Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Help: Machine Control Software Advice

Hi-ho,

I really can't remember what version of MAXNC I had, that was a while ago,
it was one of the first demo's I downloaded. I've had a sift though my
links and I can't find it, so it must have been before Feb this year when I
rebuilt my PC.. It did work, and was the first package I used on the
retrofitted lathe, but when I found stepster I dropped maxnc.

In terms of machining on the CNC lathe, the only two items I've made apart
from just playing around are some prop adaptors for small electric aircraft
using "Speed 280" electric motors, and a collet for a friends router. Both
out of bar stock alloy. My reason for doing the lathe was more of a
learning experience on the way to making a CNC router. The lathe was pretty
shonky before I did the mods, and now it's only slightly more useful. It is
a San Yuan DIY-4 for anyone who knows the unit... It's a small low quality
tooling lathe. Also, I'm not a machinist by trade or hobby, I'm an
electronics/computer engineer, so it's a bit of a leap for me to start
making anything very complex from metal... I am thinking of getting a
better lathe (and larger...) to do some more serious work, but that will
have to wait as I just had a change of full time job, and the bank balance
is not flash....

The router will be for cutting bits for model aircraft, and small robot
parts for my part time business (Ohmark, as per my sig). It is really a
hobby thing, but I'm trying to do it right, so to speak.

Cheers, Chris.

* Design engineer, Assembly worker, Cleaner.
* Ohmark Electronics. PO Box 5302, Christchurch, New Zealand.
* http://www.ohmark.co.nz

----- Original Message -----
> Hi Chris,
>
> Good review of the various software out there. This one's a keeper!
>
> Just curious about the MAXNC version you had. the "PRO", or the "DLX"?
> I have just started in CNC using the PRO, and though it was OK, if a
> little skimpy on documentation. If you had the DLX disk (4-AXIS), I'd
> be interested in it.
>
> What do you machine? I'm building a steam engine, and I've built robot
> parts before.
>
> Alan
>
> Chris Hellyar wrote:
> >
> > Hi-ho,
> >
> > I've just finished looking at all the same things, and although I've not
> > brought it yet I'll be going with CNCpro when I get my router made (it's
one
> > of those 100 year projects).
> >
> > My two bits about the software you mention that you mentioned...
> >
> > MaxNC, Didn't like it, can't remember why, but I've deleted it from my
HD,
> > which is always a bad sign :-).
> >
> > CNCPro, nice program, works well and supports more of the complex Gcodes
> > than some of the others I looked at. Look-ahead profiling is a definite
> > advantage when using converted CAD images due to spline and pline
conversion
> > producing lots of small "segments" in a compound curve, makes non look
ahead
> > software move the machine very slowly. CNCPro also had the best stepper
> > output signals, as in no "glitch" to the pulse stream when viewed on a
> > scope. Glitches in the pulse stream will can cause missed steps running
at
> > high speed under load. I also had a problem with the eval copy, and
Doug
> > Yaeger replied to my inquiries quickly and with helpful info, even
though
> > I've not brought the product yet. Lots of good config options.
> >
> > DeskNC, used this one on my lathe a bit, It's got the pretty graphical
> > advantage but the pulse rate to the servos varies slightly at times, and
I
> > had trouble with the backlash compensation in curves when the apron was
> > under side load (machining plastic..) I suspect playing with the
backlash
> > figures would fix this. I also suspect that the overhead of the
'graphical'
> > interface causes the pulse rate changes. Worked fine apart from that,
and
> > the demo will last 15 minutes, which may be long enough for all of your
> > jobs? The interface for configuring this one is a bit annoying as well,
but
> > has lots of options. No lookahead.
> >
> > K-Cam, Easily the prettiest one of the lot, and very functional. It's
only
> > downfall is windows. The stepper output is pretty lousy. Running my
lathe
> > I have to run at about 2/3rds the rate that CNCpro and Stepster will
drive
> > it. You can actually hear the changes in stepper rate. But hey, it's
free,
> > and it does DXF to Gcode, and machines things for you. If speed isn't
your
> > aim, this one is a good bet. I use it to do some of my DXF to Gcode
> > conversions. One downside with the conversion is that it puts Z moves
in
> > between all of the spline segments some times, I've written a post
processor
> > in Quick basic to clean this up before I run the Gcode in something
else.
> > It's also handy for testing 2.5D Gcode. Config options are good. No
> > lookahead on this one..
> >
> > Stepster, Ahhh, open source software.... Light on the config, but what
does
> > it matter when you've got the source code? No lookahead, backlash
> > compensation after G02/G03 (curves) is buggy, and lots of G codes not
> > supported. But the source code is available so if you're a Qbasic nut
you
> > can fix it all. This is what I started out using on my lathe retrofit,
and
> > I still use it for 90% of my playing, bearing in mind that I've never
> > actually turned anything for real, I'm only playing. Also it's way of
> > handing feed rates is a little annoying, it dosn't talk IPM or mm/s it
uses
> > a relative rate from 1 to 100. 100 is the flat our rate, and the others
are
> > slower, depending on the speed value you use. This is because all of
the
> > stepper pulses are produced using "for next" loops in basic. For all
that
> > it produces quite even pulse output.
> >
> > I downloaded Master control but didn't get around to testing it yet...
> >
> > EMC is my next adventure, I've downloaded a CD image, and will give it a
go
> > sometime next week if I get a spare hour or ten...
> >
> > Hope that all helps someone.....
> >
> > Cheers, Chris.
> >
> > * Design engineer, Assembly worker, Cleaner.
> > * Ohmark Electronics. PO Box 5302, Christchurch, New Zealand.
> > * http://www.ohmark.co.nz
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> >
> > > I've gone back over the archives looking for some clear
recommendations on
> > > low-end step/direction machine control software and have found there
are
> > > about as many opinions as there are packages.
> > >
> > > I'm looking to control a MAXNC 15 primarily to make 2-D panels with
> > > cutouts. There seems to be some consensus the MAXNC software is
pretty
> > > bad. Further, the unipolar, non-chopper drive supplied by MAXNC is
quite
> > > slow. So I'm leaning towards Dan Mauch's 2 amp or 5 amp controllers
and
> > > some decent motors. The software choice, however, is a lot tougher.
> > >
> > > I currently use QuickCad (by Autodesk) for drawings. It would be
great to
> > > import dxf files one way or another and be able to tweak the G-code
and
> > > go. What do folks think of Yeager's CNC Pro? What about DeskNC? For
> > more
> > > money, there are options like Bobcad. And finally, there's all the
> > various
> > > DOS/Windows freeware like Kellyware's K-CAM, Stepster and Master
Control
> > > CNC? I'm not crazy about Linux so EMC probably isn't a good choice.
> > >
> > > I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here, but you'd think there would
be
> > > some standout software in this crowd? Has anyone had experience with
> > > several packages? I'm mainly looking for ease of use. Thanks!
> > >
> > > Mike
> > >
> > >
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