Mach2 is as close to a commercial control as you can get without buyng one

Randy,

In the past, I've agreed with you, but the advantages of commercial
controls are nearly gone...

Have another look at Mach2, at www.artofcnc.ca

Runs reliably in windows 2K, and XP.

Full G40-49 support
Full canned cycles, an extensive macro language with access to nearly
every parameter, and user configurable screens.

User configurable M codes (as macros)

Support for keyboard emulators(a few have used this to create
a "real" cnc control panel interface)

Joysticks, MPG,s encoder inputs for absolute coordinate positioning,
PWM spindle output, charge pump watchdog to keep things safe (outputs
only when the s/w is loaded and functioning correctly.)

6 axis, with perhaps the best CVV of any reasonably priced control.

Plasma torch and laser details are "covered", including THC, and
corner consids.

CNC lathe support partially implemented. More soon...

Typical 5 axis capability XYZAB, XYZBC, XYZAC

Teach-in mode.

Additionally, Several "conversational" screens are in the works, and
a few are debugged and working.

At 150 bucks, that leaves about $3,850 for screws, drives and
motors...

Ballendo

P.S. IMO, the only glaring thing missing is support for multiple Z
axis machines, as you would find in typical ww routers. Shoda, Heian,
etc. (the six axes are 3 linear, and 3 rotary. The rotary axes work
properly when used with the linears... (many controls don't have
this working right, even commercially.)

Another thing that's been lacking is a decent toolpath display. It's
being corrected now. The old toolpath display was graphic, and 3
dimensional, but without grid or easily determined dimensions--from
the toolpath display

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, cnc002@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 4/29/2004 11:12:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> DougR@a... writes:
> Group,
>
> For years I've been harping about the advantages of commercial
> controllers because this type of stuff is built into the control.
> Use the appropriate canned cycle (that's what these are called),
> input the parameters to match your project and off you go. The
> control's built-in canned cycles have an advantage over the off-
line
> programming in that they utilize the machine's tool table to access
> cutter diameter/length data while cutting. The controller, then,
> automatically uses cutter radius compensation. The operator can
> tweak a part feature to exact size, if needed, by simply adjusting
> the tool table's diameter or length values.
>
> Another major advantage of canned cycles is the
> readability/understandability of the program. In a few lines of
> code you accomplish tasks that require hundreds and hundreds of
> lines of code if generated off-line. Modifying/tuning the programs
> becomes simple when you aren't dealing all those lines of code.
>
> Of the CNC machining in my shop, we do the vast majority of
> production programming working off prints right at the machine
using
> canned cycles to simplify the process. Maybe 5% of the time the
> part will have a contour/feature that's not easily done with a
> canned cycle, then we program it off-line with CAM.
>
> IMO, the hobby type controls (EMC, etc) would be made much more
> powerful by the addition of a variety of canned cycles beyond the
> typical drilling type. Of course, this involves substantial
> programming on the control-author's part.
> Most of the medium to higher priced CAD/CAM programs have these
same
> features. If you want to pocket, you select the pocket feature, if
you want to make a
> bolt circle or do some boring/drilling they have those functions as
well.
> The better CAD/CAM programs actually have the ability to use the
canned cycles
> built into the proprietary controllers. Packages such as Master
Cam, Alpha
> Cam, and Dolphin Cam can utilize the existing canned cycles in that
they all have
> true post processing ability. You can customize the output code by
writing a
> custom post processor for them. There are others out there, of
course, that
> can also do the same thing.
>
> However, I do agree that, at this point, most of the "hobby" G-Code
> interpreters just can't do what the proprietary controllers can.
The companies that
> manufacture the proprietary controllers, such as Fanuc, NUM, Fagor,
just have
> too much experience in that one field so they are bound to do it
better. One
> can purchase a pretty nice control from companies like Fagor for as
little as
> around $4,000.00 USD with 2-1/2 axis ability. In fact I am sure
there are
> others out there even cheaper. Most of these controls will still
have the canned
> cycles too.
>
> Randy Abernathy
> 4626 Old Stilesboro Road NW
> Acworth, GA 30101-4066
> Phone / Fax: 770-974-5295
> Cell: 678-772-4113
> E-mail: Cnc002@a...
>
> I furnish technical support, repair, and other related services for
your
> industrial woodworking machinery. My background as Senior Service
Engineer for the
> SCMI Group for nearly fifteen years with factory training, combines
with my
> extensive background in electronics, mechanics, pneumatics,
electrical and CNC
> machinery to offer you needed support for your machinery.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]