Re:Da big BAD guys.

dk writes:

>Good 'ole God darn Al Bradley, Never saw a <less> reliable control.
>Sorry, that's MY experience, not intended to offend the faithful A/B
>followers. Maybe the current stuff is better??
>I've got some 7300 parts, etc. EMAIL me...

I'd heard similar, but have no personal experience...

>One curious (serious) question I have, maybe redundant, is in
>regards to
>I/O. The test machines have relatively complicated tool changers.
>How does EMC handle the plc/pmc/ "ladder logic" function?

The interpreter sends a basic (canonical function,CHANGE_TOOL(slot
number)to the EMC TASK, which calls the IO code BridgeportIO or
minimillIO,where the tool changing code lives. Last time I talked to
Fred Proctor, he said they had someone writing a software PLC to
implement ladder-logic functions. This would/will replace the hard
code currently used. (Jon and Matt, have I got that right??)

>Well, these are my spout-off's Mr.Ball-end-milleo,
>Criticize and crucify at will.
>And don't stop asking "why not" and "what if"?

Thanks for your support (Bartles and James,remember?)

Ballendo (LOL)

P.S.

A PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is used in commercial CNC
machines to carry out the accessory functions like tools and coolant.
Think of it like a sound card in your PC. The PC has a speaker, but a
sound card lets the PC concetrate on other things, the sound card
"figures out" the sound part.

Ladder Logic is a control language developed for Industrial control.
Most PLC's are programmed in "ladder logic". Visually, it uses two
parallel lines and has "rungs" with circles and arrows which mean
things like turn this on now, turn that off next,etc. So it looks
like a ladder sorta.