Gecko Drivers for PRT 3.5 and earlier

[pegheds]

Hello Shopbot Forum

I have about 20 shopbot controlled machines. Almost all still running on DOS. Many purpose built.

I just upgraded two antique ca 1998 PRS machines with the 5 axis upgrade. If anybody is wondering you CAN use the old Unistrut ball screw Z axis with a bigger NEMA 23 motor. I am using KL23K2100-30-4B.

Has anyone hacked into PRT 3.5 control boards on order to use Gecko stepper motor drivers? I have several machines that have blown driver chips. Since most of my machines are using only X,Y, and Z I've successfully reassigned an unused axis by soldering a jumper where a DIP switch could go. I've replaced the blown chips with mixed results.

I've seen old posts here saying it is possible to steal the step and direction signals but you need to increase the current of these signals. Can someone here help me out or point me to a site or hardware that can do that?

Thanks a million.

Chuck

[jerry_stanek]

I ended up going with a Centroid Acorn board. It was a little confusing at first but now it runs better then the shopbot control. If you do go this way you have to use the 25 db adptor so you don't blow the pull up resistor.

[pegheds]

Not helpful. Did you read that I have TWENTY Shopbot machines? Some have been running 24/7 for 21 years.