3hp spindle and encoders.
I wondered if they were servo's but a quick search shows the hy200 is about a 300 oz in stepper and the PH is about a 135 oz in unit.

If the worst came to the worst you could gut the electronics and fit three 542 drivers and a breakout board and run Mach, at least you would get support.

Out of interest what travels has this machine got and is it on ballscrews ?

[2006Nobull]

The machine is on ball screws and has a travel of approximately 800 X900. I am a little reluctant to start gutting the machine just yet as its cost me a lot of money to get it up and running to this stage. I bought it about a year ago working and when I got it home I couldn't get it to do anything. Eventually after much exspense I took it back to the chap I bought it of and he got some electricians in the unit next door to look it over. They dicovered a loose wire in one of the limiter switches. So at least it moves on the jog buttons now. It came with a old Pc running CCI Clever Cam in DOS but I've never managed to get the 2 to communicate.
In hindsight I would have been better following your route new drivers etc from the start, but as I've already spent an additional £500 on top of the £2800 I paid for the machine to get it this far, I'll give it a little longer before I get the big screw driver out.
The daft part is I only want the machine to do a few signs and 2d carving so nothing complex.

[John S]

Don't think I can offer anything else at this point, they look to have a unique system and a web search found someone in Israel with one and he was having similar problems which did not seem to get resolved.

[2006Nobull]

Thanks for your time. I will give it a little longer to see if I can get any joy out of Sei, but I guess I will probably be back in the autumn looking for help with my big screw driver out !