Hmm - I mean - if you want to do a ton of reading - you can watch the journey... This was a big project because it originally was 2.5 axis hydraulic servos.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/linuxcnc-formerly-emc2-/25929-large-brushed-servo-setup-cheap-wip.html then https://www.cnczone.com/forums/vertical-mill-lathe-project-log/111124-large-kearney-amp-trecker-hmc-conversion.html On Mon, Dec 27, 2021 at 6:34 PM John Dammeyer <jo...@autoartisans.com> wrote: > Web Link? > > > From: Sam Sokolik [mailto:samco...@gmail.com] > > > > Lol.. let me do that again... > > > > The Kearney and Trecker has at least 96 i\o and 5+ analog axis. > Everything > > (and I mean everything) is controlled within LinuxCNC using classic > ladder, > > Hal and one poorly written realtime component to do the spindle shifting. > > Been 100% stable for years. > > > > Sam > > > > On Mon, Dec 27, 2021, 5:35 PM Sam Sokolik <samco...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > The Kearney and trecker > > > > > > On Mon, Dec 27, 2021, 5:33 PM Feral Engineer < > theferalengin...@gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > >> The pay walls, axis limits and markups on accessories are the reasons > I > > >> avoided centroid. > > >> > > >> The thing I love most about Linuxcnc is the flexibility, reliability > and > > >> yes, classicladder - or at least ladder based plc in general, which > makes > > >> it incredibly easy to figure out for someone with an industrial > > >> electronics > > >> background. I do miss some of the functionality of industrial controls > > >> inside of LinuxCNC that I think should be implemented, but all in all, > > >> it's > > >> an incredible tool. > > >> > > >> I do think that in order for it to gain traction, it needs some more > > >> "black > > >> box" usability, though. As an example, an input sniffer to assign hal > pins > > >> to button presses on a game controller or hardware buttons on a Mesa > card > > >> would be kinda cool to implement. > > >> > > >> Phil T. > > >> The Feral Engineer > > >> > > >> Check out my LinuxCNC tutorials, machine builds and other antics at > > >> www.youtube.com/c/theferalengineer > > >> > > >> Help support my channel efforts and coffee addiction: > > >> www.patreon.com/theferalengineer > > >> > > >> On Mon, Dec 27, 2021, 4:38 PM gene heskett <ghesk...@shentel.net> > wrote: > > >> > > >> > On Sunday, December 26, 2021 1:30:42 PM EST John Dammeyer wrote: > > >> > > Hi Mark, > > >> > > I'll summarize your basic premise here that all machines are > > >> different. > > >> > > That's true! > > >> > > > > >> > > And MACH2/3/4 has a huge user base without ever needing a command > line > > >> > > editor. So if it can be done for Windows then certainly it can be > > >> done > > >> > > for LCNC. > > >> > > > > >> > > Having said that I'm also not suggesting we do away with the > > >> underbelly > > >> > of > > >> > > what is LCNC. Please recall my original post in this subject. > The > > >> > > ACORN based system cannot run an old iron system with existing > servo > > >> > > drives. It's likely it can't even run a system with a STMBL drive > > >> that > > >> > > faults on low power supply voltage which mine does because I have > a > > >> soft > > >> > > start delay on mine so ENABLE shows up before the Voltage is > there. > > >> > > Doesn't look like it can even do step/dir for the spindle (which > MACH3 > > >> > > can). So there is a place for the 'raw' LinuxCNC install and > HAL/INI > > >> > > file model. > > >> > > > > >> > > But that user I mentioned wasn't interested in learning a new OS > and > > >> the > > >> > > ACORN was a one stop shop for the Ethernet controlled > step/dir/VFD/IO > > >> > > board and windows CNC software. He went with Clearpath Servos so > he > > >> > > wasn't adverse to spending money. He could just as easily have > > >> installed > > >> > > LCNC 2.8.2 and the MESA board with terminal strips and used the > config > > >> > > screens in AXIS and I suspect for less money. But the LinuxOS > itself > > >> > > appeared to also scare him away so he likely would never be a > user. > > >> > > > > >> > > I think everyone who likes using an editor for configuration and > > >> issuing > > >> > > multiple commands with a command line interface has already been > > >> brought > > >> > > over to the dark side so to speak. They aren't the market for > > >> expanding > > >> > > the LCNC user base. > > >> > > > > >> > > I've attached a screen shot of something I've been playing with. > Took > > >> > > about an hour to write using a modern GUI based software > development > > >> > > tool; in this case Lazarus Free Pascal. The TCanvas Property has > all > > >> > > sorts of drawing tools so I thought I'd take a quick look at the > Axis > > >> > > source code. To see how easy it would be to port over the Preview > > >> screen > > >> > > to Pascal. > > >> > > > > >> > > I was immediately reminded of something I written many years ago > by > > >> > > Nicholas Wirth the author of Pascal. "Those who learn Fortran as > > >> their > > >> > > first language are brain damaged for life". Rather harsh actually > and > > >> > > taken out of context appears elitist . OTOH, 4195 lines of > > >> essentially > > >> > > undocumented python code does look like a lot of the Fortran code > the > > >> > > Electrical Engineers were writing in University while we in the > Comp > > >> Sci. > > >> > > stream were writing in structured languages Algol-68. And those > were > > >> not > > >> > > for GUI type interfaces which add to complexity. > > >> > > > > >> > > For example: > > >> > > if o.canon: > > >> > > x = (o.canon.min_extents[0] + o.canon.max_extents[0])/2 > > >> > > y = (o.canon.min_extents[1] + o.canon.max_extents[1])/2 > > >> > > z = (o.canon.min_extents[2] + o.canon.max_extents[2])/2 > > >> > > o.set_centerpoint(x, y, z) > > >> > > > > >> > > If you go searching for o.cannon you find: > > >> > > o.canon = canon = AxisCanon(o, widgets.text, i, progress, > > >> arcdivision) > > >> > > > > >> > > Search for AxisCAnon and we find the object definition: > > >> > > class AxisCanon(GLCanon, StatMixin): > > >> > > > > >> > > Now we're into the include side of things where the rs274 library > is > > >> > > needed: from rs274.interpret import StatMixin > > >> > > from rs274.glcanon import GLCanon, GlCanonDraw > > >> > > > > >> > > which takes us to here: > > >> > > > https://github.com/LinuxCNC/linuxcnc/blob/master/lib/python/rs274/ > > >> > glcanon. > > >> > > py which is another 1886 lines of undocumented code. > > >> > > > > >> > > The excuses that will be made for no documentation will be the > same > > >> ones > > >> > > given for command line operation of Linux and LCNC. It's much > better > > >> > > than windows or it's self documenting. You just have to learn a > few > > >> > > commands and you can do so much more than with windows........ > > >> > > > > >> > > I believe we need to step outside the box and ask ourselves this > > >> > question. > > >> > > How can we attract more people who just want simple CNC (maybe > > >> without > > >> > > limit switches even), a VFD and encoder on the spindle and > possibly > > >> > > coolant or a few other outputs. > > >> > > > > >> > > One really simple way is that the companies (or people) building > the > > >> > > intelligent CNC controls like the MESA change their web sites to > have > > >> at > > >> > > least one menu choice for "SimpleCNC". > > >> > > > > >> > > I went here: > > >> > > > http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?LinuxCNC_Supported_Hardware > > >> > > > > >> > > Eventually with more Google searching I ended up here: > > >> > > http://store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=product/ > > >> > product&product_id=290&se > > >> > > arch=7i76e > > >> > > > >> > That is a very nice board, I use 2 of them myself, but not in the E > > >> > version. I use the much cheaper parport version. Why? I refuse to > give > > >> up > > >> > my only ethernet port just to carve metal. The net access is much > much > > >> > more > > >> > useful to me. > > >> > > > >> > > That link to the page I think would be best right at the top of > the > > >> MESA > > >> > > site. And on that page should be a link to a page with a > pictorial > > >> > > connection diagram like: > > >> > > > https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_diy/acorn_cnc_controller.html > > >> > > > >> > For the basic, get you hooked, system that's not a bad price. But > some > > >> of > > >> > the accessories clearly have a 10,000% markup. Why should a > conductive > > >> > touch probe cost $800 when I can make one with 50 cents worth of > wire, a > > >> > 1/2" square piece of PCB material worth a dime and 1/4" of solder? > And > > >> its > > >> > repeatable to .0002" or better. Boggles my mind. > > >> > > > >> > > And a link to a version of LinuxCNC 2.8.2 (or latest) with a > HAL/INI > > >> file > > >> > > specifically set up for that hardware. Literally install OS from > .iso > > >> > > and there's a desktop ICON to run LCNC for that hardware. > > >> > > > > >> > > But going back up to the LCNC supported hardware link it turns out > > >> > there's > > >> > > almost nothing available for LCNC Ethernet control other than the > MESA > > >> > > boards. So maybe that's also why MACH3/4 and the ACORN are so > > >> > > successful. > > >> > > > > >> > > Anyway, something to think about for the new year. > > >> > > John > > >> > > > >> > Cheers, Gene Heskett. > > >> > -- > > >> > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: > > >> > soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." > > >> > -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940) > > >> > If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law > > >> respectable. > > >> > - Louis D. Brandeis > > >> > Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene> > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> > Emc-users mailing list > > >> > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > >> > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > >> > > > >> > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> Emc-users mailing list > > >> Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > >> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Emc-users mailing list > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
