Where can I force a USB adapter? [Machining Center]

J

JTG2003

New Member
I know this forum generally deals with PC's, but I have a problem that involves a CNC Machining Center.

Basically, all the machining centers have a 3.5" floppy drive. But floppy disks are next to obsolete at this point. We need to find a way to somehow force in a USB adapter somewhere so that we can use flash drives.

I don't know much about the insides of these machining centers, but I'm told they're not much different from PC's. I know that you can buy PCI cards to add USB's to a PC, but I'm not sure these machines even have PCI slots.

That being said,

Is there any way to convert the floppy drives into USB ports?
Maybe we could split the IDE cable and somehow attach a USB port to the end of the IDE?

I have no idea what kind of adapters exist. If someone could enlighten me with some possibilities, that would be fantastic.



Thanks, Jeremy
 
Sounds to me like you have very outdated hardware. Anyway you can convince the higher ups to upgrade some of the personal computers? :)

Edit: I gave you some wrong information. After reading over the product I had previously recommended I realise it is wrong. I apologize. I am interested to see if there is any IDE to USB adapter. I cannot find one.
 
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2048Megabytes said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002
Click to expand...

No offense or anything, but I do not think that is what he is looking for. That switches a usb port into a IDE/SATA hot swappable thingamajigger.

The OP is looking for something of the opposite right?

The label is a bit misleading.

UPDATE: I think what you are trying to do is impossible. Just open up one of the computers and try to find if there is a usb spot on the motherboard or if there is a pci slot.

Ok my bad 2048 i just reread your post.

nvm i just reread it agian.
 
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As stated, that's not what he wants. I have one of those myself.

If you really need something, you might be able to use some kind of compact flash or SD to IDE converter. Not knowing the hardware it's difficult to say if it'd work, but I know those exist.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm heading down the the company tomorrow to see what we have to work with. So it's impossible to go from IDE to USB .. that's a disappointment.

I've only seen them from the outside at this point. All have a floppy drive and SOME have a network card.
 
You know, the real question I guess with your system is what OS is it running. Is it a standard PC running Windows or something different? I mean if it's windows based there might be a way to use say PCI cards in it to get USB, or even upgrade the guts. Or if the system's too old, it might ONLY search the floppy drive because that's all it was designed to do.
 
machining center

Im familiar with machining units. What model / brand is it? Do you have a push button interface or is there a computer hooked up to that thing? If its just a screen and a large button interface, you may be out of luck. If its a computer type interface, there is a slim chance that a usb could be used, but its a very slim chance.

Those machines arent usually built for modifying. But if your really ambitious about it then you'll have to get to the "guts" of that computer and see what you have. The ones I've seen cant be changed, the factory way is the only way it will ever be. We tried to alter one of our cutting machines once, thousands of dollars later.... It was bad.

Its just what I have seen. If you can do it, then cool.
 
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