prototrak (software

[irving2008]

hi :wave:
i am new
i work in engineering doing milling surface grinding and fitting
when i am milling i use a xyz milling machine with PROTOTRAK sotfware controling 2 axis X and Y .this software uses no G or M codes you just put in the amounts you want
eg x 25 .40 y50.00- press go it it will go to that position
is anyone using this software on home built machines

Prototrak is a proprietary software & hardware package for Southern Industries machines and they also do retrofit packages for some common toolshop makes but not it seems, for the common hobby machines. There is a software only version to run on a PC to create Prototrak programs offline in MX2 files which can then be uploaded to Prototrak controllers. Although it doesnt say so I suspect the underlying intermediate file is g-code of some form (if you have access to an MX2 file it would be interesting to inspect its contents).

So when you type something on the keyboard on a ProtoTrak machine the commands it sends to the underlying machine controller are probably not dissimilar to G-Code in a machine readable form.

Given they want to charge $$$ for their sofware I doubt there is anyone using it on a hobby machine (but never say never!)


[edit]In the support documentation there is a little docmented facility "G-Code Editor (VM only)", so I suspect I was right in the underlying transfer from programming module to motor controller being G-code based[/edit]

[AdieR]

Hi
Firstly let me say I'm a newbie on this site (found it by accident actually, looked useful, and I signed up!)

ProtoTrak software: I have used this on industrial machines (KRV 3000/PRO3000 milling machines with ProtoTrak MX2 control), and as stated, it simply requires co-ordinate positions entered. Don't know of any retrofits (or otherwise) on hobby machines - I think the cost is probably prohibitive.

The system is designed for prototyping / low volume (easily programmed), and I think (I may be wrong) the underlying system is based on Fanuc controls (shall attempt to find a link).

*Apologies for dredging up an old thread*