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On 8/29/2012 11:49 AM, Lars Segerlund wrote:
> What I was thinking is do the kinematics on the PC and just dump 
> positions per axis on the avr .....  point in time and space so to 
> speak .... it should work to stream to it ...
> 
> I mean it's an open loop system ?

Yes, it's an open loop system, driving step/dir stepper motor
controllers that have no feedback (ie: missed steps ruin your print).

There are folks doing the math on the PC.  The bottleneck then becomes
the serial communications link to the AVR, so there is work in
progress to support g-code files with some form of binary compression
so the thousands of little line segments can be sent quicker.  The
Arduino *IS* connected via USB, but there is an actual serial link
running at apx. 1 MBit/s or so on the AVR that limits the ultimate speed:

Google Groups thread about hacking compressed G-code for Rostock:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/deltabot/NI9WrN1Vmio

IMHO getting LinuxCNC to do the math *AND* drive the steppers seems
like a much better overall solution.  I realize some hardware would be
required, but folks in the RepRap world are already buying hardware,
with a pretty typical setup listed below.  Note that the designs are
open source and there is enough volume in these parts that the Chinese
are direct selling through e-Bay and drop-shipping straight from the
orient:

Arduino AVR controller board: $25-80
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arduino-MEGA2560-ATmega-8U2-ATMEGA2560-16AU-USB-Cable-/270970778895?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f171df50f

RAMPS 'shield' board to interface the Arduino to the printer: $50-80
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAMPS-1-4-electronics-SD-RAMPS-and-cables-RepRap-3D-printer-/170902524785?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca959371

Qty 4-5 Polulu stepper motor drivers: $10-15/ea
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-x-A4988-stepper-driver-pololu-compatible-3D-printer-reprap-prusa-mendel-/150871293385?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2320a13dc9

Note: First price is Chinese e-bay, second price is US/EU sourced.

A LinuxCNC based solution would still need the stepper motor drivers,
but that leaves $75-$150 to create an interface board to connect a
parallel port to some thermistors and high-current 12V FET switches
(all of which except for the A/D converters is on the RAMPS board).

- -- 
Charles Steinkuehler
[email protected]
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