The Home Machinist!

That's good news.
You need to decide if you are going to try and run with the old software or upgrade to something more standard like Mach3.
I would choose the latter route. Most any Pentium PC (not laptop) with a parallel port and small hard drive can run Mach3.
In your case, you need a Breakout board, Speed Control Board and a perhaps an index pulse board. I like to use CNC4PC.COM
Here is a link to a LABVOLT 5300 lathe that I converted. It likely uses the same DM4 stepper drivers which you can reuse.
https://picasaweb.google.com/marty.esca ... abvolt5300
Otherwise if you want to change the stepper driver and not have to buy those boards then go to a Gecko G540. Pretty mch a one stop solution. I think you can retain your old spindle motor DC controller as it likely uses 0-7VDC input to control it.

You could get this done for under $200 in hardware from CNC4PC. While you can download a demo version of MACH to test with, its license is only about $149.

_________________
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"

Update,
I managed to get the D&M 4 running a few simple programs after verifying the steppers were working ok.
During muliple runs of the same program, on two occasions different steppers failed to move and just made a noise.
I am not too concerned at this point. I would probably be a bit unreliable after sitting for a lot of years in a dusty corner.
I decided to put the D&M 4 to the side and see what could be done with the TMC 1000.
After a bit of effort I realised I did not have the computer interface card.
I have all the software etc but there is no way forward without the card.
I wanted to run the machine as was to verify all the parts were ok and it was worth moving forward with an upgrade.
I have emailed a couple of sources to see if we can track the old computer interface card.

Chips

Hi guys,
I have gone around in circles with the D&M 4 and have decided to try and use a generic breakout board.
(Also got distracted with a knee type mill and a lathe, just waiting for the phase converter, but thats another story)

Marty I have been looking at what you did with the lathe and would like to ask for a bit of assistance in doing something simmilar with the mill.
Q1. Are you still out there?

Thanks
Steve

Still here, ask away. Try and post your questions here for everyones benefit. I wouldnt chase down that card for the PC by the way.
Marty

_________________
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"

Hi Marty,
Q1. Was it the C10 breakout board from CNC4PC that you used?
Q2. Please don't laugh, but what is the "Charge Pump" for? Is that to help get the lathe chuck going?
I have 5 wires coming back from the steppers which I am sure are original. They are Green Black White Brown going to the stepper driver boards and a separate red going to ?.
From the stepper driver boards there are 4 wires going back to the main board. Black, Brown, Orange, Red.
Q3. Which wire goes to the corresponding connections on the proposed new breakout board?
Q4. Will the original PUMA DC spindle board and interface board be able to connect to the proposed new breakout board?

Having seen what you achieved on the lathe, I am quite hopeful.
Regards
Steve

Q1-Yes, If memory serves it was a C10
Q2-A charge pump is a device to enable the C10 once Mach3 software is on line. Mach can output a signal to let the hardware know the software is on line and in control before enabling the circuitry
Q3- That depends, but your first challenge if you are going to use the original X,Y,Z stepper driver boards is finding out 3 pins, Ground, Step, and direction. Once you know those you can wire them to your breakout board.
Q4-You will need to try and find the manual for the spindle board. It likely uses a 0-10VDC input to control speed. You will need a C6 Spindle control board to connect to the C10 and then its analog output to your spindle controller.

If this is your first conversion, I would recommend buying the Gecko G540. It is a 4 axis I/O, Controller and stepper driver. Then the only real board you would need is the C6 to control your spindle drive. I used the G540 on my Emco CNC lathe conversions and HIGHLY recommend them for these sorts of applications.

Marty

_________________
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"

I think I failed the first challenge on Q3.
I have been searching endlessly for information on the wire colours and their function.
Anybody able to help?
I have green, black, white, brown, red. I need to know which one is which (step, direction gnd, etc).
The steppers are
Miniangle Astrosyn Minibea 23LM-C004-30
Miniangle Astrosyn Minibea 23PM-C108

Steve

I would recommend you go with the Gecko G540. You won't regret it and you will have 4th axis capability. The only thing you will need besides it would be the speed control board to drive your DC motor control. You need the docs for it as well.

My Labvolt was running so I was able to figure out which was 5V, Gnd, Step & Dir. Can you power up your machine? If so, maybe you can find the 5V and Gnd to your stepper drivers. Then you would only have to figure out Step & Dir pins.
Can you take a picture of just a stepper driver board and post it?

_________________
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"

Hi Marty,
Close up picture as requested.
I can power the machine and run using the old computer. I just have to mess around a bit to get over the bios flat battery issue.

Under power what should I look for?
Would poping the board off and looking at the underside be usefull?

I agree the G540 is more of a packaged solution, but swopping the motors is a minimum of $150.00 and if I reuse the old steppers, I still need the wiring details.
This last weekend I endlessly went round in circles looking at all of the websites and the great options they have.

I appreciate your patience with this.

Steve

What color and how many wires on are J3?

Can you move the axis around or just power it up?

I am guessing that the step and direction signal are coming on the connector in the upper left hand corner of your board and that connector is connected to the IC. Can you get numbers off the IC? Can you figure out which pin on the connector go to which leg on the IC?

Marty

_________________
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"

I was looking at your picture again. I believe the connector you want is in the upper left hand corner. Power up your machine, one wire should be DC Ground (black?) one wire +5VDC (Red?) the other two will be step and direction. Those are all you need.
Now if you can power up your machine and jog your axis, put your meter on DC ground and one or the other wires, take a reading. Change axis direction, in one direction it should read close to 0 in the other direction it should read close to +5VDC.
Steady. That would identify your DIR line, then the other is step.

Marty

_________________
"Jack of all Trades, Master of None"