Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] RoboFac / Stewart-Gough Platform / Hexapod Milling Machine

Simon Arthur wrote:

>I looked at EMC, but decided that it didn't have the capabilities I
>needed. It's difficult to code for, requiring a special version of Linux
>and having an awkward build system.
>
>

Did you ever find the BDI (Brain Dead Install)?

It's a full Debian-based Linux distribution on a bootable CD. It
includes the RealTime kernel, and EMC. Just install and go. You'll
have to change some .ini file parameters to use a Stewart platform, plus
some other stuff regarding axis resolutions and what-not, but it should
be pretty easy to get started.

Just go to http://www.linuxcnc.org, and click on "Get Started With the
Brain Dead Install"

As for coding, there is an option to install a "full development
system", which allows you to do work on EMC (I'm pretty sure it
sincludes everything now). You don;t have to recompile the Linux kernel
to get it to work - it's a realtime kernel to begin with. You shouldn't
need to make any changes to EMC anyway, since it already handles Stewart
platforms (though it may not deal correctly with head orientation - it
may just act like a 3-axis machine - I'm not sure about that).

- Steve