Flashcut and Mach2 was Re: Bridgeport CNC retrofit recommendations wanted.

Hello,

Have you considered Mach2? Flashcut is a step-servo system, so from
that standpoint you're not giving anything up. Only EMC with Jon E's
card, or the STG card, is a true servo system, with the feedback in
the CONTROL.

Mach2 is MUCH closer to a commercial CNC control than flashcut, with
full macros, extensive Gcode parsing (most all the gcodes are
available, and Art has killed most of the NIST interpreter bugs. EMC
still has more than a few of these, IMO.), user designable screens,
capability for using a REAL operator panel instead of a computer
keyboard (user defined buttons,etc.), a GREAT plasma THC,MPG and DRO
encoder reading, threading, serial output(for external
devices/displays) AND ongoing hi-speed development. M codes can be
macro based, which surpasses the formerly stronger point of
Flashcuts' M code setup. The macro capability of MAch2 is second to
NONE, even high end commercial controls are not as extensive.

Flashcut setup is easier, but less configurable. I don't know
Flashcut's current pulse rate capability (I have an older version),
but Mach2 is at 45K/second right now, and is supporting the G2003/4,
which has something like 250K/sec (might be 750K/sec!). This version
will also have 32 I/O's...

Flashcut toolpath display is MUCH better usability-wise (Mach2
toolpath display is "neat", but not really informative,IMO. Without a
grid, and it can get "out-of-sync" with the tool movement if you
change screens during a part run.) Mach2 doesn't have distance to go
readout. I've asked Art for it, but it doesn't appear to be a
priority. Flashcut already has DTG coord displays.

Mach2 has decent import for HPGL, DXF, JPEG, and BMP, as well as
Gcode. Flashcut has a good DXF import. Mach2's DXF import is getting
a rewrite, which will make a good import likely great.

Flashcut will run on a less powerful computer at least compared to
the NON-G2003 version of Mach2. (since the G2003 is essentially ALSO
a step signal generator box, future versions of Mach2 using the g2003-
which is about 300 bucks- won't need the high powered computer some
people find necessary now. (But even the non-g2003 version can run on
some pretty "out-of-date" computers...)

In short, flashcut has perhaps the easiest to use GUI of any control
but it comes at a price, IMO. The "depth" of a commercial control
just isn't there "behind" the face.

With Mach2, that depth either already is there, or will be SOON. (The
default "face" of Mach2 is uglier, IMO. But then again, you CAN
design your own screen layouts!)

And nobody, but nobody CAN TOUCH the Mach2 trajectory planning and
CVV... At least not anything NEAR the hobby level, or even at the
inexpensive commercial...

Finally, the Flashcut manual is a MODEL of what a CNC control manual
should be, IMO. Simple, CLEAR, WELL-written by Ron Worth.
The Mach2 manual is extensive, but "jumps around" a lot, IMO. Seems
kind of "train of thought" written, so far... Still in development
though...John Prentice has done a lot of work and is always seeking
advice for improvements.

Oh, and Mach2 is 150 bucks<G>. Add 300 for the Gecko G2003, and
you're about 90+ percent the way to a REAL CNC control (true servos
excepted).

Ballendo

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, heliarc_bob@y... wrote:
> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, whagaman@s... wrote:
> > Bob, I bought a ACRA 9X49" BP clone and retrofitted it with an
X,Y
> > and quill kit from Elrod Machine and servos and controller from
> > Flashcut and am VERY happpy with it.
> > I have used Anilam controls, as well as a Haas with fanuc
controls
> > and Flashcut is soooo much better--I can program the part, post
it
> > to a file, minimize the controller program, open Flashcut, and
run
> > the part on the same computer. No floppy's, no DNC, no hassle. It
> > seems like a lot of people think that conversational code, canned
> > cycles and mirroring in the controller is important, but it is
> > usually much quicker to do that stuff in the CAM system:
especially
> > with the unlimited file size with a Windows-based controller.
> > The Elrod hardware is first-rate--Bridgeport used their
> > quill system for their OEM machines.
>
> First, thanks everyone for the great information!
>
> I checked out the Flashcut system. Looks pretty good but more
> expensive than I had expected. For three axes of CNC with servos,
it
> comes to about $13K, of which $5K is ballscrews, motor mounts, and
> the quill hardware. I checked out the Elrod stuff and I like it.
>
> It seems Flashcut makes a signal generator box interprets the gcode
> and produces the drive signals to the servo controller box. The
> other piece is the SW. The Flashcut controller + SW + servos is
> 8K. It's been a while since I looked at it, but I figure it would
> cost 2K for the servo amplifiers + power supply, probably 2K for
the
> servos (NEMA 42). So when you factor in their controller plus a
fair
> profit, the 8K number certainly doesn't seem unreasonble.
>
> So the cost of their system is about the same as an Anilam 5300
> system.
>
> Some questions...
>
> 1. Does it make sense to try to piece together a lower cost (than
> the Flashcut) 3 axis servo system out of components + SW? For
> example, are there 3 axis CNC servo controller PC cards that run
> shareware SW?
>
> 2. Is the advantage of the Anilam console + canned cycles
outweighed
> by the fact that the system has a lot more proprietary stuff in it
> than say a Flashcut system.
>
> 3. Anyone know about the quality of the components in the
Flashcut,
> Anilam, or Centroid systems.
>
> Thanks again for all of the help!
> Bob