Need Help!- galil motion control with visual Basic 6.0 activeX

[servomec04]

I have a galil 4 axis card with visual Basic 6.0 ActiveX control Library
Does anybody can send me any programs done with Visual Basic 6.0?
It will be faster for me to learn by looking at real samples of programming
Alex

[Al_The_Man]

An old post revived!
Is or has anyone doing a UI or MMI interface for Galil with VB using the OCX files, plus running a G code style interface or?
Just curious as to what had been achieved and some of the hic-ups met or overcome?

[cnc4cheap]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Man An old post revived! Is or has anyone doing a UI or MMI interface for Galil with VB using the OCX files, plus running a G code style interface or? Just curious as to what had been achieved and some of the hic-ups met or overcome?

Hello,

I have a CNC front end for the Galil DMC 1840 motion controller boards that was developed in VB6. It does not use any of Galil's activeX libraries because I discoved early in the project that they were either to slow or functionally lame. At the current stage of development the CNC front end will read RS274 format G code, translate G code to DMC board language, feed translated code to the DMC buffer, run the G code/DMC code and display axis positioning. (reads axis error due to no encoder feedback) As for the features the CNC front end it has Work Coordinates System, Tool Length Offsets, Cutter Dia/Radius Offsets, Cutter Compensation, Manual Data Input, Keyboard Jogging (variable increment & velocity), Pause, Stop & Resume, Drill Cycles, Graphic Tool Path Viewer, G code File Library Access, Integral G code editor. The G code translator will process 50,000 lines of G code in 30 seconds.

One of the short comings of the DMC controller boards is the limited number of free I/Os after the system has been fully integrated. My CNC front end will allow for the use of up to three printer ports for simple outputs thereby freeing up the Galil I/Os for complex functions. PCI dual parallel port boards can be bought through eBay for next to nothing as opposed to buying the Galil daughter board for expanded I/Os. The ports are automatically discovered by the CNC front end.

The Cutter Compensation is dynamic so it does not require that the G code file be re-loaded in order to calculate the cutter compensation. The cutter compensation is applied in real time at the DMC controller board.

I lost interest after a long period of health issues so I never got around to integrating a Galil system for the final development of the CNC front end on a machine.

Anyone that has basic knowledge of the Galil board language could easily finish the project. I'm an old guy so my GUI is tailored to look like it's a DOS window so you would more than likely want to design your own GUI. The CNC front end was developed in Windows XP Professional using Visual Basic 6 so designing a GUI is extremely easy. This project was my first experience with writing software. It took me three tries before I settled down and got serious about learning how to program. The problem was that I lacked the 'I REALLY WANTED TO DO IT' so I did not succeed the first two tries. Learning to program was one of the most rewarding accomplishment of my life time.

The motivation to succeed came after I purchased a copy of Camsoft CNC Professional. I installed it, I examined it, I un-installed it and I sold it through eBay. What an absolute PIECE OF CRAP! I liked to have died laughing when Gary Corey told me that Fanuc had threatened him with legal action because his GUI to closely resembled the Fanuc pendant. WFJ!

I have two DMC1840 boards that were re-man'd by Galil and have not been removed from the anti-static envelope since I received them. I have another board that was new prior to being installed in my PC that I used for developing the CNC front end. Each board has a like new ICM1900 breakout board and interconnection cable. The DMC1840 clock is more than adequate for use with servo drive systems such as the Yaskawa Sigma I series systems, but not with the Mitsubishi or other systems with extremely high PPR encoders.

A reasonable offer for the three sets of Galil hardware and the software is yours free of charge. The value of the software far exceeds the value of the hardware. I have spent 1000s of hours writing the CNC front end. I don't like giving my time away, but I would rather give it away as opposed to knowing that it was never put to use.

I can provide an executable copy of the CNC front end along with the dll files that I wrote if you would like to examine it.

Ron

[Al_The_Man]

I am really interested, frankly I have a couple of systems using the Acroloop card under DOS which is perfectly adequate, I also tried Camsoft some time ago and was disillusioned for a few reasons.
What were the Galil cards re-man'd for?
What do you want for what you have?
send me a PM if you prefer.
Al.

[hellguy10]

Hi Ron and Al

I'm an engineering student and trying to finish up a project. I have the Galil DMC-4143 controller and I'm also creating a front end to run a CNC wood lathe.

I would be really grateful if i could view the code and see if it is compatible with my controller. I'm making this as a project for a university so that underprivileged students would be able to access what we have. Learn all the same.

I'm stuck in a few spots - firstly I have 3 Stepper motors attached with encoders and I configured them and wired them to my lathe, however is when i search looked up the galil forums i couldn't find a proper PID error checking system and had to build one by myself, now I seem to have a few problems with calibrating my stepper motors steps to the inbuilt counts of the galil tools software. If i knew how that is done it would be much of an ease for me to progress.
Also any help from much better and more experienced CNC'ers would be much appreciated.

-Rajit

[Al_The_Man]

Personally I think it is a waste implementing steppers with a Galil card.
The PID loop cannot be used with steppers AFAIK.
I believe the only thing you can use the encoder input for is to know whether you have lost steps, and correct it? But this is after the fact.
Galil has PID tuning software for servo's.
Al.

[cnc4cheap]

Rajit,

Your Galil controller is either serial or ethernet and my CNC front end was developed for the Galil PCI bus seies controller. Excluding the type of interface the program would work for your application because all of Galil's controller use the same board language.

Ron

[cnc4cheap]

Rajit,

I stopped short of answering all of your questions. I will start by telling you that it is very obvious that you have not done your homework. If you expect to ever successfully integrate a CNC system then you best take advantage of the Galil documents that they so generously provide.

From the Galil manual: *Using an Encoder with Stepper Motors* An encoder may be used on a stepper motor to check the actual motor position with the commanded position. If an encoder is used, it must be connected to the main encoder input. Note: The auxiliary encoder is not available while operating with stepper motors. The position of the encoder can be interrogated by using the command, TP. The position value can be defined by using the command, DE. Note: Closed loop operation with a stepper motor is not possible.

No closed loop operation = no PID loop.

As for the calibration:
Steps per revolution of stepper motor x gear ratio between stepper motor and ball screw x number of ball screw turns per user unit (inch or millimeter) = steps per user unit.

As for viewing my code. My CNC front end has features that other Galil based CNC front ends do not have. I'm not going to publish my code and provide free upgrades for the other software companies. If you want to copy code then copy EMC as it is open source. That's what I would have done but I found it would have been easier to transcribe the Chinese constitution in english. In other words impossible.

I now have 7 years of programming experience and I still would not be able to copy and use any of the EMC code. If you understood the programming language then it would take you years to unravel the logic in the EMC software.

My CNC front end was my first experience with writing software. Originally I started with the Galil ActiveX toolkit, but as my code writing advanced I discovered that the Galil ActiveX libraries were functionally lame and slow. My software now uses DLLs that I wrote and none of Galil's ActiveX libraries.

The person that purchases my 3 sets of Galil DMC1840 controllers with ICM1900 breakout boards and interconnections cables will own the rights to my software. One of the controllers was purchased through eBay and it was new in the sealed Galil anti-static envelope. It was used to develop the CNC front end. The other two controllers were reman'd by Galil and they have not been removed from the anti-static envelop since they were returned to me. I have the documentation from Galil showing the serial number of the two boards and the work that was performed on them.

If you need help with your code then I will help you, but I will not write it for you.

Good Luck,
Ron

[hellguy10]

Hi guys, i know what you mean by wast of time.
However, I'm stuck with it and have to move on with the process unless i create my own driver-controller system, let's face it that's not happening.

So go you guys have any leads on a front end to the DMC-41X3 driver-controller? It would be a great deal of help.

Thanks in advance guys.

-Rajit

[hellguy10]

Originally Posted by cnc4cheap As for the calibration: Steps per revolution of stepper motor x gear ratio between stepper motor and ball screw x number of ball screw turns per user unit (inch or millimeter) = steps per user unit.

Hi guys,
Thanks a lot Ron, for i didn't really understand that part of the calibration and you've made it clearer.

On the other hand, the rest of the parts such as connecting the encoder and getting the absolute position using the "TP" command was already under use.
I did use the main encoder in and out.

I know what you mean by wast of time.
However, I'm stuck with it and have to move on with the process unless i create my own driver-controller system, let's face it that's not happening.

Unfortunately Ron, I'm not allowed to make any purchases without some confirmation from the prof I'm working under and the bureaucracies involved with that would just take too long. Also this is a learning process for me, so as long as I am able to attain a workable reliable system I am happy and I am upto the challenges that i would face in trying to achieve this.

I will look up the EMC front-end, and try create something similar at best.
If I had the chance I would take you up on the offer.


-Rajit