[Alchemy99]

the PDP-11 was the original computer that was running the matchine i salvaged. another problem is that the reason they were throwing it away was all the backboard chips (i think that is what they are called, but the cards that are in a seprate location that control everything) are burnt, fried, snapped, etc. if they were in working condition i would spend my time looking on how to programe a PDP-11. my guess is that if i bought new cards ($110 a pop, 19 of them) i could get it working the way it was. but that is WAY to much money for just a hunch. I took the pdp-11 out of the machine, because i know what vintage stuff is worth, but this i dont know, so i want to be safe than sorry.

The reason why i thought i had the right stuff for a 3d printer is because the machine moved a PC board (up to 28" square) around and placed components (resistors, cappasitors, IC's, etc) in the threw holes. so it had to be accurate and repeatable because it did around 400 boards a day, and got calibrated 2 a year. that is just XY movement, for the Z-Axis i planed on using a liner actuator mounted right above the orriginal leed cutoffs (must be dead center because they didnt move) but i am just looking for ideas to move the motors in a pattern from a 3d image.