Recommend me a motion controller and software?


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    Default Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    I am fitting 3x750w servos and 1x1.8kw servo (spinde) to an RF-45. I'd later like to use two or more steppers to do a very basic tool changer.


    Are there budget motion controllers out there that work pretty well?


    I like the look of LinuxCNC but is it really hard for a beginner? Mach 3 looks nice but costs a bit - and is perhaps too simple, though I won't find it that way for a while.
    I think I could get an old PC to sit beside my mill permanently pretty cheaply.


    Do I need to get 6 axis motion controller + software for my xyz axis, spindle and two steppers?

    Thanks.

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    Member ger21's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Look at the Centroid Acorn.

    You're spending thousands of dollars on your machine. Don't try to save $100-$200 on the control, which in some ways is the most important part.

    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html[/URL]

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html[/URL]

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    [URL]http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html[/URL]

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Thanks but given my budget now (very small after buying everything) something cheaper for the time being is the only real option. Perhaps a linux system with a Mesa card?



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    That's probably your cheapest, good option.

    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html[/URL]

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html[/URL]

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    [URL]http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html[/URL]

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    OK, it's just at $500, it's anything but cheap. Mesa controllers seem cheaper.



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    I have been using linuxcnc and mesa hardware for years. (stable and robust..)

    Love it

    sam



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Thanks guys, sorry for my knee jerk reaction ger21. Reminds me of when I was like "I want a good lathe for under $1000 AUS". Didn't realise I was at about 1/4 the necessary budget.

    So good motion controllers are US 300ish to start with. Seems like the US make a few of them too. I would just about bite the bullet and get an Acorn now except I'd like to do 5 axis in the future having seen some amazing things from others.

    The other thing I'd like to do is use my glass scales for position feedback at some point. Although I'd like a "Step dir" system (which seem like the simplest?) to start with, I have read great accuracy is obtainable by running servos in velocity 'mode' with feedback from the glass scales, so I'd like to get a controller that can support this as well if possible.
    Can MESA boards do it? This 7I76e looks good for this skyfire here but it says it is a 'step dir' board

    Could I buy a pretty budget card now with limited features - like an aliexpress one - then upgrade to a better one later? I have recently bought a LOT of things, including a surface plate, funds are running low
    This looks ok - https://tinyurl.com/y7kn3nvs
    I am willing to accept by some standards it wouldnt be 'good'. I'd be interested as to why though.

    So yeah, thinking now - alliexpress to start with, MESA card that can do glass scale stuff later. OR, Just get MESA now that can do this + 5 axis control.



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    Member ger21's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Different boards are not usually compatible with different software.

    Mesa boards work with LinuxCNC only.

    That AliExpress board works with Mach3 only.

    I do NOT recommend buying any Chinese Mach3 boards. They are unsupported, don't always work properly, and don't always support all of Mach3's features. Keep in mind that you need a Mach3 license as well, which is another $175
    Personally, I do not recommend using Mach3 for any new users, as it's no longer the best option that it once was.

    So good motion controllers are US 300ish to start with
    Depending on what features you want, yes. Besides LinuxCNC, which is free, the best low cost control right now is probably UCCNC. $60 for the software license, and $125-$175 for the motion controller. Then you need to add a breakout board (or two). A basic system starts at about $200, and can go up to $400-$500.

    The Acorn is probably the best option out there right now, but it has a limited feature set, which is why it doesn't cost 3x more than it does. If it meets your needs, look no further.

    If you want really cheap, you can use LinuxCNC with a parallel port and $10 breakout board. You don't need anything else to get up and running.

    When you want to setup a closed loop system, you drastically reduce the playing field.
    The two options I'm aware of are LinuxCNC, and KMotion with their hardware. I'm not real familiar with either.

    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html[/URL]

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html[/URL]

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    [URL]http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html[/URL]

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Thanks, yes I am aware of Kmotion - look good too.

    I think I'll go for Linux cnc and a breakout board as you said. Maybe getting a Linux PC to do the motion control would work ok on a dedicated system, as opposed to windows with all its hidden stuff going on.

    I am doing this to learn about the industry too, I was a mech eng in pipelines and I'd like to return to engineering but in a different field, in this way I can sort of feel it out while I work elsewhere and learn some industry standards.



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Does this look like it will work with LinuxCNC? I've posted the question to the seller, no reply yet.

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/6-Axis-B...-/322742473628



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    That is NOT a motion controller! That is just a BreakOutBoard. To be sure, you need one - AFTER the motion controller.

    Cheers
    Roger



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Quote Originally Posted by RCaffin View Post
    That is NOT a motion controller! That is just a BreakOutBoard. To be sure, you need one - AFTER the motion controller.

    Cheers
    Roger
    Cheers mate, yep thanks just replying to ger's statement for a bottom of the $$$$ way to get it going and test a couple of things.
    Mainly just to test the servos on the bench really.

    Does parallel run ok on a linux dedicated machine?

    Incidentally can you guys recommend a book, youtube series, bunch of articles, or otherwise that help the newbie to motion control understand it all? Something which would assume you know very little - no idea what 'step dir' is for instance, but builds up to more complex things.



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    Ah, OK. Just the thing for testing.

    Does parallel run ok on a linux dedicated machine?
    Don't know, as I run Mach3 and an ESS.
    But the 'parallel port' format is fast becoming the Open Standard, so I would be rather surprised if it did not.

    Cheers
    Roger



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    Default Re: Recommend me a motion controller and software?

    The parallel port runs great on linuxcnc. You are limited to software stepping (a decent machine will probably only do 30 to 40khz at the most)

    There are a lot of inexpensive interface cards that act like a printer port on steroids.. - examples-

    (pci)
    https://mesaus.com/index.php?route=p...&product_id=51

    (Ethernet)
    https://mesaus.com/index.php?route=p...&product_id=98

    these would work with the simple break out boards - or you could use the mesa daughter boards which give you more i/o and such

    https://mesaus.com/index.php?route=p...&product_id=53

    lots of options to start cheap and expand... One thing to remember - linuxcnc is the motion controller. You don't need an external motion controller. The the interface hardware like mesa does is move the stuff that the computer doesn't do well to hardware. (step generation, PWM, Encoder counting and so on.)

    sam



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Recommend me a motion controller and software?

Recommend me a motion controller and software?