Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Stepper control question<>ATC
Posted by
Jon Elson
on 2001-05-31 21:57:32 UTC
STAN MCDONALD wrote:
but most of the other low cost programs are for steppers, only. EMC runs on Real Time
Linux, which scares some people away. There is a guy on here that has ported EMC over
to a DOS environment, and seems to be getting good results with it, but you lose the
multi-tasking features and the nice screen presentation. You also lose some of the
advanced features in the GUI, such as previewing toolpaths in 3D.
We don't have ATC built in to it yet, but some really sharp people are working hard
on this. On the other hand, if you don't mind writing some C code, an ATC could
be controlled by a module you wrote and added into EMC.
EMC can control up to 6 axes of orthogonal machine tools, as well as robots,
hexapods and just about anything else you can imagine.
Sounds like a VERY nice machine. I drool over your large workspace!
The only thing you would have to buy (other than a computer) is the motion
interface card. You can get a servo-to-go board or my parallel-port
board set. See : http://pico-systems.com/PPMC.html
Right now I have encoder counters and DACs, and you can get 4 axes worth
for $500. We are working hard on the digital I/O to go with the set, which you
would need for the ATC.
Jon
> Is there a shareware program out there that will control three or four axis as well as control an AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER (ATC). I HaveEMC is probably what you want. there are a few other programs that will drive servos,
> A mill and the controller boards are DC Servo 90 volts and I am confindnent that the motors are good and the mill was accurate when
> the controller boards for x and y crapped out.
> The machine has an inverter driving the spindle and rather then pay through $750 each per board with no guarantee that they wont go
> again.
> I figure there has got to be a better way.
> The machine is a PATERNER 1H MILLTRONICS VMC that has 16.5 x 24 x17 travels.
but most of the other low cost programs are for steppers, only. EMC runs on Real Time
Linux, which scares some people away. There is a guy on here that has ported EMC over
to a DOS environment, and seems to be getting good results with it, but you lose the
multi-tasking features and the nice screen presentation. You also lose some of the
advanced features in the GUI, such as previewing toolpaths in 3D.
We don't have ATC built in to it yet, but some really sharp people are working hard
on this. On the other hand, if you don't mind writing some C code, an ATC could
be controlled by a module you wrote and added into EMC.
EMC can control up to 6 axes of orthogonal machine tools, as well as robots,
hexapods and just about anything else you can imagine.
Sounds like a VERY nice machine. I drool over your large workspace!
The only thing you would have to buy (other than a computer) is the motion
interface card. You can get a servo-to-go board or my parallel-port
board set. See : http://pico-systems.com/PPMC.html
Right now I have encoder counters and DACs, and you can get 4 axes worth
for $500. We are working hard on the digital I/O to go with the set, which you
would need for the ATC.
Jon