Hi Martin, fully agree with David - nice photo - must almost depicts how you feel with your EMC test (so it is on topic) :-)
You got me confused about the user manual and what should be in chapter 8 (about printer ports ? it's about G-code) But never mind, who needs manuals ... Reading from your email you already downloaded and installed EMC2 on a PC - congratulations, you are almost done! In the menu Applications -> CNC there are some tools you need. First of all, you can just start EMC2 by running Applications -> CNC -> EMC2. You now get a window where you should select a configuration. From the sample-configs, expand the "sim" (by clicking the "+"), select "axis" and click on the OK button (it's almost like Windows). This starts a simulation system, so without any real hardware being used, for a 3-axis mill. Just play around with that one. Remember to toggle E-stop (X button or F1) and machine power (the button with the O and I next to the X or F2) to power the machine. You should be able to jog using the cursor keys (X & Y) and Page Up/Down (Z) and load any of the example G-code or import your own G-code. EMC2 will only let you run a program after homing, which is done by pressing the Home button on the keyboard after setting any of the XYZ axes to their correct position. This may seem a bit overdone for a simulation but remember that this is actually a real config - there is just no hardware to control. Another program to run is the stepconf wizard, this nice program will let you configure your parallel port configuration for any 3 or 4 axis system. You do not need to know the actual I/O address of your printer port or the type of port (most printer ports are OK). You do need to know how you want to connect your stepper motor drivers and which inputs are connected to your homing switches - but to start you do not need to connect the homing switches. On the first entry screen of stepconf you must provide the "Base Period maximum jitter" - this number comes from the latency-test program. The driver characteristics should come from the documentation of your stepper motor drivers, or just leave them at their default (5,000 & 20,000) to see if that works. Just browse through the screens and set the values you need to. Most values are almost self explanatory so you should be OK on this one - if not, just ask ... or read the manual(s). And now it is up to you: Get a printer cable/connector and attach your stepper drivers and motors. The best thing to do is to test at least one motor without the mill attached. This is what I did after going through the same procedure that you have been doing (including the getting confused at 1 am part) and I am (supposed to be) a computer engineer ;-) Good luck, Rob P.s: do you still have Pretzel drills for sale ? P.p.s: I am jealous of the lake shore steamers track - nothing like that in the Netherlands David Braley wrote: > Hey Martin, > > I know this is off topic, but I really enjoyed you blogspot site. I > especially loved the end picture: > > http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RpVasUGkRwM/R73gIIPqU3I/AAAAAAAAACM/4DiC1-Q6yOs/S660/P1010098.JPG > > You do nice work! > David > > Martin Pinkston wrote: > >> Good morning list, >> I am in the process of changing over an old Centroid CNC3 controller (linked >> to a mini mill) to the EMC2 set up. >> I have read up to ch8 in the users manual. I am by no means this kind of a >> computer programmer, but I do have a few years of CNC and CAD CAM >> experience. I went through ch7 twice just to get a clearer understanding of >> what I don't understand. About the only thing I got out of the beginning of >> chapter 8 was that I need to find would what kind of printer port I have and >> what the Bios says about it. That was at 1 am and I'd had enough. >> I do know that my processor is fast enough 1.8 and I have plenty of RAM and >> I ran the flicker/twitch test twice and the highest number was just under >> 11. So this can should be good. >> So, that's my intro story and I'm sticking to it. I will appoligize up front >> because my ignorance in these waters runs deep. And if you wish to check out >> what I do in my little machine shop you can check out my blog at >> www.212steam.blogspot.com >> Questions soon to come...so stayed tuned... >> Later, >> Martin >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Join us December 9, 2009 for the Red Hat Virtual Experience, a free event focused on virtualization and cloud computing. Attend in-depth sessions from your desk. Your couch. Anywhere. http://p.sf.net/sfu/redhat-sfdev2dev _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
