Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: How hard is it to install ... EMC ??

ddfalck2002 wrote:

>It's not hard to install via the current BDI (brain dead install)
>method. Just put the CD in
>and click through the menus. The last box that we installed EMC to
>here, my 13 year old
>son did for me.
>He set it up on a 400 mhz AMD box w/ 64 meg of ram. In the past I've
>set it up on a
>pentium 90, AMD 200, pentium 350,AMD 450, AMD 500. I don't have
>anything faster
>than that right now.
>If you are going to set up servos with +/- 10V DAC output (as in
>Glentek servo amps) a
>pentium 90 should work. Ask Jon Elson about that.
>If you want to use step/direction the faster the computer the better.
> If you want a lot of
>steps per second, talk to Jon about his stepper board that works with
>EMC. I hear that he
>can get 350000 steps per second. I think it's called USC (universal
>stepper controller) and
>goes for about $200.
>
>Use your 350 mhz machine.
>
>Dan
>

I agree with Dan - just a couple of slight corrections.

The USC can generate 300,000 steps per second, and provides both step
output and encoder feedback for four axes. In addition, it has 16
digital inputs and 8 sockets for Opto-22 style SSRs. The encoder
feedback allows EMC to act as a DRO - showing true machine position, not
commanded position. It also has adjustable pulse width, and a special
"Mariss" mode that outputs step and direction signals as the Geckos like
them. If you're actually using steppers, then you can tell the board to
fake the encoder inputs by (essentially) counting the steps output, so
the "feedback" will only be an indication of how many steps have been
output so far.

As for machine speed, I think Jon said that he can use P200-class
machines with it. He mentions on his website that a 333Mz PII takes
only about 50 uS to update all axes. (information here:
http://www.pico-systems.com/univstep.html ) I don't work there, I just
like the product.

Also, it costs $250. (I just bought one :) )

As for EMC, it's truly installable by the Brain-Dead. The only
complexity to it is in setting up the configuration for your machine.
It can do many things that aren't possible with other CNC control
software (that I know of) - like control hexapods for instance. Since
it's so flexible, configuration is a PITA right now. That's being
worked on though. There's been a lot of talk about a GUI configurator
for EMC, to make it possible for "Aunt Tillie" to set up a machine.
Hopefully, that stuff will be done in the next couple of months, and
then it'll be a no-brainer (for anyone with a spare PC).

- Steve