Will a NI PCI-GPIB card work with an old mitutoyo model CMM machine (BHN 506)?"

[manifold14]

I am trying to figure out the best solution for connecting an old mitutoyo CMM machine (Model No. BHN 506) to a GPIB card compatible with a Win XP computer.

My first question concerns the compatibility of the connection on the CMM machine with the new card I would have to buy probably a NI PCI-GPIB. Would I be assuming correct in that the IEEE 488.1 cable and CMM would be compatible with this new card (the cable being HP 10833C).

I was thinking, if this assumption is true, that I would be able to purchase a NI PCI-GPIB card and put it in a Win XP computer and be able to run the CMM plug and play ideally. The CMM itself was purchased along side an old computer model in an auction without its hard drive, leaving me hard pressed to get the thing up and running again.

Would my idea of using a new computer with this new card be a viable option. If so I would greatly appreciate advice on the best way to go about doing this. If it is not a viable option then I would equally appreciate advice on how to use the card I retrieved from the old computer and take advantage of it in a second hand windows 95 or older system.

It is a complex issue in my mind because I have never dealt with these cards before, no less on an older machine.

I will appreciate any help that is given.

If more information is needed I will gladly provide it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Dennis_Knutson]

If you are writing your own software, then it really does not matter what GPIB board you want to use. All cards implement the same standard for instrument control and pretty much any GPIB cable can be used. Older instruments may not have been designed to the IEEE-488.2 standard but all controllers should be backwards compatible to IEEE-488.1. NI GPIB controllers play a bit nicer with NI sofware such as LabVIEW/LabWindows.

[manifold14]

The software that I intend on using with the CMM is PC-DMIS. I realize this isn't a forum for CMM hardware or it's respective software, but If anyone knows whether this program will also be fine running on the first configuration option I mentioned then it would help greatly.

As well thanks for your first response Dennis Knutson.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Try the PC-DMIS forum.

[mr_gadget]

Yes it should work I have a Mitutoyo CMM machine (B-231) with a MAG1 counter and using the August 1999 500739d-00, NI-488.2 for Windows.

Originally this was installed on a WinNT system that recently crashed via the motherboard.

I had to install on a WinXP sp3 Dell GX260 slowed down the processor through the task manager and everything started communicating again.