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  1. #41
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    I just went and looked at the manual myself. Your right, it looks like you need to write your own motion algorithms. I thought that Mariss was working on this before, but haven't been following it lately.

    Here's his latest post on his group:
    Home, Encoder jog, Speed control, DAC in and DAC out has been added and
    works. Also added and being tested is autonomous run.

    Autonomous run is kind of exciting; download and test a program; once
    it works to your satisfaction, preface the whole thing with "auto<cr>",
    disconnect the USB cable and the G-Rex runs the whole thing without a
    PC. The application program gets stored in the battery-backed SDRAM in
    the Rabbit.

    Right now about 3,000 X,Y coordinates can be stored (about 32kB). Once
    I figure out how to use Rabbit extended memory effectively, that number
    will grow to about 30,000 X,Y coordinates. That should be enough for
    most people without the G-Rex being tethered to a PC.

    Because things are progressing so rapidly, I'll wait until this feature
    works semi-properly before I post the Rabbit source coude.

    Mariss
    I believe his source code is in the G101 folder of the Geckodrive Yahoo group, titled "ISR Stuff" or something like that.

    Gerry

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


  2. #42
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    Wink I was waiting for this ! !

    Hi Einar,
    I was waiting for one of the Linux converts to pick up on this discussion!
    Quote Originally Posted by ESjaavik
    I'm sorry to chant "Linux", but really cannot see any other choice without shelling out lots of money for a realtime system with expensive compilers and tools.
    Don't get me wrong, what you are saying is true IF you are comfortable with the Linux platform.
    Personally, I am not.
    I have tried to install Linux from way back, Early Red Hat, Suise 6, Fedora - the EMC "BrainDead" install and on and on.... NEVER got it right

    As to the cost issue, Yes it will be more costly to get it going on a Micro$oft platform, no arguements there!!!

    But if the enthusiast is NOT an IT fundi and does not have an intimate personal relationship with the Linux OS, there are also other "costs" to be considered:
    1) Frustration in trying to get your Linux based PC working properly in the first place. This has always been my own biggest headache with any Linux OS install that I have tried.
    2) This "frustration" then takes the enthusiast down the M$ Window$ route simply because they probably already have a Window$ based PC at home or if they are prepared to continually reboot, the MS-DOS route for the CAM functionality.
    3) The choice of CAD software is very much a personal one and the majority of choice lies in the Window$ platform range. Some very good - some very bad, some expensive and some free. The choice is up to the individual.

    I would not like to know how many folk have simply chucked the CNC hobby because of the cost in time and money to get them to where the REALLY want to be - watching thier (probably home built) CNC Mill machine some component that they have spent hours designing.

    Have a look thru the threads on this site and count the number of folk looking for solutions to broken tools, gouged workpieces and bad finishes. I have seen a number of them.


    Quote Originally Posted by ESjaavik
    The low level parts of EMC is written in C. That is: hardware I/O, stepping/servoloop, trajectory planning, kinematics, interpretation of G-code and low level execution of operator I/O, lots more. The user interface is written in other languages as far as I know.
    OK - as it is open source, we have somewhere to go to see how others do it and either "borrow" some of the routines as is or make the necessary adjustments to suite our purpose. As long as the results are also free to the public, where is the harm?
    And if our group effort makes a solution that WORKS, even if it costs a couple of hundred Dollars, and we save one person from walking away from the hobby, I personally thing it would have been worth it!

    As an aside: a large majority of the members of this forum earn thier income in US$. There are some of us that don't. When we see a price tag of US$100.00 we go into shock as it equates to a LOT of money in our local currency.

    Quote Originally Posted by ESjaavik
    I think you should only reinvent the wheel if there are only square or too expensive wheels existing.
    Don't you just love the human race? They are always trying to invent a "BETTER MOUSETRAP".
    Quote Originally Posted by ESjaavik
    So I suggest you look closely at EMC to see if it will not be quite close to what you need.
    OK, so I'm biased since I run EMC and have a good performer for a really low price. The PC running it would otherwise have been in the dumpster long ago, and the mentioned hardware cost me just over $100, and can do 300 000 steps/sec if I ever find drives that can swallow them that fast.
    One of the original definition parmaters that I put forward was that this project would be Micro$oft Window$ based. Why? Most of us are more comfortable with Window$ than with Linux.

    I am not saying that the EMC/Linux solution is inferior or bad. On the contrary, it is probably the best solution available at this moment. But not for many of us out there!

    What we need is a way to take the output from our favorite (Window$ based) CAD application and make our (proudly home built) mill cut our parts from blocks of raw material without the problems that are inherently encountered when using Window$.

    Best
    Aubrey



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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by slp_prlzys
    CLaNZeR:
    You might also be interested in this too.
    http://www.khwarzimic.org/takveen/helix.pdf
    I was going to post the pdf itself but better from
    the source.
    NICE!
    We will definitely refer back to this later in the project.
    Aubrey



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    Question

    Quote Originally Posted by ger21
    The controller has to send steps at the proper rate for accel and decel.

    Accel and Decel are handled by the controller, and are independant (sort of) of the G code.

    Any time the machine increases speed, or decreases speed, it needs to accelerate and decelerate. Motors can't go from 0 rpm to any given rpm instantly; they must accelerate.

    Last time I mention this, but the Gecko G100 will handle all the accel and decel. You feed it coordinates and feedrates, and I believe it will do the rest, in hardware. I think that's the easiest way to go. It's not that expensive, either, imo.
    So if my understanding is correct, the "pre-compiler" will have to work out what the pause between each step is to be to get the motor from rest to the cutting feed rate required and then back to rest at the end of the particular cut so that the appropriate timing delays can be incorporated in the 2 byte command stream that is generated.

    Question: Does the Gecko G100 receive actual GCode from the computer and if so, is it able to keep up with commands like G02 and g03? Also, what kind of processor/s does it have onboard?

    Best
    Aubrey



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    Unhappy

    Quote Originally Posted by ESjaavik
    The Gecko might do this, but it does not know what the other axes are doing.
    So the path will not be correct unless moving only in a direction parallel to one of the axes. A move in one axis must be related to the others. Unless of course we talk about a machine like a coordinate drilling machine where only the endpoints of every move matters and not the path it takes between them.

    So all G1 moves must be coordinated. For a G0 it may not matter (assuming no clamps or other obstructions). Some machines may even choose the fastest route on each axis for G0, making the move a dogleg path.
    This would really be a problem when making a 3 dimentional cut!
    Best
    Aubrey



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    Exclamation Confused

    Quote Originally Posted by ger21
    Yes, it does know what the other axis are doing. It treats each move as a vector made up of each axis component. I don't know how to explain how it works, but I'm pretty sure it does. Like I said before, there is plenty of info on this on the Geckodrive Yahoo group.
    Sorry Guys - Now I am getting confused!
    Is there anyone who can give us a run-down from PC OS/CAD Package to mill axis motors and the results/problems that they are getting?
    Best
    Aubrey



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    Talking Project Initiated!

    Hi Everyone,
    Big thanks to Paul for opening a "Group Projects" sub-forum for me.

    I have initiated 3 threads:
    "CNCZone Driver Group Project" outlines the basic concept and participants
    "Project Comments" for general comments
    "Request For Comment" for wish lists and must have lists and fighting about them.

    Those of you who would like to come onboard, please add an entry to the "CNCZone Driver Group Project" thread listing your strengths and areas of expertise.

    Thanks
    Aubrey



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    Quote Originally Posted by aubrey
    I have tried to install Linux from way back, Early Red Hat, Suise 6, Fedora - the EMC "BrainDead" install and on and on.... NEVER got it right
    OK. I know how you feel as I also installed Linux and had many fights before giving up. That was also "way back". But installing BDI RC46 was so easy I could not believe it. Boot CD, click on install to hard disk, answer a few questions, then leave it until done. More recently I installed Linux on another machine, this time a video surveillance (ZoneMinder) and the same again, a few questions first, then it did the rest by itself. No need to babysit waiting for new questions, reboots, install umpteen "security patches" and licenses. And no, I'm not a Linux freak, I install it where it is required for the job at hand.

    But OK, I just thought you wanted to see the chips flying as soon as possible. Did not mean to start a religious war.
    But the EMC source will surely be a good resource if building on another system. The source can be loaded and viewed in Windows.



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    Quote Originally Posted by ESjaavik
    Did not mean to start a religious war.
    Don't worry, no offence taken!
    I use windows all day every day and roundly curse it at least every hour.
    Funny thing about democracy... Its the only "system" that by definition, allows other "systems" to also be acceptable.
    Best



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    Has anyone considered using an FPGA? Check out this board for $99:

    http://www.digilentinc.com/info/S3Board.cfm

    It's just a matter of using the Xilinx tools to create the software. I just finished a course at cal state where we designed a 16-bit RISC processor and loaded it into the FPGA.

    This thing is great too because it has VGA out and a PS/2 port. So you could have a monitor and keyboard.

    Andy
    CNC Kits - http://www.comptonsoft.com/cncweb/


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    Hi, I am looking for a (reasonably) economical way to run a "planned" 4 axis mill / router. (hobby use)

    I am very tempted by Rhino, which is win based, so it would be handy of course to use the same computer for the control as well.

    I found these motors

    http://www.imshome.com/mdrive42acplus_mdi.html

    which can plug right into a USB port and AC. IMS provides some control software (m code) as well.

    I have no experience at all with G code / cnc yet, so wide open to various approaches. I am just curious if there is a way we can use something like this to simplify our life of making a CAD to CAM arrangement.



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    Cool "Hardware" GCode interpreter

    Hi Guys,

    I have been watching you guys talking about G-Code Interpreter. Some one opting for DSP and some one for PIC, and of course some people being scary about PIC will not do, DSP will do, what about circular interpolation.

    Good news for every one that I have implemented linear and circular interpolation in a PIC, yes PIC18F458/PIC18F452 running at 40MHz and I have made some STARS of various corners and aspect ratio, and some round shapes, rectangle with sharp corners, and recatngles with round corners too.
    In both metric and inch units.

    I will soon be posting the schematic and the test code in hex format for you guys to test. Once I finalize the main interface cause right now I have graphic LCD 128x64 KS0108 based controller, and a 4x3 keypad installed. I am going for 240x128 T6963C based LCD and some really serious input interface for it to represent my work piece.

    Later I am planning to decode the following mostly used G-Codes in the
    PIC18F458/452

    G00 positioning (rapid traverse)
    G01 linear interpolation (feed)
    G02 circular Interpolation CW
    G03 circular Interpolation CCW
    G04 dwell, a programmed time delay
    G20 input in inch
    G21 input in mm
    G90 absolute dimension input
    G91 incremental dimension input

    Till then
    Regards for every body on CNCZONE



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    An exact stop trajectory planner is not hard to implement using any hardware or software. By that I mean that the machine comes to a full stop at the end of each move, and so it also starts all moves from a full stop.

    The trick (if you want to do 3D moldmaking or complex paths in general) is to make a trajectory planner that 'cuts corners' within a specified tolerance and keeps up the velocity of the machine. That is nontrivial, and I'd be delighted to look at any open-source implementations anyone has come up with. I've tried to understand how it's done in EMC2, but really going through the code and math requires more time than I have right now...



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    This also sounds a lot like what the NCPod (www.oemtech.com/ncpod) does, although it seems to have been in beta testing for quite a long time. Does anyone know the status of the NCPod?



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    Hello all
    nice to meet you
    can any one provide me Processor Breakout Board ( pcb and schematich )
    thank you



  16. #56
    Registered James Newton's Avatar
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    Ok, so I'm yet another guy who is interested in this idea. I've got some code partly done that does the 3 d line to step and direction thing, but also managing ramping and acceleration. The code is at
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...t?hl=en&pli=1#

    And I'd love to have some feedback on it.

    If space and time allow, I'll add a very limited G code interpreter to it.



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    Hi everyone,I am new to the forum.I am doing my final year project on CNC and i want some guide line from u guyz.
    1.Can g-code be converted to hex file?
    2.And if so than which microcontroller is best to use(PIC or AVR)



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    Registered James Newton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ammarjaspal View Post
    Hi everyone,I am new to the forum.I am doing my final year project on CNC and i want some guide line from u guyz.
    1.Can g-code be converted to hex file?
    2.And if so than which microcontroller is best to use(PIC or AVR)
    You appear to be confusing data (g-code) with program/firmware (for uC) with data format (hex file). g-code, like any ASCII text, could easily be converted to a hex format:
    techref.massmind.org/techref/ascii.htm
    but that wouldn't do anything for a uC unless you find a program to load into the uC (usually in hex format) which can interpret the g-code and signal drivers to drive motor to move a CNC machine.

    This page might link to what you are looking for (in the "See also" section)
    techref.massmind.org/techref/io/embeddedCNCs.htm



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