Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

All info relating to the Denford Starmill CNC milling machines

Moderators: Martin, Steve, Mr Magoo

Post Reply
sparky
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat 06 Dec , 2014 12:05 pm

Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by sparky » Sat 06 Dec , 2014 12:34 pm

I have acquired a StarMill ATC, it came with the Control box, Desk Top Tutor and VR CNC Milling software Version 2.31.

I would like to get it up and running and hopefully someone will be kind enough to point me in the right direction.

Could anyone advise which PC I need to purchase that would be best suited?

Regards

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Sat 06 Dec , 2014 23:11 pm

Have a good read through all the info on here and work out what control board you have in the machine and if you have software what is it?

Is there any machine info stuck on the side (date/software version etc)

You don't need high spec machines, more likely as you will need 2 RS232 ports to connect to on the PC you should be able to get something from a skip!

Post some pics up, work out if you have software, what control board is in it and we can go from there.

Pete

sparky
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat 06 Dec , 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by sparky » Wed 10 Dec , 2014 18:54 pm

Hi
Sorry for the delay, had man flu, but should pull through.
The machine is November 1993. I am in the process of trying to find a PC with 2 serial com ports which is proving difficult as I am not to clever with computers.
I have also just ordered a compressor.
Here (hopefully) are some pics...
Regards
Mark
S5031391 (800x600).jpg
S5031391 (800x600).jpg (260.75 KiB) Viewed 15516 times
S5031392 (800x600).jpg
S5031392 (800x600).jpg (221.61 KiB) Viewed 15516 times
S5031385 (800x600).jpg
S5031385 (800x600).jpg (360 KiB) Viewed 15516 times
S5031380 (600x800).jpg
S5031380 (600x800).jpg (324.72 KiB) Viewed 15516 times
S5031374 (800x600).jpg
S5031374 (800x600).jpg (305.78 KiB) Viewed 15516 times
S5031373 (800x600).jpg
S5031373 (800x600).jpg (246.32 KiB) Viewed 15516 times

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by Martin » Wed 10 Dec , 2014 19:31 pm

If you are running VRMilling version 2.31 you do not need the desk top tutor as you control it directly from the computer. Therefore you will only need 1 Com port.

Make sure you use the correct RS232 lead as the two in the second picture are not.

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Wed 10 Dec , 2014 21:37 pm

I have had success using USB to RS232 adapters BUT it is not guaranteed to work. I was lucky and was able to prove things worked on my machine. I changed to proper RS232 ports (lucky I kept an older motherboard with them) as I was getting the odd glitch but that may have been due to running an XP DOS window and have moved over to running a DOS box for my lathe.

As Martin says, make sure you get a proper lead. I went through a fair amount of testing until I found a wiring issue on the lead. It was a genuine Lindy lead as supplied by Denford but I think the leads changed at one point and the lead I have is a later version, it came with the machine when I bought it from a school who had been unable to get it working. Fortunately I have been playing with Computers and electronics for most of my life so was able to work it out.

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Wed 10 Dec , 2014 21:43 pm

Just a thought where are you? I may have a PC available soon, just a bare bones system running XP with an RS232 port, 17" flat panel monitor.
If you were local I'm sure we could sort something out and I could help you get set up.

I'm in the Sheffield/Barnsley area

Pete

sparky
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat 06 Dec , 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by sparky » Thu 11 Dec , 2014 15:00 pm

Martin wrote:If you are running VRMilling version 2.31 you do not need the desk top tutor as you control it directly from the computer. Therefore you will only need 1 Com port.

Make sure you use the correct RS232 lead as the two in the second picture are not.
Thanks for taking the time to respond chaps.
I am not overly bothered about using VR Milling software, I am hoping just to use G Code programming. Am I right in assuming that the desk top tutor is there for this purpose?

Also, the 2nd picture is both ends of the same lead which came with the machine. Again I assumed (because of the length and fitting arrangement) this to be the cable between a PC and the desk top tutor.
If I am correct (please advise) then will I need to purchase another ribbon type RS232 cable to connect the control box to the port of the PC? Where would I buy one of these please? A part number would be good to make sure I get the right one.

I may take you up on your offer Pete I am in Kings Lynn. As you say we can come to some arrangement, but I need to get everything here first Compressor, another cable and a PC. As I said above I would want to program in G Code so your PC may not be suitable, right?
Lastly, the emergency stop is in and I do not have the key, guess I will need to purchase another.

Regards

Regards

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by Martin » Thu 11 Dec , 2014 15:05 pm

VRMilling does use G & M codes. I presume it has been upgraded at some point to VRMilling which means the Tutor is obsolute.

The cable you have is a pin to pin & not a RS232 lead.

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Thu 11 Dec , 2014 20:28 pm

I wonder if the 25w to 9w has the required mods inside linking just the required pins to make it RS232.
The flat cable is just the same as the one that was attached to a desktop tutor a friend bought with a starmill from the same school I got my starturn from. His was also upgraded but to a USB control board so the tutor keyboard he has is also redundant.


VR milling is pretty easy to use. You can just write your G code in windows own text editor and save as an FNC file for VR to run. Saving tool offsets is straight forward as well in VR.

I wish I knew G code to be able to do things. My Starturn is running in DOS and not VR. The design software I have is quite limited (no undercuts or boring). I would like the new version of the design program but the way it outputs G code for cutting thread doesn't work on my machine (it doesn't do what it should). If I understood what the code was doing I could get the new program, draw up things, create the G code and modify it for threading. OR just write the code and not bother with the design program.

Kings Lynn is a bit of a trip, I'll dig out this computer and have a look at its specs. I'm 99% it only has the 1 RS232 port but that would be fine for what you need.

Pete

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Tue 16 Dec , 2014 23:14 pm

I've sent you am PM (personal message) about the computer.

Let me know

Pete

sparky
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat 06 Dec , 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by sparky » Wed 17 Dec , 2014 19:00 pm

Hi Pete
Have replied to your PM.

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Wed 17 Dec , 2014 19:12 pm

Do you have access to a multimeter? just thinking you should test the RS232 leads to find out what pins are wired to what.

Also have a look on the inside of the black box to see what pins on the 25way are connected. I have a genuine Denford black Lindy 9pin to 25pin RS232 lead on my Starturn and had to swap the TX and RX lines over in the black box to get it to work. Probably why the school couldn't get it working years down the line.


Pete

sparky
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat 06 Dec , 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by sparky » Wed 24 Dec , 2014 6:26 am

Up and running!! many many thanks to TDIPower and Traic.
It was down to swapping the TX and RX pin connections over on the cable which came with the machine as Pete said above.

Just need to read up on VRMilling now and play :D

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Recommended PC for StarMill ATC

Post by TDIPower » Wed 24 Dec , 2014 10:57 am

If the program is set up for the Starmill
Home all,
load an fnc file (written in notepad saved as .fnc)
use the arrow keys to move x y, page up/down for z
when moving the bed about if you want to move small increments click on the image just above the movement speed to switch to movement by steps.
You will want to set up your tool library, ive not a machine with an ATC so that is new to me.


if you want to get rid of all the unneeded stuff like the virtual machine button, you need to go into the program set up options password 'denny'

That should get you going

Post Reply