Triac and Mirac PC

All info relating to the Denford Triac series of CNC milling machines

Moderators: Martin, Steve, Mr Magoo

Post Reply
codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Triac and Mirac PC

Post by codyst » Mon 24 Nov , 2008 14:47 pm

I have a Triac PC SR#EO4012 (April 1992) and a Mirac PC SR#EO4448 (May 1994). The Triac ran for a few years and the computer that it was hooked to died.

Long story short the IT department here at the school "misplaced" the installation software and the floppy disk that I'm told acts as the dongle. I've downloaded the software, but I'm having trouble finding what I need to get around the dongle issues.

The Mirac to the best of my knowledge has never been operated here. Can someone point me to what software I need to get it started?

KR,

Cody

User avatar
bradders
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1251
Joined: Mon 13 Feb , 2006 12:35 pm
Location: Brighouse, England
Contact:

Post by bradders » Mon 24 Nov , 2008 15:38 pm

The Triac PC SR#EO4012 (April 1992). had DOS software ver 1.05c and a Eurostep Issue 3 contol board and this would upgrade to VR Milling Ver 5

Mirac PC SR#EO4448 (May 1994). had DOS software ver 2.19 and a LCB3 contol board and this will not upgrade to Denford's latest VR Turning software.

FYI the old DOS software is free to download from our web site (See link below) and comes as is, we can no longer offer support for these products

https://website.denford.ltd.uk/support/9 ... s-software

I will forward a link to Denford USA

User avatar
Denford Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3649
Joined: Fri 10 Feb , 2006 12:40 pm
Hardware/Software: Go to User Control Panel > Profile
Enter as much information about your CNC hardware and software as you can - it makes it easier for everyone to know what you're talking about then.
Location: Sunny Brighouse
Contact:

Post by Denford Admin » Mon 24 Nov , 2008 17:04 pm

Denford INC in the US should be able to sort out a replacement license floppy disk for you to get them back working as they were.

Their email address can be found here:
https://www.denford.ltd.uk/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=31

User avatar
Steve
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1451
Joined: Tue 21 Feb , 2006 16:15 pm
Location: Denford UK

Post by Steve » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 13:01 pm

Denford no longer support the DOS software.

The final versions were unprotected so do not require a licence key and are available for free as a download.

While it may be possible to produce a licence file this would be time consuming and very expensive.

You should use the downloads available from the website.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 14:20 pm

I downloaded the flashes.txt file, but I'm not sure how to load them in. I looked at some of the posts in the downloads section, and one said to copy it into the .OPT file, but this didn't let me open the software. I'm still getting a Dongle alarm.

Should I be pasting the flash code somewhere else?

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Post by Martin » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 16:50 pm

The Flash Codes needs to be in the ".ini" file.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 16:59 pm

Martin wrote:The Flash Codes needs to be in the ".ini" file.
I assume you mean the windmill.ini file(as noted here: viewtopic.php?t=100 ) ? If so, there is not a windmill.ini file in the vrmilling folder.

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Post by Martin » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 17:12 pm

What software are we talking about?

If you open up the flash file in word it should say the name of the file it needs inserting in. Each product will have a different flash code sat in it`s ".ini" file.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 17:58 pm

I have VR Milling V2.31.3.951 installed on the desktop.

I see that the flashes.txt file has flash codes for fanucmd etc, but I'm still not seeing an ini file in each folder to transfer the flash code to.

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Post by Martin » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 20:09 pm

I don`t think the licence for VRMilling is free.

It`s only the older dos software that is free.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 20:13 pm

The Triac was updated and was running VRmilling the last time it ran. I want to say this was done sometime in the 2003-2005 time frame.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 20:17 pm

I was just digging around in some files the previous instructor left, and found a flash code written in one of the manuals.

Is there anyway (providing that this code is correct) to drop it in to VRMilling to activate?

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Tue 21 Apr , 2009 20:24 pm

I'm not sure if it was version2.** now?

The user manual has a part number: 700312 - not sure if this will help identify a software version it's tied to. The first page of the manual in the "legal" portion pertaining to trademark etc, calls out Copyright Denford Inc. - Version 4.0 June 2002

Again not sure if this tied to just the manual or gives a reference to the software it was running also.

Thanks for the help thus far!

User avatar
Denford Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3649
Joined: Fri 10 Feb , 2006 12:40 pm
Hardware/Software: Go to User Control Panel > Profile
Enter as much information about your CNC hardware and software as you can - it makes it easier for everyone to know what you're talking about then.
Location: Sunny Brighouse
Contact:

Post by Denford Admin » Wed 22 Apr , 2009 11:02 am

Have a look at this:
viewtopic.php?t=173
If you have DOS, then use FANUCMD (for Triac) and the machine connection should act as the dongle, so no need for the flash codes (unless you want to run offline)

Also look at this post if it is VRMilling v2 that you have:
viewtopic.php?t=100&highlight=windmill

ps - a picture of your machine and the inside of the electrical comartment would help us know exactly what we're all talking about :wink:

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Post by Martin » Wed 22 Apr , 2009 12:51 pm

It may be worth also taking a picture of the EPROM fitted to the control card.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Wed 22 Apr , 2009 13:44 pm

Here are some pics of the machine and control cabinet.
Attachments
Denford 001.jpg
Denford 001.jpg (92.93 KiB) Viewed 16798 times
Denford 002.jpg
Denford 002.jpg (196.89 KiB) Viewed 16798 times
Denford 003.jpg
Denford 003.jpg (149.58 KiB) Viewed 16798 times
Denford 004.jpg
Denford 004.jpg (181.3 KiB) Viewed 16798 times
Denford 005.jpg
Denford 005.jpg (159.5 KiB) Viewed 16798 times
Denford 006.jpg
Denford 006.jpg (132.4 KiB) Viewed 16798 times

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Post by codyst » Wed 22 Apr , 2009 13:47 pm

More Pics
Attachments
Denford 007.jpg
Denford 007.jpg (146.8 KiB) Viewed 16797 times
Denford 008.jpg
Denford 008.jpg (123.26 KiB) Viewed 16797 times
Denford 009.jpg
Denford 009.jpg (88.01 KiB) Viewed 16797 times

Martin
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Fri 24 Feb , 2006 17:09 pm
Location: Brighouse

Post by Martin » Wed 22 Apr , 2009 14:19 pm

Can you take a picture of the Eprom on the card in the bottom left? It`s the one with the red 8 segment LED on it.

codyst
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon 24 Nov , 2008 9:36 am
Location: Indiana

Re: Triac and Mirac PC

Post by codyst » Thu 04 Mar , 2010 13:50 pm

I was finally able to get the issue resolved through Denford US. They were able to find the school information and issue us the original flash code to enable VR milling. I appreciate the help from everyone and apologize for not responding sooner.

Post Reply