Re: dual function lathe spindle

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Peter Homann <groups@...> wrote:

>
> Hi Steve,
>
> This is a setup that is mounted on a mill table, but is achieving what you are
> trying to achieve. It is a very long thread and may give you some ideas. It
> uses Mach3, but I'm sure that EMC2 can mimic what is being done.
>
> http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,11422.210.html
>
> Cheers,
>
> Peter.
>

Peter

Thanks, I was aware of this work by Steve(?) Simpson using Mach3, and was inspired by it, but was hoping for three variations on the theme: 1) using Linux rather than Windows as the OS, 2) a lathe headstock rather than what is essentially a hot-rodded dividing head, and 3) more HP. Of these, perhaps the most significant is #1; doing the motion control in EMC/Ubuntu rather than Mach/Windows. Aside from my allergy to anything Microsoft, Mach (& Turbocnc) can accommodate only one index pulse per spindle revolution, whereas EMC has no such limitation. It appeared that Simpson managed the trick of switching from C axis to spindle mode with some Basic macros. I was hoping that similar work had been done with EMC. However Jon Elson, in a response to my earlier post, seemed to indicate that this issue had been discussed in the EMC community, without yet producing a workable result. If this is so, then that would be more of a stumbling block that the mechanical/electrical issues.

Am I missing something? It seems to me that everyone would want this capability, and the necessary code would already be in the EMC package.

TIA

Steve