Re: CNC, Fix it or replace it

From: "Bruce Klawiter" <bruce@...>

Hello all,

>I am in need of some guidance.
>I have an 1989 Anilam M controller on a Lagun mill. I have been quoted
>$2000.00 to repair this, a CPU board and counter board are both bad. I
>have been thinking of running EMC and if I did that I would be using the
>Parallel Port Axis Control, from Jon Elson. Should I fix it or switch to
>EMC? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Setting up an EMC is a lot easier now with the BDI. But the BDI does not
ease you into Linux. All of the install is there but what do you do
after that. There will be some fumbling and a learning curve that will
sometimes make you question your decision and your sanity.

But the real bottom line concern with retrofitting a machine with the EMC is
how much more than axis motion, lube, cool, and spindle forward/reverse
do you need to control? You will have problems if you want to keep that
nifty push-button control panel. You will have problems integrating that
automatic tool changer and pallet shuttle. Yes they can all be run with
the EMC but you will have to figure out how.

The EMC is not a Laugn mill retrofit kit. EMC does not come in a box with
all the wires with proper ends and such. Perhaps this is what someone was
thinking when they said the EMC was a low-end controller. But then making
these things work is a lot of the reason many of us hang around here.
Making cnc operated machines is our hobby.

HTH

Ray