Advice/Help needed.

[Torhino]

I have an Easy Loader CNC plasma table that was built by Precision Cutting Systems Inc. of Calgary AB. Canada.
In researching this company, it looks like they made their own tables for a while and then started importing tables form China and rebranding them. I bought this table from a community college welding program. They were never able to make it work and had done some interesting trouble shooting (like cutting the machine torch head off.
I have had the table for about four-years, four moves, and two job changes. I have never got around to doing anything with it. I would like to change that.

The table appears to be well built and heavy duty. The main arm is a cantilever design and it appears to have very little play in it.

The y-axis has a motor marked STEEPING MOTOR  86HS114DF05 2008-11-20

The x-axis has a motor marked STEEPING MOTOR 90HS65DE053 2009-1-16.

The z-axis is a Dayton 2L008

When I research these motors the y-axis motor looks very similar to a NEMA 34.

The x-axis looks to be a NEMA 23.

A Hypertherm Sensor OHC was connected to the torch holder.

The control box has two ISD110-8 stepping motor drivers. The board is a PMDX-122 S/N 26636.

The board has a parallel port connection.

My question is what would be the easiest/cheapest way to get this machine up and running. Would I be better off going with an entire electronics package upgrade or see if it will run with a PMDX-411.

Thanks in advance,

Todd

[12strings]

Don't know about the existing electronics, and don't know MUCH about plasma machines.  If the original system ran from a PMDX-122, then it SHOULD run from the PMDX-122 connected to a PMDX-411 (and Mach4).  The only caveat is that plasma machines generate LOTS of electrical noise (about the only thing I do know about them), and that MAY cause issues with the USB connection to the 411.  It all depends on cable routing, shielding and grounding techniques used with the machine.

PMDX does have the PMX-424 with an isolated USB interface that may help reduce susceptibility to electrical noise.  But the 424 would replace the PMDX-122, so you would have to do some reverse engineering to figure out what motor step/dir signals and limit switch, etc. inputs go where.  Though, you will need to know that even if you keep the PMDX-122 and use a PMDX-411 so that you can create your Mach4 profile.