Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CNCpro VS Artisan VS flashcut

The look ahead function on both Cnc Pro and Flashcut is FAR
SUPERIOR to Ahha.
At least the versions I have of each. I know others running
Ahha that gripe about this
one major shortcoming.

I do find it easier for me to use Windows based software
since I can put all my machines
on my LAN. I can post files from my CAM workstation and copy
them out to the machine
that is going to run them. Right now I'm doing this via
sneaker net since I have to use floppies
with the DOS based machines.

As to isolation and damage to the computer. I don't view
that as a big consideration. First
most spikes would simply blow a buffer on the parallel port
or the level converter on the
serial port. I can easily fix that. Or, I can easily replace
those ports. I would suggest that
anyone doing CNC via serial or parallel use an add in card
and not one built into the
system board of the machine. So I wouldn't use a laptop to
control a machine if it's an
expensive laptop.

There is a slim chance of a catastrophic failure or
lightning strike causing severe damage to the computer
that wouldn't happen with optoisolated connections. Big
deal. I don't worry about chances that small and
I've never lost a computer to a failure like this yet.
System boards are cheap and I/O cards are even cheaper.

For parallel port I/O, it would be simple to build an
optoisolation 'dongle' to provide isolation for any
parallel port based controller. But again, it's not
important to me. If it's important to a lot of folks, I
could design
one and post the files so you could build it.

True Cnc Pro and Flashcut do not have radius comp. But again
I don't care. All changes I make
are done on the CAM side and reposted anyway so I don't need
to tell the control I'm using a
different tool than I posted it for.

I would not buy Flashcut again. It's too high priced for
what you get and they told me HPGL support
would be coming. They haven't provided that yet so I'll not
buy another Flashcut control.

I hope to get Master5Cnc connected to a machine soon. From
what I see, I feel with a little more
maturity of the program it'll be my answer to CNC control
problems. But, we'll see how I feel after
I've cut some parts with it.

By the way Peter, your caps lock key is stuck!

later,
Larry E.

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Chen <cadcamcenter@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 1:38 PM
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CNCpro VS Artisan VS flashcut


> Good morning Larry & others,
>
> "The look ahead buffer on Ahha's controllers SUCK!"
>
> WHAT ABOUT THE LOOK AHEAD FEATURE ON DOUG'S CNCPro?
>
> "As an aside, I also have Flashcut, and Master5CNC
> controllers.... Flashcut and Master5CNC runs in
> Windows. Ahha and CncPro runs in pure DOS."
>
> DO YOU FIND ANY DIFFERENCE IN EASE OF USE BETWEEN THE
> WINDOWS BASED AND DOS BASED CONTROLLER? IF COST IS NOT
> A CONSIDERATION, WILL YOU CHOSE WIN-BASED OVER
> DOS-BASED, OR FLASHCUT OVER CNCPro? ALSO, THERE WERE
> SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THE PARALLEL PORT ISOLATION SOME
> TIME BACK, WHERE FEARS WERE RAISED OF DAMAGE TO THE
> COMPUTER FROM PROBLEMS ORIGINATING FROM THE CNC END.
> DID ANYONE SUFFERED ANY ILL-CONSEQUENCE BECAUSE OF
> LACK OF PARALLEL PORT ISOLATION? FLASHCUT USES THE
> SERIAL PORT. IS THERE ANY REMOTE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE
> TO THE COMPUTER VIA THE SERIAL PORT?
>
> NEITHER CNCPro NOR FLASHCUT HAVE CUTTER RADIUS
> COMPENSATION. IS THERE ANY LOW-COST OPTION OFFERING
> RADIUS COMPENSATION?
>
> THANKS
>
> PETER
>
>
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