18 Page Machine Design Free

[vacpress]

DC servos are easy to control, and can be accurate. Yes, a PIC can control a servo very well. you can write a simpel PIC program that recieves serial command sof servo # and a position from -180 to +180.

this can talk to a PC Visual Basic program or basic, or C++ or whatever, for me, VB, that reads a script and generates coordinate sends. the script has to be eaither created with some sort of record mode and read operator inputs, or with some software that can generate such scripts.. one idea is matlab or labview. www.labview.com

[vacpress]

i have so many projects I want to finish, but so little $$. i shoul really build this guy, since i have most of the parts for a big one. i really want to learn to do the (inverse)kinematics to move a robot arm end effector through a plotted path of cartesian points. once tht engine is written, i have a theory i can use midi type sequencer software design to form a control engine, and use some old opensource MIDI program for code help. I havent written a decent VB program in 8 years, but why let that stop me?

[teilhardo]

How did you learn VB. I am in deperate need of:
a. motivation
b. endurance
to learn these computer languages. I can't ever remember the syntax and those fancy schmancy words like arrays and pointers are so hard to reccount.

[teilhardo]

I completely understand your frustration with the $$ part. At least you have a business! Thats no small task, so far my machine setup has profited me -$1500 but it has taugh me A LOT!!! and got me interested in electronics, mechanics and programming.
All your ideas sound great, and having the knowledge is 90% of the battle. The other 10% is finding the niche for getting funding (I wish I had the knowledge part, I still have about 80% to go)
Tei

[vacpress]

yeah. im 24 though. your like 18? keep going! youll be a wizz in 2 years if you can keep interested and have a steady source of $$ for projects. it dosent have to be alot.. maybe $100 month... more sometimes, less others.. i have been programming microcontrollers, building machines, etc. for a while.

and as for the business, we have barely done any work! i make my money doing websites and design stuff like that. i have a stocked shop but so far havnt had the motivation to find any work in that area? i still dont ahve decent CNC machine either. i just have the simple one that can cut at 10ipm! i just bought a 36" doublewide NSK linear Rail with 2 bearings for $70. so it was nice to score a deal. now i ust need like 600$ more parts.. great.

[vacpress]

to get excited with VB, do this: start writing a manual control for your mill. it just has to send pulses to the parallel port. it can be a smple program. it wil teach you how to place objects, write some simple code, do some IO from the PPort, Learn about how to write software to control motors, etc. make it real simple at first, and see how easy it is to add on. Then look into how to add file reading and writing, write a script thts real simple and read it. use info from a tutorial on "writing a VB macro engine" or "loading a .ini file in VB"

a .ini can become a .step and it can have a bunch of numbers in it that represent which axis to send (x) number pulses too.

Its fun, when you get started, and going. Labview with a $100 DAQ board can provide a very neat way to control devices.

since i do this stuff for fun and education, i like to use shareaza.com to get esoteric engineering and systems design software.

[BENHILL]

Hi vacpress,

How much did you have to pay for Labview? Last time I looked (about 4 years ago) it was £1700.00....A lot of dosh!

[vacpress]

benhill - i believe there is a 30 day demo... also, i think there is a few free type programs that do similar things?

also, as i noted in a previous posting, i have used illegal copies before, although i dont have one now... gotta get a new one eventually. there is lots of free robot control software out there, and its also fairly easy to write with visual basic and the free kinematics routines available from researchers

[BENHILL]

Shame on you!........Ilegal copies, I'd never stoop to such a thing!! However if you should ever find yourself with a spare............lmao.

[CNCdn]

Forgive my newness and this question, vacpress but, at the beginning of this thread you posted a link to an "18 page" download.
When I go there, it shows two files. One is a 6-Axis control pendant and the other a EMC - Enhanced Machine Controller. Niether of these seem to be what you mentioned.
Am I just not clicking on something?
Alex

[vacpress]

the location has changed. it now resides at "opensource cnc designs" section