Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Running small machine without computer

I have never used the programmable stuff, but have heard about some.

Why do You wish to NOT use a std pc ?

If your answer is cost, the truth is you will be MUCH better off buying
cheap, integrated pc´s for this. They will be easier and cheaper to
purchase, install, set-up, troubleshoot and maintain. they may cost
less. They are quite small in size.

This reminds me of some instances where people just will not believe
that they should not try to use a laptop for application "x" ... The
situation might be different, but probably not, if you needed to set up
100-200 machines. Economically, your break-even point is somewhere way
out there ...

The ONLY instance you would want to do this, would be a
cost-does-not-matter scenario like aircraft avionics (space),
hi-end-boating or submarines (space, wet, power consumption) or
spacecraft (mass). I have not worked on space stuff, but extensively on
all the others.

You can get cheap, integrated pc´s for about 200$. They look like stereo
boxes, and have std parallel port. This is what you want.
You *can* get special-purpose bare-board pc´s for about 100 with an
exotic process and packaging, but the likelihood of problems and the
guaranteed non-availability of technical support regarding machine
controllers makes this a very bad idea. I highly recommend going with
packaged, std, bare-bones pc´s, best if you buy nos and a spare machine
or 2.

IF you really want to do this with a "small" dedicated funky-looking
box, you will spend a lot of time trying and testing weird problems (98%
probability) and have no spares available when something goes wrong. You
have 99% plus probability that the machines are not available in exact
same format when they blow a power supply etc. which will happen, and
the support costs & problems will be very much more complex and
expensive. You may want that for job security, which in itself is a good
enough reason, you will know this if so. In that case your extra, wasted
hours, in this endeavor may well make sense, but I really wish to
emphasize, again, that it will not be easier or cheaper. Your hw cost
may finally be a very little lower, but you will definitely waste over
10x more in other parts of the job.

For me, fwiw, I have about 20 years experience developing, successfully,
solutions like this, and would never consider anything other than a pc,
for 4 machines. IIRC, my first robots where phone answering machines,
diskless, with touch-tone decoders we built, booting into dos, via
netware spx (cheaper boot roms) off a windows nt 4.0 server, running
modified basic and a bulletin board. I got about 3 months/70.000 calls
100% successfully solved on the best robots, this was in about 1987.
Good luck anyway, your YMMMV.

If you do decide to go the dedicated-micro route, good luck.
Also, to not discourage you, most if not all of the problems you will
encounter are not insurmountable, and are fairly easy to solve. It can
be done, it´s just too much work to make economic sense.

As a guesstimate from a long-time contributor to these arts, I would
expect about 60-100-200 hours getting non-std hw to run reliably and
well, and at least one blown/failed purchase. This includes
purchasing/sourcing time, all installation stuff, reliability testing
etc. The hours are best-case, median, probable.

> Hi to All,
>
> I'm setting up a row of 4 small desktop
> routers. They'll be single purpose machines
> to do the same task repeatedly and nothing
> else. This will be basically milling grooves
> in 1" blocks of plastic that will be no
> larger than 5" x 6".
>
> But I don't need 4 computers or want to
> swap wiring...I want them all running at
> the same time. Load and let run.
>
> Where or what would I look at, as far as some
> small single purpose controller for
> each machine. It doesn't even need a video
> monitor....just push go and let it do it's
> job. Is there a small controller that could
> be programmed easily with a single gcode
> file or maybe a flash drive?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> John
>
> __._,_.__