Ajax,
I was intrigued about Ajax when I was first looking around for a CNC controller and compared CamSoft to Centroid and Ajax, but decided on CamSoft. So far I am pretty happy with my CamSoft system but I would like to compare further.
So far my CamSoft system said it can do all these things below, although I have never tried them all.
1. I really prefer Windows XP over DOS, but tell us more about how the Linux interface would work and be supported. This is my biggest concern.
2. Do you offer the ability for the end user to change the screen features and make his own buttons?
3. Is the current board an ISA board? If so are there computers that still have ISA slots? When is PCI version coming?
4. What about future repair. Who else can we get these from?
5. Can you do 5 axis coordinated motion? My CamSoft said it could do 8 axis coordinated motion but I have never used it.
6. Do you offer a self tuning program for Velocity drives or AC Brushless servo's?
7. How configurable are the G and M codes. Can I set them up to run an old Allen Bradley or Mazak programs my self?
8. For instance I may want to do some math calculation in a G code move that turns on/off an I/O under a certain set of IF THEN rules, like distance to go. How open is the system to add logic like this?
9. The Galil motion board spec's claim to have a super high performance and is still the best board I looked into. They claim a 120,000 IPM rapid speed and a smooth 3,000 IPM cutting feedrate, which I have seen done. If I have a large program with very small moves less than .001 how fast can I except to cut smoothly?
10. I should also ask how many megabytes can a single program be run at?
11. Excuse me but I am not familiar with PLC ladder logic but if my tool changer hangs up or any device like a probe a PLC controls while the Ajax is waiting for a ready signal from the PLC. How can I resolve this if this signal never comes? Do I just reboot?
12. Do you offer a library of pre-written PLC logic routines for external devices such as tool changers.
13. One more question on Linux. I guess the current AJAX system can't read CD's or network because of DOS but will AJAX and Linux be able to? When is the Linux system being released?
14. CamSoft claims to do all types of AC servos, DC servos, Brush, Brushless, PWM, Hydraulic or even Stepper motors. What's the things I need to ask if someone has existing motors/amps they want to keep?
15. Will a have spindle RPM control and be able to do high speed rigid tapping?
Jim  |