Re: EMC & RT Linux

Charles Hopkins wrote:

> From: Charles Hopkins <chopkins@...>
>
> I am in the process of setting up a Linux box to investigate the possibilities of running a Bridgeport with the EMC software.
>
> I am confused, so I though I would just ask.
>
> Will the EMC program recognize subroutines?

As far as I know, right now, no. It has been talked about, and I'd sure like them.
The problem, apparently, is in implementing toolpath lookahead when there are
branches in the flow. It is not a fundamental problem, just that it takes a lot more
tricky code to do it right. And, the guys at NIST really do it right, with mathematical
rigor.

> Does it have cutter compensation capability?

Yes, both cutter radius compensation, and tool length offset. Both of these work
very much like Allen-Bradley (and others) implement it. The tool length offset
is quite solid, and I use it in some of my work. The cutter radius compensation
it a bit touchy, and is very sensitive to the radius of inside corners. It will stop
and complain about an error when the tool will cause a gouge of as little as
.00000001" or thereabouts. Basically, you can have no angles less than 180
degrees (on the side where the cutter is) where lines or a line and an arc meet.
There may be a parameter that changes this limit.

Jon