windows controllers master5 was Re: Whither goest DOS?

Chris S,

Chris L's plans site suggests that Flashcut is his controller of
choice.

As to master5, the real limit is steps/second, which is currently
limited to 8K. So for hi-res machines, a low top speed. Also no
backlash comp in ARCS (but VERY good comp in linear moves, AND short
linear segments "posing" as arcs. This program is good, and quickly
getting better (I don't like the GUI).

You should try it out, or at least take a look at the "developments"
over on the master5 yahoo group.

Master6 will address the 8K limit (which is the result of an onlist
discussion here a coupla years ago), and Art is planning some VERY
nice answers to backlash problems...

Hope this helps.

Ballendo

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., ccs@m... wrote:
>
> > I would not even consider anything less than my dedicated Control
computer be
> > a Windows Computer. At a moments notice, I can toggle in and out
of an
> > Excellent G-Code text editor. I often want to tweak up a program
just a
> > little especially when I am going to do repetative runs. The
better I can
> > execute the path on the machine, the faster it will be the next
time I run
> > the same job.
>
> Assuming that a windows machine can be a reliable cnc controller
> without hardware assistance. If hardware assistance is required,
then
> it suggests using the windows machine as a user interface to motion
> control running on a minimal dos box.
>
> > I made the change to Windows control and have not looked back
because it is
> > far more productive overall. What does it take to do it ? Well,
$200 bucks on
> > ebay can buy you enough parts to build a lowly Celeron machine. I
bet some
> > spend that real easy just running back and forth to their "other"
computer,
> > Or waiting for that floppy to load, or even reading all those
famous CRC-101
> > errors so common with "Shop" floppies.
>
> Which windows control? How well does it really work? If I
understand
> the web page, master 5 is still not hard realtime, in that windows
> can still preempt it, but maybe I misunderstand.
>
> Chris Stratton
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Christopher C. Stratton
> Engineer, Instrument Maker, and Horn Player
> ccs@m... 617 628 1062
> http://web.mit.edu/~stratton/www/brassbuild.html