Denford Software & Machines

I am getting a NOVATURN lathe up and running. We purchased it at an auction along with some other items so I don’t really know much about it. At this point I have a few main questions I was hoping I could get help with. Based on what I have read, I believe we have a Denstep Card.

Can we run the lathe from a PC without a teach pendant? We do not have one with the system.

Which software package should we use? I have looked at the page of legacy software, but I am not sure which one to use.

Here are the specs from the side of the control cabinet:

Model: NOVATURN
Serial: EO5314/2
Dispatch Date: November 1998
Export NO: 5314
Voltage: 240V
F.L.C: 7A, 50 Hz, 1 Phase
Control Voltage: 28V
Spindle Motor 1.5 HP, 1.12KW, DC
Electronics Serial NO: OC00202315
Software Version: 1.47
Max RPM: 3500
Max Chuck Dia: 80
Max Tool Dia/Mass: 12/0.4 kg
Tool Size: 12x12
Net Weight: 65Kg

Here are a few overview Pictures Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Chris

The Novaturn would have been shipped with Flstep software & the following option & go files.

If you are missing the desck top tutor the you can change to a QWERTY Keyboard by altering the GO file.

Option File
autoerror 0
dragmarking 0
displaysize 3 {PRODUCT OPTIONS FILE AS OF 10/09/96
narrowsimbox 0 {FOR NOVATURN
utils_menu_1 Dos Access
utils_go_1 dos
utils_menu_2 Turning Designer
utils_go_2 ldesign
mirac_sdevice machine
showtool 0
{--------FEEDS & SCALING-----------------
slave_accel 120
highfeed 1000
highfeedz 1400
{--------SPINDLE----------------
slave_spindlelag 35
safespindle 150
slave_encoder 2000
slave_thread 1
HIGHSPINDLE 3500
{--------TOOLPOST---------------
SLAVE_ATC 0
MAXTOOL 8
{--------X-AXIS-----------------
MACHINEEXTENTX 140
MOVERANGEX 140
CHUCKCENTREX 60
CHUCKX 80
JAWSX 10
BILLETX 30
{-------Z-AXIS------------------
MACHINEEXTENTZ 218
MOVERANGEZ 188
CHUCKZ 20
JAWSZ 10
BILLETZ 50
--------MISCELLANEOUS FUNCS-----
datumorder 1
inspect 1

Original Go File, Desck top tutor
IBM.RS2 1
$2F8 3 MACHINE
DENFORD1.KBD 1
18.2 $3F8 4
VGA.CRT 0
FLSTEP.APP

Qwerty Go file
IBM.RS2 1
$2F8 3 MACHINE
QDENFORD.KBD 1
18.2 4
VGA.CRT 0
FLSTEP.APP

Thank you for the help. When I run the installer with the files you provided (and the others from your website) it seems to recognize both of the drivers but then it gets to this line:

Initialising MINT 3.28...

and just seems to hang there. I have already changed the .GO file to account for the fact that I am plugged into COM1 instead of COM2, and the LED indicator on the controller board is an L with a blinking ".", so the system seems to be operational, but I still cannot communicate with it.

I read that MINT is a text-based filesystem, so I am assuming that the hangup is an issue with my PC-side configuration, and not with my communication to the control cabinet.

Is there something I am missing in either the .OPT or .GO files? Is it possible to know exactly which files/drivers need to be in the installer's directory?

Thank you for any response!

Have you got the correct RS232 lead?
Looking at the first photo you posted it has a 25way pre moulded D type lead connected at the control box end & not the RS232 lead. I presume the lead in the photo is either a 25way to 25way or a 25 to 9 converter.

Yes, the setup is slightly different than the first photo. We are using the cable you see laying on the table, which has a 25pin end and a 9 pin end. The one hooked up in the first photo was the old owner's pass-through cable. I was assuming that the 25 to 9 pin cable was part of the original equipment for this machine and that it was the correct one to use. Am I mistaken?

The lead on the table looks to be a straight 25 to 9 way cable.
The easiest way round it may be to just swap round the wires on pins 2 & 3 on the 25 way D type socket on the inside of the control boix. The RS232 lead shouls be a grey cable about 3M long.

Are you in the USA ? This is an exported machine, so could have a different RS232 cable type.

Check what you have for certain by continuity testing against this diagram:
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=544

It was only the Micromill/ Microturn that were shipped with the straight 25 to 9 way Lead . All the others were supplied with a RS232 cable.