RE: Re: Cheap interface boards

At 07:50 AM 9/28/99 -0700, you wrote:

>From: David Howland <dhowland@...>
>
>James, An interesting site for Parallel port stepper control software is:
> htt://www.abilitysystems.com/indexlpt.htm

Can't speak too highly of them; that's the kernal I use behind my software.
The product is good if a trifle clumsy from DOS (your scripts have to be
written line by line). That was the whole point of my writing convesational
interpreter for it. Give it a few inputs and off it goes generating line
after line of correct syntax and no spelling errors. Tool table and change,
parameters, configuration, file handling and running, canned routines, etc,
all accessible with minimum keystrokes.

Indexer-LPT has excellent motion command set, can do feeds/moves on all six
axes with velocity interpolation. It has a wide range of settings and can
be polled for nearly everything in memeory. It has excellent queueing; they
even give you source code you can use to feed it long scripts for
contouring, incorporated into your own code if you program PC or compiled
as a standalone. Aside from axis control I-LPT lets you use spare axes to
control TTL devices to switch spindle or coolant, or to handle limits and
safety switches.

There's nothing wrong with the idea of controlling steppers from printer
cards either; it's what they're for. The stepper amps (or stepper/servo
amps) are readily available and so are PS of various types. Mine went
online except for axis polarity on its first trial. The only part not
simply plug-chug is pin-outing printer cables to your amps. I use it every
day even for onesies and twosies, and it's made production parts a snap.
Try it, you'll like it.

Best wishes,

Hoyt McKagen


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