Maybe someone can help - old dead Mazak lathe - EIA-T controller

I am a hobbyist machinist with some machinery in my garage. Awhile ago I bought a cheap Mazak QT-8 with an EIA-T controller at an auction, sight unseen, hoping I could use it to learn on.

Anyway, DOA - control battery was dead and it lost all parameters. Unfortunately it came with no documentation. I did manage to find a mechanical operation book, but nothing for the controller. I contacted Mazak but they were not very helpful - strangely, their biggest concern seemed to be verifying that I wasn't involved in the manufacture of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" with my 1983 lathe. I thought that was pretty odd.

Anyway, if anyone knows anything about this lathe or has a direction to point me in I'd appreciate it. Otherwise I may need to call a scrapper and get rid of the thing and try again.

thanks,
William

this is a picture from the internet, but the same machine.

Unfortunately you are probably going to have to set up an account with Mazak to get the information you need. It's standard procedure with most machine companies to have you sign a document about not making any parts for anyone that could be used for weapons or bombs. Also without an account they probably won't give you any information. You have to register the machine in your name with them.

Mazak probably has the parameters you need to see if this machine will work. They will just need the serial number to find them. I have a QT8 and needed to get the parameters for it when I bought it. I think they charged me $400 for them. But without finding someone that has this exact machine any parameters you might find probably won't get it working as it should. A standard set of parameters may get it close though especially if it doesn't have a lot of options. I've never seen this model of QT8. But from the EIA-T model, it somewhat says its probably a T2 control that it may only work with an EIA program and doesn't have the option to program it with Mazatrol. EIA would be a program made outside of the machine and uploaded to the machine.
Hope this gets you started.
Bob

I'd pm a user here named Philabuster. This is his you tube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYPSglZfI7bq84rcwP8VGxw/featured
After reading through his thread here where he rebuild an old mazak I made a mental note that if I ever managed to get an old mazak in my home shop he'd be the guy I'd reach out to.

But yeah as stated above the best place to start is to get set up with mazak and get the machine registered to you with them. From my experience the quality of service you get over the phone depends on who you talk to over there if you don't have much luck with the first person you get just call back a few hours later to roll the dice on getting a more helpful person.​

Some of them want to send a service guy out. That cannot happen every time there is a glitch in the system. One needs to be a machine owner ,operator, and repair person