Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: DeskCNC Versus Master 5 / Mach 1

Jens Swales wrote:

>hi chris
>
>
>have you tried v.2.0 yet?
>i have the beta (b7) but havent tried online yet. dry-runs work ok,
>only problems so far seems to be related to the graphic display of
>the wievport, the z y & z 3d iso-lines appears different on my 2
>machines.
>
>
>

Yes Jens, I am running V2. Some of those viewport displays are now
fixed, with the problem showing only on some motherboard/video card
combinations.
I have always felt the graphic displays at the controllers were more of
a convenience than anything. When one wants to analyze code for toolpath
verification, I always recommend running the code in a program
specifically designed to do that (and some methods are better than
others). So, I have not been too concerned with that personally.

I have experienced much improved 3d motion routines, and certainly
enjoy the new added features. There seem to be so many, It has been hard
to use all of them !
Being able to change feedrate percentages "mid file" has long been
desired, and now, how nice it is to also be able to edit your
accelerations. axis delays and contouring settings in the middle of a
file ! To think at one time I only missed long file names.......

I do hope that some buttons are added up front to make access to those
features more accessable though.Plenty of room yet on that clean
interface to do so. It is hard to say just what will happen in this
regard, as I know that one holdup has been their commitment to make this
new version run on the old hardware before releasing it. I also think it
is their goal to release it more modularly, with added functions to
those who need and desire them for the added cost. One example I can
think of is that it is likely that the new program will allow an
external Potentiometer for feed override...... probably not going to be
part of the lower end module to keep things affordable..

I had some challenges getting V2 to run repeatably at first, but that
was a hardware issue that went away as soon as I tossed some very old
drivers with outdated technology for the speeds possible under V2. They
WERE very stable at lower step rates on both V1 and V2, just not any
good at much higher speeds.

I think that the new version will be a great benefit to those who can
upgrade just the software. Step by step, they could move to a new chip
and or a whole new hardware platform for increased speed. That is good
compatability planning.

Some developers in this market have left previous users "Out in the
Cold" because of a major shift in a products techniques. Not too bad if
the product was inexpensive to start with, but makes for crabby
customers if they spent a lot and have to throw it out the window
because "upgrading" is a dead end, AND only after a short period of
time. I say "Hip-Hip" to Flashcut developers for working hard to make
upgrade options available after all these years ! ( I think V1 came out
back in late '96 or early '97 ? !! ) I have other stuff on the shelf
that I could not upgrade, at least not affordably, or that the "Steam
Boiler" powering the development ran out of Coal and stalled..... makes
me crabby !

Obviously, FC is going to have much more functionality with newer
hardware, as I can see areas of development "creep in" to the Beta
vesions that are not necessarily applicable to the old hardware.
Nonetheless, the upgrade for those who have the older hardware will be
well worth it in my opinion.

Chris L