Corroded Chip

[Iamanamma]

Someone once asked me how we are using these units, and my boss said it was okay to explain our set-up.  We run three machines that use very old Macs to tell them what to do.  Here are a couple of pictures:

 

[Iamanamma]

The IIsi or the IIci lives in side one of these operator consoles.  The environment is very hot in the summer, and very dirty all year 'round.  It's a metal fabricating shop.

 

[Mr SN]

Wow, I'm amazed some older macs are still doing duty in CNC shops! So cool to see!  Now I understand the comments about dongles and PAC software. 

 

[Iamanamma]

To work correctly, the clamps must open and close, the stops need to engage or disengage, the turret must spin to the correct location, and the sheet has to reference correctly.

 

[cheesestraws]

Someone once asked me how we are using these units, and my boss said it was okay to explain our set-up.

This is really interesting.  Thankyou for sharing the pictures with us.  I think your use case is one of the most interesting of anyone on these forums.

 

[superjer2000]

Someone once asked me how we are using these units, and my boss said it was okay to explain our set-up.  We run three machines that use very old Macs to tell them what to do.  Here are a couple of pictures:

View attachment 35450

That’s the biggest can opener I’ve ever seen!!

 

[Torbar]

That's really cool!  

I'm guessing the machines connect to the Mac with a Nubus expansion card?

 

[PotatoFi]

Wow, this is the only post I've ever seen on these forums of a machine being used in production. That is just awesome.

 

[Iamanamma]

Wow, I'm amazed some older macs are still doing duty in CNC shops! So cool to see!  Now I understand the comments about dongles and PAC software. 

It's not the easiest road to travel. It's a completely foreign world to what most Mac users know. THE SCSI2SD adapters we bought last year saved our butts when a heat wave (like we are having now in Ohio) hit and our old SCSI drives started failing one by one.  Once I got the first SCSI2SD working, I literally cried.  The operators love them, because the seek and load times are drastically reduced.  The Macs fly.  The SD cards are so much less susceptible to damage from the heat and dirt, it was a no-brainer to set up all of the machines to use SCSI2SD.

Before I got another question as to why we don't try to do this with emulation, I thought I would show the set-up.  There is a Nubus Comm card inside the Mac that communicates with another card inside the console.  They are connected by a ribbon cable.  I finally got a picture of the the screen to upload to show what it looks like when then PAC software is loaded.  My boss is very happy that the electronics will probably last us another 30 years!

 

[Iamanamma]

I'm guessing the machines connect to the Mac with a Nubus expansion card?

Absolutely!  See my response to Mr SN for more info.  I can try to get some photos of the inside of a console if anyone is interested in seeing it.

 

[Iamanamma]

Wow, this is the only post I've ever seen on these forums of a machine being used in production. That is just awesome.

Thanks! We bought several of these machines used so we could keep doing what we are doing and expand our capacity.  We even purchased a Laser/turret press hybrid made by the same company so we could keep using the same programming software.

 

[Iamanamma]

This is really interesting.  Thankyou for sharing the pictures with us.  I think your use case is one of the most interesting of anyone on these forums.

You're welcome!  Interesting is one way of putting it, haha.

 

[Iamanamma]

That’s the biggest can opener I’ve ever seen!!

Snort! That's the first time I've ever heard it called a can opener! We make all kinds of crazy things on those.  I've attached some interesting photos of big things and little things that we've used those machine to punch out almost if not everything you see in the picture.

 

[Mr SN]

That's great stuff you're making with those old macs. You came to the right place to keep them running and ask questions.  I'm happy to do whatever you might need in terms of help to keep those old macs in business

 

[Bolle]

Don’t have anything to contribute to the actual topic of the IIci but damn... this is absolutely amazing.

Awesome to see those old Macs still being in duty and also good to see they are taken care of by people who are aware that those are 30 years old and need special treatment (which they obviously got) to run another 30 years.

Keep them going and keep coming back here for any help you might need with the Macs. Also I‘d love to see more about the actual cards/interfacing setup if that’s possible.

 

[PB145B]

That’s really awesome! So cool to see 30+ year-old computers still in-service! 
 

SCSI2SDs are absolutely perfect for applications like this where the machine is relied upon. I’m usually a stickler for mechanical drives, but maximum reliability is absolutely crucial in situations like this.

 

[MJ313]

This is just outstanding. I've seen your posts about your shop before and been intrigued (and maybe a little confused lol).  To see something that I've considered a 'hobby' for a whole bunch of years actually being *used* in production makes my day.

 

[Iamanamma]

I'm happy to do whatever you might need in terms of help to keep those old macs in business

I will keep that in mind, thanks!

 

[Iamanamma]

Also I‘d love to see more about the actual cards/interfacing setup if that’s possible.

I am working on that.  

 

[Iamanamma]

’m usually a stickler for mechanical drives, but maximum reliability is absolutely crucial in situations like this.

I prefer the mechanical hard drives too.  Less trouble to configure.  Unfortunately, they are very difficult to procure now. The SCSI2SD should be able to withstand 90°+ shop temperatures with 95% humidity and the pervasive grit and grime of metal fabricating (Did you SEE the keyboard pic?) a little better since it has no moving parts.  The boys love the speed boost, so that's a plus as well.