P.C. Computer to Strippit HECC80
Control Communications
The Art & Science
of Connecting a IBM-Type P.C. Computer
to a Strippit HECC80 CNC Control.
First Strippit CNC Controls were the HECC80/1 Series, First Shipped in late 1978.
This was the Era of Hobby Computers, such as the Apple 2 and Radio Shack TSR80,
as IBM was Still 3 Years Away from Shipping their Very First limited capability,
"PC" Personal Computer. It was Years After, that the Much More Useful "XT" and "AT" IBM Computers came along.
The only Common Commercial Device on the Market at that time, that could be used for "Communication", was the ASR-33 Teletype Machines.
These Fascinating Mechanical Marvels (See One Run If you Can!) could Send-Data & Store-Data on 1 Inch-Wide Punched Paper Tapes, as well as Print-Out the Data on Paper at the Same Time. Teletype ASR-33 (and earlier Models) Machines Communicated with a now Obsolete "20-Milliamp Current Loop" Protocol.
As Teletypes were the Standard of their day, Strippit Designed-In and Set-Up the
20-Mill Interface on all HECC80/1 Type CPU Circuit Boards. However, it was Seldom ever used, and I have only Seen 1 or 2 Teletypes wired to a HECC80 Control in my 3 Decades of Work.
As Time Marched-On, IBM-Type P.C. Computers became Common & Cheap, and they usually all had a RS232 Serial Port (a DB-25 or the Later DB-9 Connector) Available on the Back-Side. So people wanted to Connect them to their HECC80 Controls to use as a Program File Server, to Conveniently Store & Download Programs into the Control's Memory, so they could Quit Using Awkward Paper Tapes to Store & Load Programs.
Unlike Strippit Management, Strippit Engineering had some Foresight. Probably Gary Steils, who Designed much of the Early HECC80 Control at Strippit. Though there were few RS232 Devises available, the HECC80/1 CPU Board was Designed so it could be Easily Modified from the Old 20-Mill Current-Loop to the RS232 Type Electrical Signals that we Now use for Downloading, which are Very Different.
However, the Early Versions of the Executive-Run Program (that Runs the Control & Machine) that is Stored in the Prom #1 & Prom #2 Boards on HECC80/1, and in the Bubble-Memory Board of the HECC80/30x Controls, could Not do this Downloading.
As Time went by, the RS232 Downloading Routines were Developed, and were Added into Later Software Updates, that Could be Added to these Control Types.
Because the HECC80 Control Evolved over Many Years, there are Many Variations of CPU Board Types, Baud-Rate Switches, Software Versions, Software Options,
Built-In Cables, Etc. So, To deal with All these Variations, We have Developed our Own Procedures to Update these Controls for RS-232 Downloading.
Now that You Know what Type of HECC80 Control You have, we can Proceed.
If You Have A HECC80/1 Type Control,
We Update Your Control to RS232 Communications in the Following Way;
1 -- You Send-In to us your CPU Board (Slot #2), Prom #1 Board (Slot #3), and
Prom #2 Board (Slot #4). We Update the Hardware & Software of these 3
Boards, and Test & Verify them Good in one of our Strippit Machines.
2 -- You Buy our HECC80/1 Kit with a P.C. to HECC80/1 RS232 Cable that also has been Tested Good on one of Our Strippit Machines, along with
Detailed Control and P.C. Set-Up Instructions.
3 -- You Provide a Windows P.C. Computer with a Good 9-Pin Serial Port
on the Back.
4 -- Cable Kit Includes the Web Address where you can Download & Install, for
only $135.00, the Latest Version of a Proven Edit & Communication Program
that you will use to Download your Part Programs from your P.C. Computer
to your HECC80/1 Control.
5 -- You Download and Install This Software on your P.C. Computer, Set-Up the
Software according to Our Instructions, Set-up Switches on your HECC80/1
per Instructions, Hook-Up the RS232 Cable, and you should be ready to
Download Programs. This is a Proven Method we have used for many years.
If You Have A HECC80/30x Type Control,
We Update Your Control to RS232 Communications in the Following way;
1 -- Check the Key-Labels on the CRT Screen above the "Softkey" Buttons.
If One of them Says "COMM" then your Software is Updated Enough for
Communications, so proceed to step 2.
If Not, your Bubble-Memory Board will Need to be Sent-In for Software
Updates to Add the "Comm" and other RS-232 Communication Updates.
2 -- You buy our HECC80/30x Kit with a P.C. to HECC80/3 RS232 Cable that
also has been Tested Good on one of our Strippit Machines, along with
Detailed Control and P.C. Set-Up Instructions.
3 -- You Provide a Windows P.C. Computer with a Good 9-Pin Serial Port
on the Back.
4 -- Cable Kit Includes the Web Address where you can Download & Install, for
only $135.00, the Latest Version of a Proven Edit & Communication Program
that you will use to Download your Part-Programs from your P.C. Computer
to your HECC80/3 Control.
5 -- You Install the Downloaded Software on your P.C. Computer, Set-Up the
Software According to Our Instructions, Set-up Switches on your HECC80
Control per Instructions, Hook-Up the RS232 Cable, and you should be
ready to Download Programs. We have used this Proven Method for years.
"Click-On" Button at the Right to go to our HECC80 Control Type Page
RS232 Communication is a Complex Subject with Many Variables.
We Do It This Way,
Because Our Way Works!
In addition, We Can make Special Cables that Include a Toggle-Switch that you can Mount on your Control, so at the Flick of a Switch, you can Select Data Entry from the Tapereader or the RS232 Port.
Strippit Hired us to do this for them at Lakeshore Electric Co.
because They (Strippit) Could Not figure out how to do this.
This page was last updated: November 19, 2007
The First Thing to Do, is to
Correctly Identify Your HECC80 Control Type!
If You Do Not Know What-It-Is,
Go to our "HECC80 Control Type" Web-Page
and Figure It Out!
Note #1
Many Brand-New Computers Made Now, Do Not Have a DB-9 Serial Port,
as the Computer Manufactures are Deleting-Them to Save a Buck or Two.
Make Sure that Your New P.C. Computer Has this DB-9 Serial Port,
or you can Not use it to Download to your Strippit Control.
New Computers Now have Several USB-Ports, Instead of the Older Serial & Parallel Ports. We will be Testing "USB to Serial" Converters in the Future,
but at this time, we Do Not Know if they will work in this application.
CPU Killers
By Definition, When Downloading, You are Wiring your HECC80 Control and It's CPU Circuit Board to an Outside Device. The CPU Board is Quite Susceptible to Voltage and Grounding Imbalances which can Easily Burn-Out this Board.
To Minimize this Problem, follow my Recommendations. Or, if you wish to do it Your Way, I will be Happy to Repair your CPU Board as Many Times as you Wish.
1 -- Locate the Downloading P.C. Computer Right Next to the HECC80 Control as a
Local File Server Dedicated to This Machine Only.
2 -- Plug Both the P.C. Computer And the CRT-Monitor Power-Plugs into the A.C.
Power-Strip Inside the Strippit Houdaille HECC80 Control.
3 -- Do Not get Power from a Wall-Outlet! Do Not use an Extension Cord!
4 -- Obviously, Outside the North American Market, you Can Not Do This as Your
P.C. Computers will Require A.C. Power with Different Voltages & Frequency.
So you Will Have to Make a Ground Strap to make sure Grounds are Equalized!
You will Still Locate your P.C. Computer Right Next to your HECC80 Control.
Take a 8-Foot Long piece of 14 or 16 Gage Wire and Solder a Ring-Terminal on
Both Ends. Attach 1 End to a Metal-Screw on the Back of your P.C., Attach the
other End to a Good Electrical Ground Point inside your HECC80 Control.
Make Sure you have Good Solid Electrical Ground Connections on Both Ends!
5 -- Use a Short, 6-Foot Long, RS232 Cable. Do Not Use A Long Cable!
6 -- Do Not Run a Long RS232 Cable from a Remote P.C. Directly to your HECC80
Control! If you want to Communicate with a Remote P.C., Run a Network to the
Locale P.C. Computer you Dedicated to the HECC80 Control.
7 -- Do Not "Share" Downloading P.C. Computer with Another Machine!
8 -- Do Not use a RS232 "Switch Box" to "Share" Downloads to another Machine!
9 -- Make sure a 8-Foot Ground-Rod is Installed at the Back of Each CNC Machine!
10 - Locate Welders, and Especially Hi-Frequency TIG Welders and Plasma Cutters
as Far from all CNC as Possible!!!!
11 - Illegal Characters.
The HECC80/1 Types of Controls.
--- All Characters Must be Capital-Letters Only, No Lower Case!
--- The Complete Alphabet is Not Supported.
Only the Characters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, D, F, G, I, J, L, M, N, T, X, Y, /, ., +, -, and the "Hidden-Characters" for "Carriage-Return", "Line-Feed", and "Null" are supported. All Other Characters will Generate a "Illegal Character" Fault Message!
The HECC80/3 Types of Controls.
There are Different Versions of HECC80/3 Software, and some of them Handle Characters & Filenames Differently. These Different Software Versions are Poorly Documented, and it is Hard to say which one does what.
--- In General, the HECC80/3 Controls will Automatically Convert Lower Case to Upper Case Characters with No Errors.
--- The Full Alphabet Is Supported.
--- Unlike the HECC80/1, HECC80/3 Controls Support and Need Transmitted
File-Names. But, Do Not let Your File-Sending Computer's Software Send
Directory and Sub-Directories Preceding the File-Name!
--- Keep File Names Short, 8-Characters are Best, like XYZPART3
--- File Extensions are usually permitted, like XYZPART3.CAD But, I would not use them. Apply the KISS Principle, Keep it Simple Stupid!
There Are Many Other Notes,
Recommendations,
and HECC80 RS232 Set-Up Data
Included With Our Tested RS232 Cable Kits.
If you have Never Set-Up a RS-232 Download
to a Strippit HECC80 Control,
We Strongly Recommend that You Use Our Kit!
This is a View of a Typical Transition Board that is Mounted on
Every HECC80 Control Door.
At the Left-Side of This Board is the Infamous "Thumb-Wheel" Rotary Switch,
That Customer's Can't Seem to Find,
that is Used to Set the RS-232 Communication Baud Rate.
You Rotate the Switch with Your Thumb, and can See Settings in the Tiny Window.
Window can Show the Following;
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A , B, C, D, E, and F.
We Set HECC80/1 Type Controls to "1" which Sets 300 Baud which is the
Only Rate it will Work Correctly.
We Set HECC80/30x Controls to "A" which Sets 2400 Baud which Works Well.
The Very Early HECC80 Controls made in 1978 & Early 1979 had Baud Rate "Toggle Switches" instead of a Rotary Baud Rate Switch, or even had No Baud Switches at all. Note, The Toggle-Setting Chart was Printed Backwards, so for 300 Baud, set the 2 Toggle Switches Opposite of Chart to function correctly.
These Early Controls may also need additional Hardware Updates to Communicate.
Note #2
As Early HECC80 Controls could Not RS-232 Download,
a small Industry of Companies Developed what are Known as
"BTR's", which are "Behind The Tapereader" Devices.
These were usually a small Computer Circuit Board With a built-in RS-232 Serial Port, that was Plugged into the Tapereader Cable of the CNC Control,
and Imitated the Tapereader.
BRT's were also sometimes called Tapereader Emulators.
So, you could Download a Run-Program from your P.C. Computer,
through a RS-232 Cable, to the BTR's Memory,
which would Imitate the Old Tapereader,
and Drip-Feed the Run-Program Data into your Control through the
Old Tapereader Cable as the Control needed it.
Your CNC Control thought it was "Talking" to it's Tapereader.
As these are Aftermarket Devices that Someone Added to your Control,
Only the People & Company who Made and Installed the BTR can Support it.
We, and Strippit, can Not Support Any BRT as they are All Different,
the various Companies that made them have Gone Out of Business,
Technical Data is Not Available, Software Not Available, Etc.
We Only Support the RS-232 Downloading Communications
that are Discussed in the Sections Above!
