One more "MAHO/Philips 432 constants" thread...

[AndreasL]

Yes, I know that theres a sillion of threads out ther about this ever missing constants for this controls.

But I have got mine stored in (hopefully) a safe way, gardet by the two house cats.

The machine is a vintage MH500C from about 1982.
Some controler updates has been executed during the years, but its still a 432/9...at the most.

My question is, since I have learned fron others here at PM that if one need to set up the constants for some reasone, like drained battery due to the machine not beeing used for the last 2-3 years , its possible to do this via the punch tape and reader or PC-link instead of typing them in by hand.

So...

Do you have to set the machin up in some way except for unlocking the constants meny by the manual switch in the electrical cabinet to let the control be able to receive the constants from the tape reader or from a PC-link?

Since theres, obviously, no set constants I was hopeing that there's a possibility for the machine to recognize the constants and add them in the right way.

Question #2 regards the "format of the constants" and how they are set/aranged in a textfile(?) to let the machine recognize them.

I have, as allready mentioned, my constants printed on paper and at a mint condition punch tape...but no tape reader. Dont know if I want one either...

Hope someone can help me with this one (if its at all possible) so I can edit all at my PC and dont have to type all night long in front of the machine.

Thanks in advance!

[Milacron]

Originally Posted by AndreasL

Do you have to set the machin up in some way except for unlocking the constants meny by the manual switch in the electrical cabinet to let the control be able to receive the constants from the tape reader or from a PC-link?

For the control to receive contants from tape punch machine or PC you have to manually enter about 4 contants, having to do with baud rate and such. The exact instructions for this are buried somewhere in one of the Phillips 432 manuals.

Entering them all manually is not too bad...takes maybe an hour or so...just make sure you have a tall chair and appropriate beverages nearby

[AndreasL]

Nice, that was one thought I had.

Set upp the baudrates, stop bits etc etc so transfer can take part.

So I guess I will go for the "chair and "-way for now.

One thing though, that I cant find how to do, is how to send the constants from the control to the PC? Actually I dont know how to send anything between the machin and the PC , but regarding programs and alike that is a pretty well known and documented procedure. Its harder to come by anything about transfer the MC:s from the control.

And I'm still interested in the "form/lay out" the text for the MC:s should have.

[Milacron]

Originally Posted by AndreasL

One thing though, that I cant find how to do, is how to send the constants from the control to the PC? Actually I dont know how to send anything between the machin and the PC , but regarding programs and alike that is a pretty well known and documented procedure. Its harder to come by anything about transfer the MC:s from the control.

.

I can only guess you are missing the proper manual. There are 3 or 4 different manuals for the control and only one of them has the secret transfer proceedures. If you get really desperate I could copy paste the pages from my manual.

[Grusse]

Originally Posted by AndreasL

Nice, that was one thought I had.

Set upp the baudrates, stop bits etc etc so transfer can take part.

So I guess I will go for the "chair and "-way for now.

One thing though, that I cant find how to do, is how to send the constants from the control to the PC? Actually I dont know how to send anything between the machin and the PC , but regarding programs and alike that is a pretty well known and documented procedure. Its harder to come by anything about transfer the MC:s from the control.

And I'm still interested in the "form/lay out" the text for the MC:s should have.

To send the Mc:s to the pc on Maho 432-9 you have to switch the "Memory Machineconstant" button back in the mainpower closet, and then you go to mc-list and press data output. The Mc:s start to transfer to the Pc now, and if you going to send the Mc:s to Maho you have to manual set up the constant N112? to N117 before you can transfer the Mc:s to the machine. The "Memoty Machineconstant" button have to be activated when you transfer the Mc to the machine.

Såg att du var från Sverige, så det går bra att höra av dig om du har några fler funderingar?

[AndreasL]

Milacron, how do you keep up with all the n00b:s like me, guideing us in the right directions?

Absoluetly awsome I must say, to have this forum to ask questions at.
The answers often are so rapid its amazing. to everyone.

Grusse, so it was that easy then and more or less something I allready knew...but dident realised.

Have to dig through my two different manuals I guess.
Got the original, 1982 year, one for the machine that is complete as well as a later copy (around 1986) that unfortunaetly hav chapter 5 mor or less missing. Yeap, for you who dont know, this is the MC-chapter.
Will be in the family cottage by the ocean this week end so I guess I will have the time.

From the beginning the machine hade a "188(?) constant"-setup.
In 1986 it was a SW upgrade to 6103/310, if I remember right.
In this second printout I have 244 constants and some changes are out of my understanding. Like changing the direction of the messuring scales. At lest thats what I think has been done, among others.

Hope to be able to hook up some power to the machine next week, then I can check the SW-version and probably find out if my 244-constant print out is ok. I think so. Othervise I have to go constant hunting... Hope not!

One other thing I think has been upgraded is the memory.
From 64kb to a massive and breath taking 80kb!!!
But thats allmost 30%. Not to bad then.

Who knows what els is to be found when going in to detail about this machine. A hidden 432/12 or 532 switch panel inside the cabinet???!!!


Grusse, vad kör du för maskin själv? Har läst det men glömt.
Är det en egen pjäs eller ngn ni har på jobbet?
Nga kul extragrejer till den?
Mjukvarunivå osv?
Typ av jobb/användning?
Nöjd med den?

For you not speeking/reading swedish, I was just asking Grusse about his own machine and the SW-levels etc etc.
Have to do what we can to keep up to all of you native english speeking guys.

[Grusse]

I have a Maho 700C with 432-9 with 4-axis at home, and i use it to make parts to a car that i build from scratch. Also have a 3-axis Maho 600E 432-10 at work. I use EdgeCAM to both machines, and run Drip Feed on the 600E.

[AndreasL]

Hmm, making carparts...interesting to say the least.

I'm also a total gear head and hope to make some parts my self for my racing cars.

Where do you live?

EdgeCAM seems to bee quite populare around MAHOites.
Is it ok and affordable?

Guess I will send you a PM to spare the crowed this semi-OT.

[Grusse]

Aha! What racing car do you have? I live in Sandviken, 30km from Gävle.

EdgeCAM are very expensive, 2D milling 28.500SEK & 3D milling 56.000 SEK. But i think that it is easy to work with. I have done 2D & 3D milling with it and both works really fine, but the 3D milling have a trend to be so large!

[AndreasL]

I have been doing endurance racing for a couple of years now in a Saab team.
Quite the opposite to my own hobby car, a BMW Z3 coupe (in pieces offcourse ), but really great fun and a challenge to learn how to drive FWD as well as how to tune the chassis of the same.

What are you building your self?

EdgeCAM...bummer...but expected.

Cant really find a good (read: affordable) way to a CAM program that suit my needs...that are at the absoluetly lowest level.

Guess one have to do it the hard way then, type everything by hand.

[Grusse]

Ok, i´m building a BMW M1 E26 Gr.5. It´s an midengine car with engine from M5 E39 V8(S62).

It´s year 2009 now, you can´t type everything by hand!!

[AndreasL]

Do I have to say that the Saab thing is noting av have choosen, its something I was asked to do.

And as a former member of the BMW Sport Club bord I think you understand where my hart is.

So building an M1 sounds like suger to my ears.