Gerber Professional Edger Question

[eromitlab]

Hey folks, I have a couple of questions about the Professional Edger that I'm hoping I can get answered here. I'm supposedly getting a second edger this week in the form of the Professional (as well as a Kappa to replace my ailing Triumph, but that's probably another week away), and I am curious as to how I can get it to interface with Innovations. I know that I need an Edger Translator Module (which I already have for my Triumph), to allow the host to talk to the edger but... I would like to be able to use the shape display, would I need a seperate computer to drive the display monitor, or would the edger be able to show the shape on the display? There is some speculation as to how to correctly do it, but I can't see not having a CPU to drive the shape display and were this the case how does it interface into the lab system?

Maybe I'm just winding myself in circles over nothing and it will all work with no fuss, but knowing my luck lately with this lab, I'll be spending the latter part of my day off this week in the darn lab trying to make sense of it all.

Also, has anyone been edging trivex with these edgers? are the standard wheels working well under the poly setting or should I put in for a set of the Axiom wheels?

Thanks in advance for any help.

~e

[shanbaum]

Hey folks, I have a couple of questions about the Professional Edger that I'm hoping I can get answered here. I'm supposedly getting a second edger this week in the form of the Professional (as well as a Kappa to replace my ailing Triumph, but that's probably another week away), and I am curious as to how I can get it to interface with Innovations. I know that I need an Edger Translator Module (which I already have for my Triumph), to allow the host to talk to the edger but... I would like to be able to use the shape display, would I need a seperate computer to drive the display monitor, or would the edger be able to show the shape on the display? There is some speculation as to how to correctly do it, but I can't see not having a CPU to drive the shape display and were this the case how does it interface into the lab system?

Maybe I'm just winding myself in circles over nothing and it will all work with no fuss, but knowing my luck lately with this lab, I'll be spending the latter part of my day off this week in the darn lab trying to make sense of it all.

Also, has anyone been edging trivex with these edgers? are the standard wheels working well under the poly setting or should I put in for a set of the Axiom wheels?

Thanks in advance for any help.

~e

The Finish Shape Display is essentially a PC-based version of the translator, so, yes, you need a PC to use it, and when you use it, you don't use the translator. Note that the Professional's translator is NOT the same as the Triumph's.

The Professional edger doesn't have a display on which the tracing could be shown. The tracings are shown at Innovations in any case, so if your Innovations monitor is adequately visible from the edger (or could be made so), you could view the tracing on that display.

[eromitlab]

thanks for such a quick reply, Mr. Shanbaum. I was under the impression that the translator was the same for either machine... so, I guess that takes care of that idea. However, you say the PC for the Shape display is essentially a translator for the edger, so is it safe to assume I can interface it with the Innovations?

My host computer's monitor is at the front end of the lab and this edger will be situated about twenty or so feet away from it, so it probably won't be too convenient for me to see the shapes from the machine interface window without sitting the monitor right in the middle of my bench/inspection area; besides, I'm too used to having the shape display in front of me anyhow after using the Triumph and Kappa edgers for several years now, spoiled, I know.

If I can hook the display computer into Innovations (what connector I'm supposed to use is the big question) that would be ideal... as the only other alternative is to get the FTX tracer that is being used with this machine now, as well (I'm trying hard to avoid this solution as I'm not a fan of those units, even though I could set it up blindfolded).

So... the question as it stands now is can I interface the Finish Shape Display computer into the Innovations system? My gut tells me that this would be affirmative, but the actual hardware connection would be the last sticking point... but I think I just figured out how that is supposed to go. Well, nothing to do now but wait for Thursday.

Thanks for setting me straight on the info, Mr. Shanbaum... much appreciated!

~e

[shanbaum]

So... the question as it stands now is can I interface the Finish Shape Display computer into the Innovations system?
~e

Definitely. Do you have an FSD? If not, there's at least one extra part that you'll need, which is an RS-232 to RS-485 converter that connects between the PC and the edger. The cabling from that to the edger is a little peculiar as well, as I recall.

Send me an email and I'll have someone reply to it who is familiar with exactly how to set up an FSD - this would be especially useful if you're trying to do this with a PC other than the one we used to ship as part of that product. The only reason it might be a little complicated is, the FSD has been discontinued a while now.

[Blake]

Is the FSD the really old (I'd say a 286) with the monochrome monitor? If it's like ours, you could probably use an old PC with a floppy drive - I don't think a hard drive is even required.

I've never actually tried it, but on my slower days I contemplated using my laptop in place of the PC. But then I chickened out.

[shanbaum]

Is the FSD the really old (I'd say a 286) with the monochrome monitor? If it's like ours, you could probably use an old PC with a floppy drive - I don't think a hard drive is even required.

I've never actually tried it, but on my slower days I contemplated using my laptop in place of the PC. But then I chickened out.

It's true it was a pretty minimal PC. Has to have two serial ports, though.

[eromitlab]

I remember the FSD system from my days at 'Crafters where we ran an Elite and a Professional in the lab. If I remember correctly it ran completely on the floppy, and it was the s l o w e s t thing I've ever used.

Thanks for the advice, guys... and yes this machine is coming with the FSD system, the lab I'm getting it from still has a triumph and he's getting a Horizon II to replace this unit that I'm getting (he has more room anyhow for a pattern cabinet, my lab is like a closet).

I'm gonna print this thread out and keep it in my binder for Thursday, fortuantely we have a Radio Shack right upstairs in the mall with us (incidentally, right next to the always dead Pearle :P ), so I should be able to get any connectors/gender changers and cables that I need and I'll be able to get it up in no time.