Morphix vs Ubuntu vs Turbolinux vs ?

[ceandro]

I purchased 2 cd's with EMC on it as well as morphix , one is the BDI live disc and the other the install disc, and am having trouble getting the bdi live CD to run , I have an E machines sytem with XP on it ready to install this software , but if I cant get the BDI to run , I am not sure I want to wipe out XP to install . And I have some questions about which Linux platform /release/version is most stable and runs EMC most succesfully . I am TOTALLY inexperienced with linux and only know what I read and am reading as time allows.I have a Fine Sodick VMC that was made for machining electrodes that was effectively lobotomized when it was disposed of , my inteent is to interface the existing servo drives to a new brain , my own version of Fankenstein I suppose . EMC appears to be the route least expensive but I am in need of some advice . Perhaps some of you could share which platforms you have been succesful with ,no-no's and so on that you have found .
Thanks

[acondit]

Ceandro,

I am not sure I can help you, but I have a question. Do the CD's that you bought have EMC2 or EMC? What version number?

The current release of EMC2 is 2.10.

Alan

[ceandro]

the discs say "LINUXCNC Enhanced Machine Contoller BDI Live rc46, and the other " LINUXCNC Enhanced Machine Controller Install CDV4.3 . I am of the impression that this is not the newest version , I only paid a couple of bucks for it off of ebay quite some time ago , a year perhaps , enough to cover the cost of the discs and shipping basically . I viewed it as an introduction to EMC, before I even new this forum or CNC zone existed . I expect I need to purchase or download the updated version to go operational with .

Added update to this post, I just downloaded the files coolcncb05.iso and emc2-ubuntu6.06 from the EMC web pages , I will put those on a disc and see what happens, if I can get them to come up so I can see what this looks like

Rob

[acondit]

Ceandro,

If you go to this link:
http://www.linuxcnc.org/
You can download a copy of the newest version on a live cd image with 2.10 and Ubuntu. I wouldn't even bother with the old one. The new one is so much easier to deal with. I never did succeed in getting the old version to run but got the new one running very quickly. It is much easier to configure for different hardware.

Alan

[ceandro]

Ok , I have succesfully booted into Ubuntu and looked at EMC2 and I like very much what I see . So the command level decision is made, I will be using Ubuntu and EMC2 . Now, has anyone interfaced to a Yaskawa S2000 multiaxis controller. I ask because I found a couple of these around and I already know what a Galil cad option will cost me , I know the Galil has been succesfullly integrated, but the Yaskawa claims plug and play to their drives, (I have no experience with these so it may be more on the Microsoft model of plug and pray ) I may be able to get the Yaskawa controller for substantially less then cost of Galil setup.(about $3,500).

My intent is to use a 2.0 Ghz E machine Desktop PC dedicated to run ubuntu and EMC2, the PC will be resident in the machine cabinet. A couple of questions
1. assuming that EMC will have to talk to the controller via RS232 or 422 will this create a potential traffic slowdown issue ?
2. Is a PC PCI bus card to interface to the drives going to be inherently faster and/or cleaner ?(ie noise issues).

An advantage I see in the card aspect (particularly Galil) is the ability to expand the I/O capability to 64 to use the Ladder logic PLC function of EMC2 to operate the toolchanger , spindle chiller , coolant pump, and perhaps a rotary positioner in the future for special projects .
Another potential advantage I see is interfacing with the Fanuc servo drive for the spindle,more information is required ,too much I dont know aboot that .Input /experience on this will be helpfull.

By the way I want to say thank you for pointing me in the right direction Alan.

I searched all the threads for referencess to Yaskawa , but didnt find anything specifically applicable for my project.As you can tell this is going to be an interesting project , and I already have several photos of the machine covers on and off and am very excited at the potential this has to expand my shops capabilities as well as my own. I intend to post all of my documentation and findings of this project so that it will hopefully help someone else who is considering the same type of project. I have included a photo of the machine to give an idea of the size , it is something of a rarity in the US as I understand .

[Eson]

Anyone tried Gentoo and EMC?

[unterhaus]

Originally Posted by Eson Anyone tried Gentoo and EMC?

don't know why you couldn't do it, the only issue is you have to install the real time kernel and EMC by hand. The kernel is no problem, but I have no idea how easy EMC is to install by hand. I'd rather use Fedora, but I'm going with Ubuntu since I can get it fully installed that way.

[mrnicks]

Not to make things more complicated but here are a few more options if things don't pan out for you.

http://distrowatch.com/

and linux.org for support