Cheap Monotype Computer Interface Available in UK?

[Dave Hughes]

Long-time site supporter Andy Taylor is looking to computerise his Monotype caster in the UK. Can anyone help?

Dave can you shed any light on this Polish Monotype Computer to Caster system. I'm looking at using computer to caster on my own machine only thing putting me off is the thousands you have to spend to get Mactronic or the Welliver systems
I appreciate the designers have to make money but Its money I don't have and I'd rather do it on the cheap if I can. Could you let me know who I can contact.

[Keri Szafir]

Nice to have a potential customer
The hardware would cost something like 1500 euros (the most important and expensive part would be four Matrix BX758 series 8-channel solenoid valves, that would be ca. 800 euros each; then the Raspberry Pi the device is based on, control module, enclosure, pneumatics, power supply and some other parts). I'd like 1000 euros for my work, so this would be about 2500 euros.

The process of getting the parts and building the interface would take around a month. I have some parts in storage (namely, the Raspberry Pi and control board), but I'd have to buy or order the others (most importantly, the valves).

The problem is that I don't have a viable typesetting software (casting / machine control software is pretty much working, but it's ugly and not so user friendly; I'd like to use a web app for this). John Cornelisse uses his old typesetting software that was modified so that it can output a ribbon file that is accepted by my casting program though.

[John Cornelisse]

Where has this Andy Taylor his atelier ? Dear Dave could you supply me with his address and contact-data ?

Whitin a short time I will visit the typearchyve in London, there they are also interested in computerized composition.

BTW they have a American Bill Willever interface, but this they cannot use, something is missing...

greetings

John

[John Cornelisse]

Dear Andy Taylor,

We already did add a lot of information about the Lodz-interface at this site:

please see: http://www.metaltype.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1099.0.html

And please search through all the replies.

Within a few weeks there might be a working interface at the TypeMuseum in London, I still need to organize a bit for this.

all the best wishes