Re: Fanuc 6T controller picture posted

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Chris L <datac@l...> wrote:

> > imserv1 wrote:
> >
> > This is one place I think the PC keyboard controls are actually

BETTER

> > than the CNC machines

Chris you have mis quoted this, as Jon stated that not me.

But bear in mind that this lathe only moves in 2 axes, and it rapids
at 400 inches per minute. That's 6 inches per second. That's 2
second to go from one extreme of the X axis to the other. Bang Bang.
It is quick.

I'm serious about the heart attack part with the setups. When this
machine is running, the turret is a blur in between cuts.

One of the biggest contrasts to me between the commercial class
controllers and the hobby machines is the lack of a tactile feedback
for machine jogging.


The pulse generating hand wheels are superb for precise positioning
of spindle or turret, whereas the use of arrow keys is one of the
most disappointing parts of the hobby controllers. The pulse wheels
are nice because one revolution is meaningful 1.0 .100 .01 per rev
etc. Count the revs, ten and you have moved 10 inches. This means
that you can focus your attention to the moving parts of the machine
and simultaneously position using the control knob. From a user
interface stand point this is a shortcoming of PC based controls. It
is also less safe because you must focus on the PC screen, focus on
the moving machine, back and forth, rather than just watch the
movement while your hand has precise control over it.

I'm trying to contrast the difference in feel between running
machines with the different class of controllers.

On a CNC router you don't spend much time positioning tools and
locating datum points. On a mill you do. With the Shopbot here,
Home the machine in X & Y (proximity switches), set the Z by ramming
a cutter into an aluminum plate and run a program. If the part
shifts around 1/4 inch inside a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood, it does not
matter too much.

On the other hand if you are making a complex pneumatic valve body
from a chunk of stainless steel, you need to move around and use an
edge finder or an indicator, move to a safe position change tools,
set tool heights, etc. The process is much more operator intense.

The frustration level to me, is quite low for sheet routing with
little or no attention to pulse generator.

On a mill, making complex one off parts with multiple tools, it
becomes a major issue. If you setup and run many parts, the therapy
of watching the machine automatically make the parts almost offsets
the frustration of the setup. With only one or 2 parts, the
frustration of a poor setup interface becomes a big negative factor.



Best Regards,

Fred Smith
IMService