Re: Re: BDI EMC Announcement

Comments mixed in.

From: "Robin S." <lasernerd@...>

>Just to get some things straight, I can basically take Joe-Blow
>computer, stick the CD into the drive, press enter a couple of times
>(well, not _that_ simple) and then have a working CNC controller
>running in about an hour? (Oh, and do I have to have a copy of linux
>installed on the system, or does the CD come with it?)

Uh! Yea! There are a few pieces of computer equipment that are a little
more difficult to find drivers for than others. I've been using no-name
Tigerdirect.com boards and boxes for quite a while now and had a little
trouble with 5.2 and the S# video chip set but none since. The BDI seems
to be very complete on what it provides in the way of drivers for your
basic intel comptatable PC.

>I just took a look at the NIST EMC site, and the software looks
>awsome. Is anyone planning on making a *practical guide to BDI*? I'm
>the kind of guy that knows how to run a CNC mill, and that's about
>it. Can't program worth a damn, although I'm comfortable going into
>ini files (and the like) and messing about.

The software is awesome! And the ini is fairly intuitive in most places.
Wanna help with the practical guide? There is a handbook with the release
but it is not very polished or very finished.

>Lastly, does EMC support some kind of programming like that of a PLC?

I>'d like to control other aspects of my CNC system with the same

>software if at all possible (coolant, etc). Obviously, I'd like to do
>this outside of the G-code interface (I don't want to use axis "B" to
>make a tool change happen - too complex).

Tool change language is allowed in the g-code file. It includes pocket
numbers and issues prefetch commands for machines that do that sort of
thing. The tool file records both length and diameter. Mist and
flood coolant, spindle direction and some clunky spindle speed change are
already a part of bridgeportio and show up on pins on an aux parallel
port. But no specific tool change files have been written. I'll work with
you on this this summer because I'll need it for my big mill then.

Additional IO can be written using two files that are a regular part of the
release. These are iosh and tkio. Using the Tcl/Tk language, you can
write almost any kind of aux IO that you want. There are emc@...
subscribers who can help with specifics.

HTH
Ray