Hi Phil, Kinda what I said too. Cost wise I don't think there's a difference. It comes down to mentality. One user stated he went Acorn because the parent company runs real CNC. Whatever that means.
I still think the biggest obstacle to LinuxCNC is the first 5 letters of the name. Doesn’t bug me but then I've done a project using a Pi3 interfaced with SPI to a PIC32. And many decades ago a grad project with Unix on a PDP-10. But I detest, if that's even a strong enough word, command line operation. And so do most people which is, I believe, why there is such a resistance to Linux. So as the attached screen shot shows, I prefer that approach to a bunch of command line questions and answers until I get the correct G-Code. So I suspect do 99.9% of the computer users. The rest use Linux. John > -----Original Message----- > From: Feral Engineer [mailto:theferalengin...@gmail.com] > Sent: September-06-22 9:24 PM > To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) > Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Acorn CNC > > My hard and fast answer for why LinuxCNC would, again, come down to cost. A > coofun GK41 mini pc has more than enough gusto to drive a Mesa board and if > you have the right link on Amazon, will run you $169 before the United > States of Legalized Extortion take their cut. A Mesa 7i96S is $149 and > provides enough IO support for a good, basic machine (plus it's one of the > only mesa cards in stock). The gk41 dual boots easier than any other > computer I've installed LinuxCNC on, so you can keep the windows side for > whatever sadistic reasons you may have and even a build from scratch > deb11/2.9 install is a breeze (if you follow my video, of course ;} ). The > stigma of learning Linux is slowly getting chipped away with enhancements > to the Linux user experience (I run cinnamon on a few of my computers just > because it looks nice). > > As far as limit and probing IO, there are a bunch of ways to consolidate > inputs. For starters, if you are running 2 limits per axis, just wire them > in parallel (NO) or series (NC). Same can be done with the tool setter and > probe as long as you have a way to circumvent the circuit trigger when the > spindle probe is disconnected. Case in point, my tool setter and spindle > probe are both NC when connected, but the probe is detachable from the > wire, essentially making it NO until it's connected. This makes for an > unhappy trigger signal. To fix this, I originally used a spdt switch, then > moved to a spdt relay, finally to classicladder logic and two inputs on my > motion board. If you want to still use one input, the spdt relay works very > well or you can just jumper the probe when not in use. > > And as far as anything called Mach, 3 is outdated and the last version had > a fatal bug that crashed my machine and scrapped way too many parts (which > is why I went to Linuxcnc in the first place) and I hear 4 is still not > quite right. > > 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 > > Order one of the coolest label makers on the market at > http://labelworks.epson.com, use coupon code "theferalengineer" and receive > 20% off of your order ?? > > On Tue, Sep 6, 2022, 11:42 PM John Dammeyer <jo...@autoartisans.com> wrote: > > > Hi Ralph, > > The reason I ask is the replies are often like yours with an incorrect > > assessment of features. > > > > https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_diy/images/centroid_acorn_cnc_controller.pdf > > I think 8 inputs is quite different from the 3 home inputs you mentioned. > > A quadrature encoder input for spindle feedback and therefore tapping is > > another 3 inputs and apparently on the DB-9 is also the ability in addition > > to 0-10V spindle speed the CW/CCW direction capability. And I count 8 > > relay outputs and 4 motor channels, not 3. > > > > Bari has mentioned about costs. He's right about that. > > > > The Mesa 7i95 with Ethernet connection to the PC and a choice of user > > interfaces with or without touch screen. Cost is $295 compared to by the > > time you add some relays and a power supply the cost is probably more for > > the Linux System. > > > > But, and it's a gigantic huge but, the response is often "I don't want to > > learn another OS and have to figure out what to do with Linux". > > > > Assuming then that the end user installs limits and shares a home with one > > on each axis he's got 6 inputs tied up. Adds a touch sensor which can > > share a tool height sensor input. Maybe also a small rotary table with a > > stepper for that 4th axis. A relay output for coolant control which is an > > extra cost for the LinuxCNC system. And VFD on the spindle along with an > > encoder. > > > > So far we haven't exceeded the I/O on either system. Costs are somewhat > > comparable. However, after that introductory carrot, the price for the > > Acorn jumps by another $159 for the "Mill Pro" which now lets you use that > > rotary table and do Rigid tapping. So now the Acorn is well above the > > price of the LinuxCNC system. We'll ignore the price of the PC for now > > since both are required (along with motors, belts, pulleys, limit switches > > etc.). > > > > If you go out and buy a laptop it probably comes with Windows 10. Finding > > an inexpensive laptop with hard wire (verses WiFi) internet connection is > > getting harder. Not sure about the touch screen side of things. Either > > laptop or a monitor. > > > > So price wise, MESA $295 plus some relays and a power supply so say $400. > > The Acorn $329+ $159= $488. So Acorn more expensive but turnkey compared > > to trying to install LinuxCNC on a new piece of hardware, trying to figure > > out what a HAL and INI file do, which user interface to install and so on... > > > > The question still stands. For that simple 3 axis + rotary table mill why > > buy LinuxCNC? We're not adding a tool changer or power drawbar because > > it's a hobby system or used occasionally in a small shop to make 5 of > > something. > > > > There are user groups for both types of systems. For that matter cost > > wise there's also MACH4 with the Ethernet SmoothStepper or a few other > > similar interfaces. Cost wise also in the $400 range. > > > > So why LinuxCNC? > > > > John > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Ralph Stirling [mailto:ralph.stirl...@wallawalla.edu] > > > Sent: September-06-22 5:34 PM > > > To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) > > > Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Acorn CNC > > > > > > > > > What kind of machine does the potential Acorn buyer plan to control? > > > Most of these newer controls are aimed at vanilla 3-axis cartesian > > > machines. They generate step/dir pulses, and have three home inputs, > > > and not a lot else. LinuxCNC really shines when you have more complex > > > I/O needs, unusual kinematics, tool changers, integration with external > > > elements (bar feeders, robots, etc) and the like. I haven't seen any of > > > the newer open source or low cost controllers address these more > > sophisticated > > > applications. > > > > > > -- Ralph > > > ________________________________________ > > > From: John Dammeyer [jo...@autoartisans.com] > > > Sent: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 5:06 PM > > > To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) > > > Subject: [Emc-users] Acorn CNC > > > > > > CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Walla Walla University > > email system. > > > > > > > > > If I was to offer an reason to go LinuxCNC to someone who is attracted > > to an Acorn system what would I say. > > > Other than the Acorn is really just a cape for a BeagleBone Black. But > > the user interface is all via Ethernet so a > > > PC of some sort is still required. > > > > > > There appear to be so many CNC systems out there now. Even LinuxCNC now > > suffers from too many user > > > interfaces to the point where is the Tormach really still LinuxCNC or is > > it something different too? > > > > > > Comments? > > > John > > > > > > > > > > > > "ELS! Nothing else works as well for your Lathe" > > > Automation Artisans Inc. > > > www dot autoartisans dot com > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Emc-users mailing list > > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > > > > > https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flists.sourceforge.net%2Flists%2Flistin > > > fo%2Femc- > > > users&data=05%7C01%7Cralph.stirling%40wallawalla.edu > > %7C9a4cc2c782d344f7805308da9064e82b% > > > > > > 7Cd958f048e43142779c8debfb75e7aa64%7C0%7C0%7C637981060324235478%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZs > > > > > > b3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&a > > > mp;sdata=uls09nASb64elBi4dQIb1WScbE2d32AIP5IkquFbkXo%3D&reserved=0 > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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
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