EMC2 Post Processor?

[jim_stoll]

What Post Processor are folks using for EMC2 with Partmaster? I've got Partmaster v8, and can't seem to reliably generate code that EMC2 finds palatable. Sometimes I can manually modify the generated nc code and get it to work, and other times it is beyond my meager gcode skills to fix.

Surely there are folks reliably generating nc code for EMC2?!?!?

Thanks,

Jim

[Chad_Clark]

Jim,

If you want to get me a over a sample program that does run correctly on your machine, then I will get a post customized for you. By the way have you given any thought on upgrading?

[jim_stoll]

Hi Chad,
I've done some mucking around with the default TurboCnc post processor, and have come up with the attached. I'd very much appreciate someone who knows the Post Processing system taking a look to see if I'm doing anything dumb and/or note where things could be done better.

I started out using the Mach2 post, but that was creating gcode that EMC2 was unhappy with - it was producing some gcodes that EMC seemed not to support, some "bad characters", etc. I found that the TurboCNC Post was better syntax-wise, but it was only using 3 decimal digits of precision, which was causing "radius to end of arc differs from radius to start" errors when I did quadrant-based circles. Increasing the decimal precision to 4 digits seems to have resolved that issue. I've also done some other trivial things such as removing the "N" line numbers, removing some header comments that didn't seem to get populated, changing G70/71 to 20/21 (EMC didn't like the 70/71 gcodes), and adding a "%" to the top of the file (EMC was complaining about that, too).

At any rate, if you'd be willing to take a look and provide some observations/recommendations, I'd be much obliged! Perhaps I'm better off modifying the Mach2 post (or another altogether) vs the TurboCNC post - the Mach2 post seems much more complicated, so perhaps there are some extra capabilities, efficiencies, etc that I'm missing out on by using the simpler TurboCNC post - I just don't know enough about the Post Processor to make that determination. I'm currently only doing 2.5D stuff, but plan to add a 4th axis at some point, and would also like to do some contour/profile merge milling via the CAM system. I haven't done any merges yet, so don't know if I'll run into problems w/ the PP on that or not.

Thanks!

[Chad_Clark]

Jim,

I have your post completed. I need an email to send it to.

Chad

[jim_stoll]

Thanks Chad! Check your PM when you get a chance for my email address.

Appreciate it!

I hope everyone appreciates your guys' responsiveness - you definitely set the standard.

Jim

[jim_stoll]

Chad - just for my general edification - what is the purpose of the 2nd set of format/precision patterns in the Post file you modified for me? (XAXIS, YAXIS, ZAXIS, XARC, YARC and RPLANE) When is one used vs the other, and what is the advantage of having both the lower- and higher-precision patterns?

Thanks Again!!

Jim

[Chad_Clark]

Originally Posted by jim_stoll Chad - just for my general edification - what is the purpose of the 2nd set of format/precision patterns in the Post file you modified for me? (XAXIS, YAXIS, ZAXIS, XARC, YARC and RPLANE) When is one used vs the other, and what is the advantage of having both the lower- and higher-precision patterns? Thanks Again!! Jim

Jim,

The first set is used for Metric units i.e. 3 Decimal Places, the 2nd set is used for Inch units i.e. 4 Decimal Places.

If only one set of formats is present then this is used for
both Inch and Metric.

Chad

[samco]

Could the dolphin cad/cam post be put on the emc2 wiki?

http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl

sam

[Chad_Clark]

Originally Posted by samco Could the dolphin cad/cam post be put on the emc2 wiki? http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl sam

Yes we could customize a post for that with no problem.

Chad

[BSessions]

hi guys, i've been trying to get a hold of a post processor for Dolphin CAM that produces G-code for EMC2. Of course I found this thread.. could someone please please send me the post processor itself? It would be much appreciated. Thanks for your support! My email is blake.sessions@gmail.com

Blake

[harley4ever]

If I am not mistaken, the mach 3 is very close to the same. Have you tried it?

[BSessions]

hm, haven't tried that. the guys on this thread made one specific to EMC2 though, so i thought i'd ask them. Thanks for the info, though, I'll try that too.