Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] TANGENTIAL?

----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Lantz <dlantz@...>

> Ok, i know this was brought up before... BUT ive done a few days of web
> research and can't seem to find anything! has anyone on this list built a
> vinyl cutter using a tangential cutter? did they handle it as a fourth
> axis, with the actual g-code reflecting that? OR was it handled with
> hardware... if it was g-code, how was the axis rotation calculated? is
> there a simple utility to do that? have i asked too many questions?
> thanks in advance---Dave L.

Good morning Dave;
The tangential function is not part of any adaptation of G-codes that I am
aware of. That is not to say it could not be appended to some well designed
software package, such as Art Fenerty's Master5 or EMC.

The Galil motion control boards have a tangential function built into the
firmware that works very well. It was added specifically for the tangential
knife application you propose.

Unfortunately, the Galil boards use their own programming language. It is
quite powerful and in many ways better than our beloved G-codes. However,
it is a PITA to write a parser to get from Galil Basic to G-code. Several
companies have attempted, most have failed (including mine). Camsoft is the
only one I know of that succeeded and their success is due to marketing, as
the software itself is plagued with bugs.

I'll betcha if Art saw the need for a tangential function you would get a
quality solution, especially if someone told him it couldn't be done.

Doug