So what CAN GREX do right now?

[PeteZ28]

There is quite a bit of info, rumors, speculation, questions, and loose bits of info on the GREX right now.

Seems there should be some central repository (a sticky, for example) listing updates for the GREX, perhaps accompanied by a FAQ on it's current capabilities and limitations.

I see some people on the Mach forums (both here and on Art's site) are running the GREX right now. From what I can gather, basic functions work although some of the more advanced functions like an MPG and softlimits are not operational.

I am planning a retrofit soon and the GREX's high throughput would be a major advantage, simplify programming, and overall increase the simplicity of the project I am looking at.

But what can I actually do with one right now? Are the basic fucntions working enough that it is a usable controller? I'm not worried about soft limits, steppers with encoders, MPGs, etc. I just want something that I can dump a ton of info from Mach and run at a pretty quick feedrate with higher count encoders without worrying about bottlenecks in the data stream. My plan includes running the GREX into Pixies then into commercial brushless (+/-10v input) drives.

Some basic M-function outputs would help, like spindle on/off and coolant switching. Are these yet enabled?

So what is the current functional status and limitations of the GREX? I'm not trying to rush the programmers in any way just trying to plan my project around available components and some type of budget and timeline.

Thank you all for your help!

Pete

[ger21]

Art had been waiting on the development of new firmware for the G100 before he reworked the Mach3 G100 plugin. He recieved the new firmware a week or 2 ago, and I believe the G100 plugin is one of his top priorities right now. He's mentioned that from what he's seen, things are looking good. I'd expect a few months until complete (3-6)

[PeteZ28]

Gerry, thank you very much for the update!!!

So where does that leave GREX right now? I have seen them being used by some people but are they selected beta testers or can I order one and use it with limited functionality right now?

[ger21]

There has been a somewhat useable Mach3 plugin available to anyone for about a year now, but no new development had been done in that time. You can download the old plugin here. http://www.machsupport.com/PlugIns/G100.m3p

There will be an additional $50 charge for the plugin when it is complete, which I believe goes to the firmware author.

The G100 is not Mach3 specific, and can be used for other applications. The only problem that I was aware of with it was with the firmware delay for Mach3.

[phantomcow2]

I should be getting my GREX in the mail this week. Is there a list of fully supported features available?

[ger21]

New message from Art.

Hi All: I know many of you who have G100's are waiting with baited breath as to status, so I thought I better start doing progress updates. Just so you have an idea as to whats going on.. Almost everything is done for the preliminary release. Im just working on homing. Once thats ready, I will put out a "G100-Testers Pack", hopefully, this week if I dont get swamped with everything else. The Testers pack will enable you to upgrade your firmware, and run programs, homeing, limits, arc's, lines, all should be functional. Runtime accuracy reports well by numbers, table testing is unknown.. Ill get Brian to rehook his mill for further mill testing.. The new firmware gives lots of messages to indicate a failure, and why, and so far, I have not seen it fail to reconnect after a failure, and all failures have been my fault and right now, only in homing. (Which is a bit complex, so it may take a couple of tries to get that quite right for all.). I do have extended error message capability if someone gets into huge trouble. Other than Steve and myself, only Illya has tried it, and he connected fine, so Im very hopefull this will be much less painfull than any other G100 update. Fair warning though, I havent yet repartitioned for the spindle axis, though I dont expect trouble there. It will be automatic, if the C axis is disabled in MAch3, it will automatically become a spindle axis for the G100. Analogue output is already working at all times as before. The spindle axis will give you a frequency output ( 0 - 4Mhz), not a pwm. Homing may be single axis at a time at first, then switched to multiple axis at once, as the new firmware can seamlessly join all homing axis together by specification. Spindle partition may, or may not, be in the preliminary release, but shoudl be pretty quick afterwards if it isnt done this week. Movement seems good, but Im limited to my small tester machine at the moment for movement tests, and since the G100 now uses full Gcode commanded moves, on a move by move basis, it means that CV may have to be reinvented a bit in the plugin communications to Mach3. We'll see how that goes. But in general, it seems very fast and efficient, no connection or message problems seen as yet, and I suspect many of the past gremlins will not reappear, but again, expect new ones while this is all worked out. I want to fast track this one, youve been waiting far too long for me to hold it for reams of testing, so the G100Pack will be a separate download, till we get reports from enough that they prefer it, and that its working OK for you. We'll go from there. Its capabilities are very high, it'll take awhile to find the right mix of them to use. This is very unlike the last one, much cleaner, and its library is very complete in terms of what it takes care of, and what Mach3 takes care off. So far, Im very very impressed. I hope in the end, you will be as well. But as I said, dont expect perfection immediatley, you know how this goes, space shuttles dont fly without lots of prelaunch glitches.. some easy, some hard. I just dont want to raise expectations, youve all been there, so I think you understand. Steves done an enormous job, you have to see his code to understand what I mean, but its a major library rewrite, nothign simple and not just a "bug fix", and now that he's done is job, I have to complete doing mine. I may do a video before release just so we're all on the same page, but it may not be required, there really isnt much to do on your end, if a G100 exists, it is found, and attached to, doesnt matter what the IP is in it, it will warn if things are wrong, and allow you to correct them for the most part. It wont just hang, it'll tell you WHY its hung, and allow a total reconnect. I havent seen this happen except when I mess up in the code for a special op like feedhold, or home. Im aiming for Thursday or Friday release of the preliminary G100Pack update. Firmware and Software. It WILL be for the brave and the stupid. I know theres lots of those out there.. ... ... brave I mean .. :-) Thanks, Art

[walter]

That is good news. Thanks.

[PeteZ28]

Thanks a bunch to everyone for putting 120% into this project!