are there still no simple cheap good USB controllers?

[lithium]

I'm guessing that after all these years we still only have crappy amateur boards that use a parallel port and require a realtime computer?
slow, under featured..

as opposed to the obvious of closed loop USB fast cheap servo controller

in other words what's the best (fast cheap reliable practical wlel featured) 3 axis controller these days?

[jalessi]

Welcome to the Zone.

Hope this helps.

http://www.warp9td.com/

Jeff...

[the4thseal]

that is hard stuff!!! look at the smooth stepper and drivers from gecko, not primitive unless you are thinking star trek for free!!!! which seems to be a common thing. give them a look.

[lithium]

moving 3 motors around at tiny power via waypoints from usb is not exactly challenging for modern electronics.

it should be one small board handling all including power supply. just feed it mains.

it's one of those things that you just need to do right once and for all and you can sell it for a long time. it's a crime against humanity that we don't have such a product.

[keithorr]

lithium,
it's not exactly challenging for modern electronics, you just need to do right once and for all and you can sell it for a long time.

let us know when you get it done.

[Torchhead]

Originally Posted by lithium moving 3 motors around at tiny power via waypoints from usb is not exactly challenging for modern electronics. It should be one small board handling all including power supply. just feed it mains. It's one of those things that you just need to do right once and for all and you can sell it for a long time. it's a crime against humanity that we don't have such a product.

POW! (sound of hand slapping forehead..) how can we all be so STUPID. We should have though of this a long time ago. I mean how hard can it be? Throw some parts on a PCB and make it so it runs off any kind of power and will drive any type of motor and does closed loop via USB.

I would do it this week, but I am currently building my own space shuttle. It's just a wad of aluminum and some custom PCB's and it needs a long extension cord to make earth orbit.

If I do decide to do it, I am going to use NeuralNet interface and a sensing helmet, so all you need to do is just "visualize" what you want to cut and the machine does it in 3D. PC's are such outdated technology (given the 200 gigaflop XM31777 chip), that we can factor out the PC size and cost. The XM31777 is only .39 in quantity and you can get its faster Terabyte/TeraFlop brother (XM41778) for 1.44 (100 pcs). The instruction set is tiny consisting of only three 200 byte long commands: Do It; Do It Faster; and STOP Doing It. Since the chips run at .06 VDC (regulated) to keep heat down (because of global warming) it would be really cheap to run. You could run the whole processor section off a Nickle-Lemon wet cell. Better yet it could be wind powered and use the breeze from fins mounted on the ends of the motors!

Anyone still designing with the old 100 Ghz stuff is an engineering idiot. I think the final cost for the whole board (including the 60A motor drives) will come in about $4.00 USD. Considering it will take 2 days to design, 2 days to get PCB's and another 12 hours to do the firmware and troubleshoot, the per unit cost should not exceed maybe $16.00. If course if you want the full 6 axis 4D version (runs so fast it compresses time) it would cost at least $20.00.

TOM CAUDLE
"OBOE" [Old Burned Out Engineer]

[ssozonoff]

This works for me

http://www.boenigk-electronics.com/web/en/smc4d.html

Regards,
Serge

[jemmyell]

Originally Posted by Torchhead POW! (sound of hand slapping forehead..) how can we all be so STUPID. We should have though of this a long time ago. I mean how hard can it be? Throw some parts on a PCB and make it so it runs off any kind of power and will drive any type of motor and does closed loop via USB. I would do it this week, but I am currently building my own space shuttle. It's just a wad of aluminum and some custom PCB's and it needs a long extension cord to make earth orbit. If I do decide to do it, I am going to use NeuralNet interface and a sensing helmet, so all you need to do is just "visualize" what you want to cut and the machine does it in 3D. PC's are such outdated technology (given the 200 gigaflop XM31777 chip), that we can factor out the PC size and cost. The XM31777 is only .39 in quantity and you can get its faster Terabyte/TeraFlop brother (XM41778) for 1.44 (100 pcs). The instruction set is tiny consisting of only three 200 byte long commands: Do It; Do It Faster; and STOP Doing It. Since the chips run at .06 VDC (regulated) to keep heat down (because of global warming) it would be really cheap to run. You could run the whole processor section off a Nickle-Lemon wet cell. Better yet it could be wind powered and use the breeze from fins mounted on the ends of the motors! Anyone still designing with the old 100 Ghz stuff is an engineering idiot. I think the final cost for the whole board (including the 60A motor drives) will come in about $4.00 USD. Considering it will take 2 days to design, 2 days to get PCB's and another 12 hours to do the firmware and troubleshoot, the per unit cost should not exceed maybe $16.00. If course if you want the full 6 axis 4D version (runs so fast it compresses time) it would cost at least $20.00. TOM CAUDLE "OBOE" [Old Burned Out Engineer]

Ok, I'm on board to do the Mach3 plugins for this. As a matter of fact I tapped your NeuralNet database for details (remotely, I just hadda point roughly to Texas..) and it is already done!

Let me know what minute you want to ship...

-James

[Mariss Freimanis]

Originally Posted by Torchhead POW! (sound of hand slapping forehead..) how can we all be so STUPID. (snip) Considering it will take 2 days to design, 2 days to get PCB's and another 12 hours to do the firmware and troubleshoot, (snip) TOM CAUDLE "OBOE" [Old Burned Out Engineer]

Tom,

How come it takes you 12 hours to do firmware and troubleshoot? Skip that part, ship it as is and just visualize it working.:-)

Mariss

[Torchhead]

Originally Posted by Mariss Freimanis Tom, How come it takes you 12 hours to do firmware and troubleshoot? Skip that part, ship it as is and just visualize it working.:-) Mariss

Mariss:

Well, you caught my "padding". See I can really do it in 4 hours (using my Virtual Reality Assembly Programmer) of which most of it is a virtual trip to Denmark to visit with vastly superior virtual beings. The other 8 hours is the part where I stand in my lab and drool down my chin while humming old Beach Boy songs. Besides, I have to flip the brisket ( I use the heat from the V-RAP to cook the beef ---always GREEN!) and that takes a few extra cycles.

Perhaps if I ship each unit with a Peyote Button, the customer can visualize it working as well

[Torchhead]

Originally Posted by jemmyell Ok, I'm on board to do the Mach3 plugins for this. As a matter of fact I tapped your NeuralNet database for details (remotely, I just hadda point roughly to Texas..) and it is already done! Let me know what minute you want to ship... -James

AHHHHHHHH!! I felt the energy drain from my NET! (The Force is stong in this one OBOE!).

[TOTALLYRC]

After reading all of the replies, and wiping the tears from my eyes due to all the laughing, I salute all of you who responded.

Tom, I would like the six axis unit please. Since it goes so fast in 4d it compresses time, I am going to write a dos based plugin, I figure if I go back in time on the operating system, I will go back in time on the pricing. I will send you my $10 tomorrow so it will get to you by early last week.


Mike