Re: Interface. Gauging interest.

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Mike Pogue <mpogue@...> wrote:
>
> I've been thinking about this.... There's a language that was
built for
> exactly this kind of machine control thing: Forth. It's tiny,
> extensible, and fast. It's mature. It's designed for machine
control.
>
> But, the world operates on g-code nowadays, so it's not clear to me
that
> a language switch makes sense at this point in time. Here's why --
a
> new language could certainly be done (fairly easily), but would
anybody
> use it? You and I would, but how about all the other vendors out
there?
> It would require new drivers (post processors) for CAM software.
And,
> new training for 1000's of operators.
>
> So, the benefits of a new language (whatever syntax you choose)
would
> have to be large/compelling, to overcome the disadvantages, I think.
>
> Mike
>
> Jack Hudler wrote:
> > 1) That's what I thought.
> > 2) Hear! Hear! This is what freaks me out about using the
parallel port; I would
> > not want my Domain Server backing up my CNC machines to wreck my
machine.
> > 3) Hexapod? Answer is; you wouldn't. The Hexapod would appear as
a 3 axis
> > device, or more depending on what end effecter you attach.
> >
> > To follow up on the G-Code part of the third point; there needs
to be another
> > language created for Modern CNC. Professionally I am a Windows
programmer; I've
> > played around with a CNC program that is driven via scripts. The
scripts can be
> > in any language the Windows scripting host supports. Currently
VBScript,
> > JavaScript, Python, PerlScript, RubyScript, TclScript, and
ForthScript are but a
> > few of the supported languages. Of course you'd have to reduce
this to the
> > lowest common denominator for *nix.
> > Right now my stuff doesn't understand G-Code, I just program the
part in and run
> > the script.
> > Example: CNC.Home(0,-1); // means home X axis
rapid (G0)
> > CNC.Home(1,-1); // means home Y axis
rapid (G0)
> > CNC.Home(2,-1); // means home Z axis
rapid (G0)
> > CNC.WaitForOperator("Ready to start making chips");
> > CNC.Spindle(0,1000,0); // Main Spindle (0) spin up
1000 rpm, CW
> > CNC.FeedRate(2,2.0); // Z Axis feedrate 2 IPM

> > {
> > // Create a 3D fractal
> > // write your favorite Mandelbrot or Julia
set here.
> > // Or if your not into 3D than a simple Koch
Curve.
> > //
http://www.jracademy.com/~jtucek/math/dimen.html
> > // Show me this in G-Code.
> > }
> > // See where I'm going?
> >
> > Think of this new language like HTML and CSS, you just define a
new keyword, or
> > similar to embedding scripts in a web page. You give them names
and call them.
> > I am not proposing getting rid of G-Code just be allowed to
augment it in a
> > standard way without having to modify the interpreter.
> >
> > I have seen one case on a diamond turning machine where the
finish pass on an
> > beryllium mirror takes over 40 hours (non stop) to complete. I
can't imagine
> > G-Code could ever handle such a numerically complex task
(paraboloids of all
> > types, or interlaced paraboloids). Nor would I trust it. However,
the machine is
> > not as versatile as it could be because everything must be
described in software
> > to machine a surface where nanometers make the difference
(floating point
> > rounding errors taking off a few extra atoms on that radii or
less on the next,
> > looks like phonograph record when done, and not acceptable).
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com]
> > On Behalf Of Mariss Freimanis
> > Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 8:09 PM
> > To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Interface. Gauging interest.
> >
> > Couple of additional points:
> >
> > 1) I wish the G-Rex was a pizza you cut into 6 slices and take as
> > many as you need, 1 slice or all 6.:-)
> >
> > It doesn't work that way; a single axis still needs the Rabbit
> > RCM3720, the Xilinx FPGA, the FT245BM USB controller, the
regulators,
> > connector blocks, xtal oscillators, pcb, enclosure, LEDs, etc,
etc.
> > All you would save for a "single slice" would be a few 74HCT 10-
penny
> > parts.
> >
> > 2) Step pulse generation is donkey-work a PC shouldn't have to
do. It
> > is singularly ill-equipped for that task. This properly belongs
in
> > dedicated hardware like an FPGA; it was born to do that.
> >
> > Off-loading this onerous task from the PC relieves its burden.
Art of
> > Mach fame reported he could watch a DVD and surf the web while
Mach4
> > was running a complex contouring program. This on a slow PC
without a
> > burp.
> >
> > PCs are meant to compute, not to do bean-counter accounting
parsing
> > out microsecond step pulse timing and counting. It is the latter
task
> > that makes PCs difficult to run easily no matter the OS.
> >
> > 3) G-code is at best a 2-1/2 axis control code. It is
unimaginably
> > unweildly for higher axis counts. How would you efficiently write
> > application code for 6-axis of coordinated motion like a hexapod
> > using g-code?
> >
> > Mariss
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Addresses:
> > FAQ: http://www.ktmarketing.com/faq.html
> > FILES: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO/files/
> > Post Messages: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Subscribe: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > Unsubscribe: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > List owner: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO-owner@yahoogroups.com,
wanliker@..., timg@...
> > Moderator: pentam@... indigo_red@... davemucha@...
[Moderators]
> > URL to this group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO
> >
> > OFF Topic POSTS: General Machining
> > If you wish to post on unlimited OT subjects goto:
aol://5863:126/rec.crafts.metalworking or go thru Google.com to reach
it if you have trouble.
> > http://www.metalworking.com/news_servers.html
> >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jobshophomeshop I consider this
to be a sister site to the CCED group, as many of the same members
are there, for OT subjects, that are not allowed on the CCED list.
> >
> > NOTICE: ALL POSTINGS TO THIS GROUP BECOME PUBLIC DOMAIN BY
POSTING THEM. DON'T POST IF YOU CAN NOT ACCEPT THIS.....NO
EXCEPTIONS........
> > bill
> > List Mom
> > List Owner
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>