Used CMSCNC

7/2/04
1. Introduction
2. Installation - Mechanical
2.1. Unpacking
2.2. VI eight Considerations
2.3. Stand Bracket Mounting
2.4. Stand Assembly
2.5. Digitizer/Stand Assembly
3. Installation - Electrical and Software
3 .1. Attach Cursor
3 .2. Attach Power Supply
3.3. Quick Functional Test
3.3.1. HYPER TERMINAL Program
3.3.2. TERMINAL Program
3.3.3. Functional Test
4. Troubleshooting
4.1. Symptoms - Digitizer Hardware Problems
4.1.1. Beep on Power Up
4.1.2. Cursor Lights
4.1.3. Bad Coordinates
4.2. Symptoms - Inteface/Configuration Problems
4.2.1. No Response from CMS Controller
4.2.2. No Response from HYPER TERMINAL or TERMNAL Program
4.3. Troubleshooting Digitizer Hardware Problems
4.3.1. Power
4.3.2. Reset the System
4.3.3. Loose Connections
4.3.4. Cursor Failures
4.3.5. Electronics Module
4.3.6. Digitizing Table Problems
4.3.6.1. HYPER TERMINAL or TERMINAL Program
4.3.6.2. Removing Edge Rail
4.3.6.3. Checking Wires
4.3.6.4. Checking Driver Boards
4.3.6.5. Replacing Edge Rails
4.4. Troubleshooting Interface/Configuration Problems
4.4.1. Interface Problems
4.4.2. Digitizer System Configuration

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Table 1 - NovaPro Wire Counts by Model
Table 2 - CMS Interface Configuration
Table 3 - System Configuration Commands

Figure 1 - Electronics Module Connections

Figure 2 - Power Supply Connection Pin Assignments
Figure 3 - Electronics/Table Connector

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 ------------------ - - -

Technical for NovaPro Digitizer

Used CMS CNC Systems

1. Introduction
The NovaPro Jumbo Digitizer system includes features that allow it to be configured for
operation in a wide variety of CAD and data collection systems. For any given system, such
as the CMS CNC Router System, the unneeded features are of little interest. This manual,
therefore, distills the complete technical manual down to just those features and operations
that are used in the CMS system.

Technical help is available over the telephone during normal working hours (EST) at 610-
584-8996. You are encouraged to call for assistance whenever you encounter a technical
problem with which you are not completely familiar. If you anticipate needing telephone
supp01i during off hours, please phone ahead of time so an off-hours contact number can be
arranged for you.

2. Installation - Mechanical
2.1. Unpacking - Remove the top cover from the crate. The accessories for the digitizer -
cursor, power supply, utilities disc, and interface cables - are taped to the bottom of the
digitizer. Remove them and set them aside. The stand for the digitizer is packed in a
separate crate. Remove all the stand parts from its crate.
2.2. Weight Considerations - The digitizer table weighs approximately 250 lbs. Removing
it from its crate and mounting it on its stand should only be undertaken when there is
adequate manpower or equipment available for dealing with this amount of weight.
2.3. Assemble the stand, using the detailed stand assembly instructions. Adjust the stand
height before the digitizer table is mounted to it.
2.4. Mount the digitizing table to the stand. Follow the detailed stand assembly instructions.

3. Installation - Electrical and Software

3 .1. Attach the cursor, the interface cable, and the power supply to the electronics module on
the bottom of the digitizing table. Figure 1 shows all of these items connected. Two
interface cables, each six ft long, are included with the unit. The cables can be daisy
chained together to increase the cable reach. Plug the cable into the selected COM port
of the CMS Controller computer.
3.2. Plug the power cord of the power supply into 110 VAC outlet. There is no on/off switch
on the power supply, so it will be on as soon as it's plugged in. If the cursor is not on
the table surface, or ifthere is something wrong with the digitizing system, the
electronics will beep one time when power is turned on. When the cursor is on the
digitizer surface, neither of its lights should be on. The green light blinks once when a
button is pressed. The red light turns on when the cursor is lifted off the surface. If
these things are not happening, proceed to the Troubleshooting section.

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 3.3. Quick Functional Test There are two ways to communicate with the digitizer from
the computer to test its basic operation: TERMINAL Program and HYPER
TERMINAL Program. The TERLV1INAL Program is a DOS based program provided on
the Utility disc with the unit. It can be used with computers with older operating
systems that can run DOS independently of the Windows system. The HYPER
TERMINAL Program is usually a better choice, as it is a standard part of all versions of
Windows, and avoids system conflicts in accessing the serial port to which the digitizer
is connected.
3.3.1. HYPER TERMINAL Program - Be sure the digitizer is connected to the serial
port (usually COM 1) then launch the HYPER TERMINAL program. The program
can be found under Start/Programs/Accessories/Communications. After launching
the program, set the port to 9600 Baud, 7 data, no parity, one stop bit. Data typed
on the keyboard will now be transmitted to the digitizer and data from the digitizer
will be displayed on the screen. Commands from the computer can be used to
interrogate the condition of the digitizer, test for problems, set the digitizer's
operating mode, and set various aspects of the digitizer coordinate data formats. A
list of the commands that the digitizer recognizes is contained in Table 3.
3.3.2. TERMINAL Program - The Utilities disc, that accompanies the unit, contains
the TERMINAL program. The TERMINAL program runs under MS DOS. Insert
the Utilities disc in the floppy disc drive (assumed to be the a: drive). Type "a:",
"cd\terminal", "terminal".
3.3.3. Functional Test - With the cursor on the table surface, press any cursor button.
The coordinates will display on the screen (with either program). The coordinates
are displayed in the format: "B YYYYYY XXXXXX". In this display Bis the
button number, YYYYYY is the Y coordinate and XXXXXX is the X coordinate.
Both coordinates are shown in units of one thousandths of an inch. Thus a position
of 13 inches up and 22 inches to the right would read as "B 013000 022000". Press
"T" to activate another diagnostic function. The wire count for the table will
appear. Table 1 shows the proper wire count for each of the NovaPro models. If
the wire count matches and all of the responses have been as described, the
digitizing table is working properly.

4. Troubleshooting
4.1. Symptoms - Digitizer Hardware Problems
4.1.1. Beep on Power Up - The digitizer controller does a self check whenever the
power is turned on. If it finds a problem, it will beep one time. The problem may
be something as simple as the cursor being unplugged, or it may mean that there is a
more serious problem with the table. See section 4.3 for methods of troubleshooting
these problems.
4.1.2. Cursor Lights - The two lights on the cursor provide a handy check on the
system. The red light will tum on whenever the cursor is off of the table or outside
the active digitizing area. It will also tum on ifthere is a problem with the digitizing
operation. If the red light is on when the cursor is on the surface and the system is
running, it means there is a problem. The green light flashes once each time a set of
coordinates are read and sent to the computer. For normal operation, this happens

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 whenever one of the cursor buttons is pressed. There will also be a beep from the
electronics each time a button is pressed.
4.1.3. Bad Coordinates - If the coordinate values being sent to the computer do not
correspond with the position on the table there is a problem with the table. See
Section 4.3 for methods of troubleshooting.

4.2. Symptoms - Interface/Configuration Problems

4.2.1. No Response from CMS Controller - If the normal CMS Controller program
does not respond when coordinates are sent from the digitizer, first check for
symptoms described in Section 4.1 above. If none of these indicators suggest a
problem with the digitizer hardware, it is probably a problem with the interface or
system configuration. Run the HYPER TERMINAL or TERMINAL program and
check the system response.
4.2.2. No Response from HYPER TER'1INAL or TERMINAL Program - If the
response from the HYPER TERMINAL or TERcM:INAL programs is not as
described in Section 3.3.3 above, go to Section 4.4 for tips on troubleshooting the
problem.

4.3. Troubleshooting Digitizer Hardware Problems

4.3 .1. Power - Start with the things that are easiest to check. Be sure the power is
turned on to the digitizer. The cursor lights are the easiest thing to check. The
beeper is also an indication of power. If none of these is present and you have a volt
meter, you can check the output of the power supply. The pin assignments of the
power supply output connector are shown in Figure 3.
4.3.2. Reset the System - The digitizer is reset whenever its power is turned on.
Unplug the power supply and plug it back in to reset the system.
4.3.3. Loose Connections - Check all the connections to be sure they are good.
Unplug and re-insert each connector (power supply, cursor, interface cable)
4.3.4. Cursor Failure - If the beeper sounds on power up but only the red light on the
cursor comes on (or no light at all), the cursor may be at fault. A simple check of
the coil in the cursor is to check for continuity between pins 1 and 2 on the cursor
connector. Ifthere is continuity between these pins, the digitizing function of the
cursor is probably OK. Ifthere are problems with the buttons activating, the cursor
failure is internal. Care should be taken in disassembling the cursor to look for
internal problems, as the internal assembly is delicate.
4.3.5. Electronics Module - The electronics module is attached to the bottom of the
digitizing table and can easily be removed by pulling on the case. This should be
done carefully, however, as there is an electrical connection between the table and
the electronics board that can be pulled loose or damaged if the module is pulled
away too far. The internal connection can be unplugged and re-plugged to assure
that it is making good contact. Figure 4 shows the proper orientation of the
connector.
4.3.6. Digitizing Table Problems
4.3.6.1. The HYPER TERMNAL or TERMINAL program is the most useful tool
in diagnosing problems with the digitizing table. The "T" command will test
for broken wires in the table and give an X axis and Y axis wire count. Broken

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 wires are reported by axis and wire number. The X coordinate wires tem1inate
along the long edge of the table, the Y coordinate wires along the short edge.
Wires are numbered from the origin comer. If the X and Y wire count is not
reported correctly (see Table 1), it indicates that a driver board has failed.
Driver boards and all wire terminations are located inside the table edge rail.
4.3.6.2. Removing Edge Rail - Repairing either a broken wire or a defective
driver board requires removing the edge rail. The driver boards are located
inside the top edge and along the left edge as viewed from the operator's
position. Replacing the edge rail is considerably more difficult that
removing it. Read section 4.3.6.5 to be sure you're prepared to put the
rail back on before you remove To remove the edge rail, first remove the
comer pieces at each end of the rail. Comer pieces are attached with two
screws on the under side of the table. Once the screws are removed, the comer
piece will pull off. Pull the edge rail off carefully, starting at one end and
working along the length of the rail.
4.3.6.3. Checking Wires - The integrity of individual wires can be checked by
checking for continuity between adjacent wire terminating pads on the driver
boards. There should be continuity between any two wire pads. A broken
wire is indicated ifthere is a pad without continuity to any of its neighbors. If
the continuity check identifies a broken wire, but there is no evidence of a
break in the driver board area, the break may be at the other end of the wire.
Remove the rail on the opposite side of the table and check the same wire at its
opposite end. All wires on the bottom and right side of the table tem1inate to a
common buss strip.
4.3.6.4. Checking Driver Boards - An incorrect wire count indicates that a
driver board or one of the board interconnections has failed. The wire count
will stop at the point at which the failed board or connection is encountered.
The interconnections can be checked visually and repaired with a soldering
iron. A failed driver board must be replaced. Replacing a driver board is
straightforward, but should not be undertaken unless you have experience with
component level electronics repair.
4.3.6.5. Replacing Edge Rails - The edge rail is a tight fit over the edge of the
table and requires the proper technique and some simple tools. You'll need a
putty knife, or a comparable thin stiff blade (a kitchen spatula will work). A
rubber mallet is helpful for tapping the rail on, but you can also use a regular
hammer with a piece of wood held against the rail to prevent damaging the rail.
Start at one end, with the rail held at an angle of about 20 deg to the edge of
the table. Fit the end of the rail over the edge of the table about an inch from
the comer. Tap it on until the fonnica top cover bottoms against the inside of
the rail. Work your way along the rail, tapping it over the edge. Use the putty
knife along the bottom edge as a lead-in guide to be sure the bottom covering
fits inside the rail. If you do not guide the bottom covering into the rail, the
rail will tend to split the covering material when you try to tap it on. When the
entire rail has been pushed over the edge, go back over its entire length, using
the mallet to be sure it is bottomed out on the top cover. After the rail is on,
you can adjust its position back and forth by tapping on one end or the other.

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 It must be positioned properly back and forth for the holes at the end to line up
properly with the screw holes in the comers. Replace the corners and screw
them back in place.

4.4. Troubleshooting Interface/Configurations Problems

4.4.1. Interface Problems - The HYPER TERMINAL or TERMINAL program
should be used to diagnose any interface problems. It provides the most direct
means of testing. If there is no response at all from the HYPER TERL\1INAL or
TERMINAL program, check the COM port configuration in the operating system of
the computer. Once you have established that there is some type of interaction
taking place between the compute port and the digitizer, you can proceed to Section
4.4.2 to set up the configuration of the digitizer so that proper communication is
taking place.
4.4.2. Digitizer System Configuration - There is flexibility built into the digitizer
system to configure the interface to conform to a wide variety of applications. If the
configuration is not set for what the CMS Computer system is expecting, however,
communications will fail. The configuration characteristics that the CMS system is
expecting are shown in Table 2. All of these characteristics can be set in the
digitizer using commands from the HYPER TERL\1INAL or TERL\1INAL programs.
The appropriate command for each characteristic is shown in Table 3. When the
configuration is properly set, the coordinates of the cursor will be displayed in the
HYPER TERMINAL or TERMINAL program screen whenever a button on the
cursor is pressed. The format of the coordinates should be: B YYYYYY
XXXXXX. When everything has been properly set, send the command "Wl" (case
sensitive) from the HYPER TERMINAL or TERMINAL program to store the
configuration as the default settings. To confirm the defaults are properly set, tum
power off to the digitizer, then tum it back on and check to see that the
configuration is the proper one. Table 3 contains a complete list of all the system
configuration commands.

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Figure 1
I Gnd I 0 0 a
0
I -12 v I 0
0 I+ i2 v I
I Nlr I
 Table 11
Win:~ Counts

Active Arna Wire Count

NovaPro Model
XLD 512
2S :r 2S y
144 EiO 371 161
XLD 410 120 54 315 147
XLD48 90 54 238 147

Table 2
Interface Configuration System

Mode: Point
Format: F4 - F XXXXXX YYYYYY
9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity
Resolution: 0.001 inch
 Tabie_1
Command Summary

Command De~tion_
Bn Beeper control. n: 0 = beeper off, 1 =beep on keyhit
en Carriage Return Control. n: 0 =disable CR, 1 = enable CR
Dnm Set digits in ASCII formats. n =total number of digits, m =places right of dee pt.
E Select remote mode. Digitizer transmits one point whenever it receives a "V".
Fn Select format number "n".
F1 F +XXXXX +YYYYY
F2 F+XXXXX+YYYYY
F3 F,+XXXXX,+YYYYY
F4 F XXXXXX YYYYYY This is capital F followed by 4, not function key 4
F5 FS+XXXXX+YYYYY
F6 <STX>+XXXXX+YYYYY<ETX>
F7 $F,+XXXXX,+YYYYY
F8 6-byte binary format
F9 FXXXXX YYYYY
F10 FXXXXXYYYYY
F11 XXXXX,YYYYY,F
Fi 2 F XXXXX YYYYY
F13 FSXXXXXYYYYY
F14 $XXXXX,YYYYYF
F15 5-byte binary fomrat
F16 8-byte bynary format
In Select incremental mode. n =increment size (1-255)
Mn Select resolution.
M1 0.001 inch
M2 0.002 inch
M3 0.004 inch
M4 0.004 inch
M5 0.010 inch
M6 0.1 mm
M7 0.02 mm
MS 0.01 mm
0 Select offset. First keystoke after command sets offset position
o Clear offset
P Select point mode.
02 Gives the information for the current settings
 Rn Select Rate mode.
RO 1 pt/sec
R1 2 pts/sec
R2 5 pts/sec
R3 1O pts/sec
R4 14 pts/sec
R5 20 pts/sec
R6 25 pts/sec
R7 50 pts/sec
R8 100 pts/sec
Sn Select stream mode.
S1 select intermittent stream mode
S2 select run stream mode
S3 select continuous stream mode
S4 select proximity stream mode

Table" 3 (cont}

Command Description
T Test digitizer memory and grid.
v Request cursor coordinates
wn Select stored format.
w1 9600 N, 8, 1, 6-byte binary, rate 20 pts/sec, res 0.001 in
w2 9600 N, 8, 1, signed ASCII, point, res 0.001 in
w3 9600 N, 8, 1, signed ASCII, intermit rate, 20 pts/sec, res 0.001 in
w4 9600 N, 8, 1, signed ASCII, run, 20 pts/sec, res 0.001 in
Wn Save current configuration in memory.
BEL Sound the beeper
XOFF Suspend data transmission
XON Resume data transmission
%Xn Sets the X size in inches (only needed for very small boards)
%Yn Sets the Y size in inches (only needed for very small boards, n= inches)