Confused about CNC software

[ger21]

Samault, be aware that if your using Mach2 or TurboCNC, then none of the above (what Rek'd said) is really necessary.

[samualt]

ger21:
"Another thing to consider is that some laptops parralel ports can't output enough voltage to run your drivers, so you may be out of luck with the laptop anyway."

Egads! Can anyone here recommend a laptop brand which seems to work for CNC? That is, sending the g-code to the hardware driver? Any particular model you have had luck with?

[imserv]

Originally Posted by samualt Egads! Can anyone here recommend a laptop brand which seems to work for CNC? That is, sending the g-code to the hardware driver? Any particular model you have had luck with?

If you switch your controller to DeskCNC, you can use either a serial or USB port. Then any 200 mhz or so laptop that will run Win 98 or later OS, will work fine at over 40000 sps (soon to be 125k).

Fred Smith - IMService
http://www.cadcamcadcam.com

[drawbar]

I use my Dell Dimension laptop to drive my CNC machine I built. I run TurboCNC through bipolar chopper boards I built myself around the ST L6208N chips. No optoisolators. Works great so far!

Brian

[samualt]

Well, I just bought a ECS 14.1" Notebook Computer with an AMD Athlon XP-M 1600+ with lots of built-in cool stuff including Wifi (wireless networking). It will just have to work with CNC! I will make it work if by nothing more than pure will-power!
BTW, they have those on sale at Walmart Online - ECS Special Buy for just 598 + state tax + 7 shipping. Not a bad deal for what you get and a 12 month warranty.
Now I'm off to Ebay to pick up a cheap Wifi router (for wireless network) and I'll be set. Wires? We don't need no stinking wires!


The above runs WinXP and is much faster than the Mach2 requirements. I think I will download the demo of it and some others and see which works best. I'll keep my fingers crossed...

[Egar Twins]

usually the cam program I have worked with have a comm program integrated direectly into the CAM...Now this might be the integration of two distinct systems...but I have never seen them seperate...I believe MasterCAM has a COM program directly integrated as well....also something to think about...if your numeric controller possesses COM ports (rs232 format) you can use a regular serial cable with no line driver hardware directly from your laptop at distances of less then 60 feet(although I have done it at distances of up to 100 with no prob..

[ViperTX]

DNC is distributed numerical control.....which basically means that you have a network way to distribute CNC / NC software to either CNC or NC machines.

[Al_The_Man]

Actually the term DNC has now two meaning attached to it 'Distributed Numerical control' and 'Direct Numerical Control' The former is the networking distribution of Part programs and the latter has come to mean the drip feed of part programs to a machine that is unable to store the complete program in memory.
Al.

[Egar Twins]

distributed numerical* control
direct numerical* control

[Al_The_Man]

I must have had 'Motion' on the mind.
Al

[Egar Twins]

lol..........I didn't want to insult you but I couldn't resist