Taig + Xylotex and I want to try EMC2

[725franky]

Hi all,

I just recently got a Taig 2019 CR ER mill and Xylotex steppers / driver plus a CNC Sherline rotary table. I would like to try EMC2. I am not very familiar with Linux, I have used it in the past but only using programs that came with the system. I have never had anyone really explain to me how to install programs and such.

So, I have downloaded the Ubuntu live CD that has EMC2 on it and I started up EMC and it prompts you to make a file in a different location to boot from later (so that you can modify it). Well, I saw that it has a Xylotex .HAL file in the new location as well as the standard .HAL file and a few others. How do I make it use the Xylotex file? How do I make it boot from the new location? And I have a 4-Axis Mill and Controller; how do I set up the Xylotex .HAL file for 4 axes instead of only 3? ...I did open the file and see that it was only had 3 axes.

I am not sure if I am going to use EMC or Mach3 but I would certainly like to give EMC a try before I decide against it.

Thanks for the help,

Frank

[Big John T]

Did you install the cd or just boot it up?

While browsing for your configuration just check the Create Desktop Shortcut button on the EMC2 Configuration Selector.

When you open a sample configuration it asks if you want to save that for modification. You tell it yes and if you checked the create desktop shortcut check box you have a shortcut on your desk top to that copy of the configuration files.

John

[725franky]

I Just booted it up from the CD.

[Big John T]

If your going to try it you will need to install it on the computer you plan on using for the control. If like me you don't want to mess up your Windoz box with dual boot bla bla bla then purchase a cheap hard drive. I bought a 160G drive for less than a tank of gas in my truck! I put that in and unplugged my original drive. Fired it up and installed it...

I did surf the Mach3 web site and see that it runs on windoz. How does it work in real time in a windoz box?

John

[ger21]

Originally Posted by Big John T I did surf the Mach3 web site and see that it runs on windoz. How does it work in real time in a windoz box? John

Mach3 installs a driver that basically takes control over Windows.

[rclendan]

Yes the Mach3 driver does some unconventional things with windows to ensure correct timing. It is however very important that ACPI is turned off, otherwise Mach3 will not work correctly. As far as EMC goes, to test it properly you will need to install it on a hard drive because the configuration files would be overwritten each time you boot from the Live CD.

For a 4 axis Xylotex setup you will need to modify the stepper_inch.ini (or the stepper_mm) to include the Xylotex_pinout.hal and add the fourth axis. Also, you will need to modify the core_stepper.hal file to add the fourth axis.

I can provide a copy of my Taig-Xylotex-EMC config if you would like.

[725franky]

If you could give me a copy of your file that would be great! I could then a least make sure that I do mine right.
Have you used both Mach3 and EMC2? (If you have, which did you like better?)

Thanks for the help.

Frank

[rclendan]

I have used both. They both will do the job. Mach3 is more feature rich, EMC2 will work on a low end machine very well, and is Free!!. I generally will opt for open source software and Linux whenever possible, so for that reason, I am an EMC2 guy. But if you prefer Windows to drive your steppers, and you have a fairly fast machine, Mach3 is a very nice program for a very reasonable price.

email me at rclendan@comcast.net and I will reply with my EMC2/Mach3 config files.

[ger21]

Originally Posted by rclendan Yes the Mach3 driver does some unconventional things with windows to ensure correct timing. It is however very important that ACPI is turned off, otherwise Mach3 will not work correctly.

That varies from PC to PC. Some work fine with ACPI, some don't. I have a Dell that works fine with it on.

[rclendan]

I stand corrected. My PC's will not run Mach3 with ACPI enabled.

Thanks.

[Big John T]

What is ACPI?

I was just reading about charge pumps and how windows can do crazy things while hooked to your machine and for safety you need this. That is enough for me to want to use Linux and EMC2...


John

[rclendan]

ACPI (Advanced Configuration & Power Interface) , among other things, provides BIOS level awarness of your computers power status so windows can monitor the battery and provide you with Operating System-directed configuration and Power Management. I would not recommend disabling ACPI on a laptop because they rely so heavily on this (i.e to tell windows when to suspend to ram on a low power condidtion). I have heard of laptops burning themselves up because they could not frequency scale the CPU, or suspend when they got too hot. A workstation with proper cooling however, can be considered continuouse duty, for the most part, and can get buy without ACPI. In fact, for some PC's, it is the only way to get Windows close the "real-time" environment required to run Mach3. I have PC's that will not pass the Mach3 driver test with ACPI enabled. The motors pulse, miss steps, and are generally impossible to tune if I try to run them with ACPI on, but with it off they run great.