Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Questions about EMC

Ray Henry wrote:

>A manufacturer of specialty machine tools contacted me recently. They
>asked if I would compile a listing of comments about the EMC from folk
>who cut parts more or less regularly with it. Please take a few minutes
>to describe your operation and what you have found to be the strengths
>and weaknesses.
>
>

I don't know what "regularly" means. EMC is the ONLY CNC program
I use, and I have a complete Bridgeport machine and computer dedicated to
it. On the other hand, I admit I do not use it daily. I just don't
have that much
metal to cut.

Most of my work is very 2-D, or 2.5-D at the most. It is cutting out
instrument
panels from .125" aluminum, mostly. I do plenty of other things with it,
however, in the one-off category.

So, my machine is a 3 axis Bridgeport conversion, with high-accuracy NSK
ballscrews and servo motors, with analog velocity servo amps of my own
design. I have encoder resolution of .00005" in X and Y, and .000025" in Z.
I currently use the original Servo-to-Go card on this, but will eventually
convert it to use my PPMC board set. I am still using the 20-Dec-1999
version
of EMC on this machine. This does everything I need, although there are
a few
features in newer versions that I will get when I finally upgrade it.

I have never had a malfunction or unexpected movement with this system,
in about 4 years of use! That means a LOT to me! It even kept cutting
right
through a power failure, once. (About 1/4 - 1/2 second, but I expected
it to
estop or reboot the computer, but it didn't!)

Jon