Re: Linux vs. DOS

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Elson [mailto:jmelson@...]
> Sent: Sunday, June 06, 1999 12:39 AM
> To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@onelist.com
> Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Linux vs. DOS
> Tim Goldstein wrote:
>
> > From: "Tim Goldstein" <timg@...>
> >
> > I finally have made my first item using EMC!!!
> >
> > If you want to check it out you can see it on my website at
> > http://www.ktmarketing.com/emcproject1.html
>
> Very cute! You should send one to Fred Proctor! I think it
> would look nice on his desk!
> <snip>

I am planning on sending this one to Fred. I don't know what I would do with
it, but I thought Fred might enjoy the first item cut on a stepper machine
driven by EMC.

-snip-

> Hmm, you must have your encoders hooked up. What you can do is
> build a 'demo' version of EMC, that has simulation code rather than
> motion hardware code. In fact, you should have these programs and
> scripts on your system. It will give you a quick check of a program,
> but you'll still have the same problem of identifying WHERE the error
> is. Fred is supposed to be working on a major revamp of this whole
> area.

Actually, I don't even have any wires hooked to the encoders!! To make it a
little more strange, all that is wired to the parallel port is the limit
switch and the X, Y, and Z step and direction.

What are the scripts I should be looking at for the simulation version?
While it is not perfect it will be faster than going through a 500 line
program a bunch of times at a MAX_VELOCITY of 20 ipm!!!

-snip-

> Yes, the smooth blending of any move into the next move, whether linear,
> arc or helical, in any of the 3 planes, is tough enough that I shied away
> from rolling my own CNC for exectly that reason. That's why a group
> of guys spent a couple of years figuring all this out at
> taxpayer's expense!
> Next time you pay your taxes, remember that that is also funding the
> great guys like Will Shackleford and Fred Proctor who beat this path
> through for us!

Let me think, a real time CNC package that can do this type of blending
would probably set me back 5 - 10K. So, I'll just pretend I bought the
software and got off scott free from federal taxes this year. Boy, does this
feel nice <bg>

Tim
[Denver, CO]

P.S. Don't you or Matt sleep?