Isel CPM 2018 or Unimatic Educam 20

Hi all

Im starting a new thread on a new toy i have bought, Im almost a novice in CNC, years ago I did build 3/4 of a plasma table but Ill health and circumstances meant it never quite got finished

any way, the story so far,:

in return for fitting a 4 post car ramp I was given a brand new 3Hp single to 3 phase inverter, I found my self at a loose end with half a day spare in Chester, so I wandered down to Chester engineering just to see if they had cheap mill, lathe something to use inverter on, wandering around there was a small cnc desktop mill with "OFFERS" on it so being cheeky and having £100 "play money" with me I offered them that CASH after a bit of bartering and shaking of heads I paid my £100 over and had mill put into my Smart car, Just.

so here is what I have please see pictures below, I have been out this morning to look under all covers and see whats there, they are 8 wire Isel steppers,

It powers up all axies hold strong under power, I can not push them so i assume all steppers are fine, light comes on, and cabinet unlocks, seems to have had little use on any thing other than MDF

what im thinking is as machine is old, slow evedently, and software is a hell of a price, even though i have been offered a KAY software for £50 I think i would rather put that money to making it run on Mach 3 that I already own. I have no idea what to use yet Im open to your suggestions PLEASE when I remove existing circuit board I will have a area in back some 500mm wide 400mm high and 100mm deep, that i would like to get a Micro itx mother board PC, a power supply from a shuttle pc that i have but can only get to run on vista, A BOB of some description and its PSU and 4 stepper drivers X,Y,Z and A should i ever need, so apart from key board, mouse and monitor it comes as a self contained unit,

All your views, comments and ideas will be most welcome,

Thanks Steve

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I made up a serial lead and downloades a demo of KAY and GALAAD just to see if machine moves, and all is good in the world, a old steam driven P4 pc, I have one a touch screen all in one PC on ebay, that will be here tomorrow, running win 7
still trying to decide what BoB and drivers thinking of going with the CNC4YOU UC100, the KK01 BoB and CWD556 drivers, I did fancy the Leafboy77 motion control but cant find one,

still unsure how to wire the motors there 8 wire, and 4 of the wires are joined in 2 lots of 2

any help will be welcome please

Steve

A bit of a update,
I have bought a touch screen "medical all in one" pc from ebay just as a mancave PC to run Frankie Isel at £8.33 plus delivery was a bargain (i had a £25 voucher from some where)

I have bought a UC100 motion control and A KK01 BOB, from CnC4You and ordered some CWD556 form china £20 cheaper each, may have to wait a few weeks but loads of other things to do in meantime, also ordered a 36v and a 5v switch mode psu's to run things, Im going to use original steppers there isel High-Torque Stepper Motor MS 135 HT and Thanks to Clive S I have a idea how to wire them now, Bits for JazzCNC e stop circuit are on way form Ebay

Still need to decide weather to go with original router head, nut and collets missing or go for a brushless spindle motor that probably wont cost much more than a replacement nut and collets

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Still need to decide weather to go with original router head, nut and collets missing or go for a brushless spindle motor that probably wont cost much more than a replacement nut and collets

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Can't advise on that but I think it has been discussed on the forum. Not sure if a 0.8Kw Chinese one would fit.

Thank you, I will look into it, I can always machine a mount, but that is in future, if i can get it miming a drawing of mine in G code without a spindle at all I will be over moon,

I have a door latch and interlock would you use or leave off and uncomplicated and allow for 61 yr old common sense to prevail not to put hands, head etc into moving machine? this from a ex maintenance fitter that stood in a cage with a fetteling robot that had a habit of throwing engine blocks around looking for the fault

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Originally Posted by Steve-m

Thank you, I will look into it, I can always machine a mount, but that is in future, if i can get it miming a drawing of mine in G code without a spindle at all I will be over moon,

I have a door latch and interlock would you use or leave off and uncomplicated and allow for 61 yr old common sense to prevail not to put hands, head etc into moving machine? this from a ex maintenance fitter that stood in a cage with a fetteling robot that had a habit of throwing engine blocks around looking for the fault

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I don't see a cage around the food mixer in the kitchen or a safety lock. That's the problem today no common sense.

fair point will keep door as there is a vacuum point and it may help in small shed, common sense not needed these days this is why there is ELF and Staffy

I had a quiet day went and wired electronics, I have used a KK01 BoB, CWD556 drivers, a UC100 motion control ( but bloody thing keeps dropping out no blue light) I have used 3 of the windings on origional transformer I built a couple of rectifiers to drive the E-Stop and limits through a couple of relays

Just waiting for some 9 pin breakout boards to connect to origional motors But all powers


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all running now I need to decide what way to go with software untill today i thought my Mah3 was a full version but after a update its showing demo, so Mach4 (but after playing all day with demo cant get head around it) Mach3 licence
or the outsider UCCNC I did think of fusion 360 but pc is only 32bit Please someone give me some pointers

Steve

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Originally Posted by Steve-m

or the outsider UCCNC I did think of fusion 360 but pc is only 32bit Please someone give me some pointers

Steve

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Fusion 360 is CAD/CAM.
UCCNC, Mach3 and Mach4 are machine controllers.

You need both CAD/CAM AND a machine controller

The CAD/CAM is for creating models, tool-paths and G-Code, the controller runs the G-Code on the machine.

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Originally Posted by Steve-m

untill today i thought my Mah3 was a full version but after a update its showing demo

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Copy your license file back into the Mach3 folder, as Mach3 licenses are not legally transferable if you didn't buy a license you don't have one -

http://www.machsupport.com/license-delivery/

- Nick

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Originally Posted by Steve-m

I had a quiet day went and wired electronics, I have used a KK01 BoB, CWD556 drivers, a UC100 motion control ( but bloody thing keeps dropping out no blue light) I have used 3 of the windings on origional transformer I built a couple of rectifiers to drive the E-Stop and limits through a couple of relays

Just waiting for some 9 pin breakout boards to connect to origional motors But all powers


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hi. I have a same bob but linked with UC300. I 'm very interest about your electronic system, could you post a diagram wiring with the list components?
I encounter a lot of difficulties to begin a wiring

Hi guys,

I have bought the same beast and I am considering upgrading it, because the original Isel board requires using Isel code and is absolutely not efficient for 3D machining.

I plan using UCCNC and a UC300 motion controller, as cnc.miller.

I didn't found the stepper motors documentation and I'd like to avoid disassembling the machine to get their model.

Does someone have this information?

Steve, how did you choose you drivers?

Thanks in advance

Hello,

I just noticed this:

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Originally Posted by Steve-m

Im going to use original steppers there isel High-Torque Stepper Motor MS 135 HT

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So I guess it answers my question…

was just looking for that, drivers, were just what people seemed to like, I bought them from china less than half price of uk supplier,
if i can help in any way please ask

Steve

here is a link to the only data sheet I can find http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...6/83328.attach
Steve

Thanks for the link, Steve.

I previously found a MS 135 HT-2 data sheet on Isel website, but their current was lower.

So I'll probably go with your drivers or an equivalent, as you seem happy with them.

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Originally Posted by cnc.miller

hi. I have a same bob but linked with UC300. I 'm very interest about your electronic system, could you post a diagram wiring with the list components?
I encounter a lot of difficulties to begin a wiring

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Hi cnc.miller,

See if Gerry's explanations in this thread are of any help:
https://en.industryarena.com/forum/u...s--324554.html

HTH

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Originally Posted by Steve-m

if i can help in any way please ask

Steve

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Ok, as I'm too lazy to have a look at my machine which is not very accessible for the moment, I'll ask another question.

Do you still have the original Isel IMC4 controller at your fingertips? Could you please check if the driver chips (IIRC correctly, they are located at the top of the card, screwed to the case) are L292?

If this is the case, it means that a 2.5A current is sufficient and I'll probably buy smaller and cheaper drivers.

Thanks in advance.

I eventually managed to open the back cover. Drivers are L292, limited to 2.5A.

I found the electrical diagram of the IMC4 controller here:

https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/367459

For those who want to upgrade the machine without changing the whole electronic part, this upgrade card may be interesting (requires Kay control software):

https://www.spline.nl/machines/cpm.php

Hi Steve I recently picked up a Unimatic Educam 20 from a college with licensed dongle and using Galaad 3 but cant get the laptop to allocate a comport. Have you heard of this problem? T.I.A Regards Brian

Hi, Everybody. I am a new member and have been hacking away at an Isel 2018. I have replaced the electronics with new chinese bits and pieces, but am trying to reuse the unregulated power supply. I have added voltage regulators to the lower voltage outputs leading to the new electronics, but am intending to keep and use the power to the motors. My question regarding that power is: Gabs'e s 2015 diagram indicates that the motor power is around 21.5v. My unit seems to be outputting 34.7v. My unit is set for north america, and my local voltage is 124, which is high due to how close I am to the transformer on the pole. I am curious if anybody else has checked the voltage being fed to the motors. 21.5 seems low, but I don't like that magic purple smoke thing. Thank you in advance.

Hi, I best start with an apology as unfortunately I’m unable to help with your predicament as it’s far too technical for me, lol.

I’ve recently bought the exact same machine (Isel 2018) to set up in my man cave at home. I also have a Boxford TCL125 which is running on Mach3, so I was hoping to plug the Isel into the computer but the connectors are totally different. I’ve scoured the web to find an adapter or any helpful information but I’ve had no luck at all.

I’m now considering selling the Isel and buying a milling machine which is already compatible with my computer and Mach3.

Could anybody advise on where I should look for a new cable/adapter? I’m assuming that the machine isn’t Mach3 compatible yet either, so instead of paying for it to be retrofitted it may be worth me buying a whole new machine.

Any info would be appreciated.

Many thanks, Repro.

The ISEL input system is more of a com port sequential signal. It is not a parallel port signal such as mach 3 produces. The drivers on the ISEL board are integrated with the signals from the on-board "decoder", and are not much use if you are trying to go to a parallel port system. Ie, it is proprietary and will not work on a parallel port system.

I can send photos of my retrofit, which is working (I still have to tune the motors and some other items, but that is for cold winter months). I used the torus power supply and added in some smaller step-down regulators, and also kept all the motors and limit switches intact.

The ISEL is built well, and the retrofit with mach 3 compatible boards etc is yes time consuming but no not expensive.

regards

Hitchcox

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Originally Posted by Reprobus

Hi, I best start with an apology as unfortunately I’m unable to help with your predicament as it’s far too technical for me, lol.

I’ve recently bought the exact same machine (Isel 2018) to set up in my man cave at home. I also have a Boxford TCL125 which is running on Mach3, so I was hoping to plug the Isel into the computer but the connectors are totally different. I’ve scoured the web to find an adapter or any helpful information but I’ve had no luck at all.

I’m now considering selling the Isel and buying a milling machine which is already compatible with my computer and Mach3.

Could anybody advise on where I should look for a new cable/adapter? I’m assuming that the machine isn’t Mach3 compatible yet either, so instead of paying for it to be retrofitted it may be worth me buying a whole new machine.

Any info would be appreciated.

Many thanks, Repro.

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Thank you very much for your response Hitchcox

I appreciate your generosity, however I don’t think I’m up to the task of converting the machine myself. It’s probably best if I sell it and purchase a milling machine which is Mach3 ready

If anybody on this forum would be interested in my Isel 2018 I will let it go at a very fair price

Many thanks, Repro