Galil Anyone

[Al_The_Man]

I am suprised that Galil card users are not seen here much, apart from the Camsoft site. Especially in light of the number of PC slot cards and stand-alone versions sold regularly on ebay. Someone is using them for projects (apart from me).
It would be nice if there was enough to start a forum, and see some of the applications they are being used for and maybe get some ideas.
I would especially be interested to see if anyone is still using the old Galil Opint software for general projects. Also if anyone is using them to control Hydraulic servo valves with encoder feedback.
Here's hoping.
Al.

[JFettig]

Tell me more about these cards, what software runs them and what speeds etc.

I am interested.
Jon

[keithorr]

Originally Posted by JFettig Tell me more about these cards, what software runs them and what speeds etc. I am interested. Jon

CamSoft runs a galil card with a gui interface. The native commands only seem useful on repetitive process machines. Maybe for packaging or drill cycles. Unless you like programming, the navite commands seem a little clumsy for all but the most basic mill/lathe type cnc processes.

[MetLHead]

Hey Al,

I've worked with the Galil cards a bit. Mostly I've worked with the Yaskawa SMC-2000, which is a repackaged Galil card. Let's see if I can remember what I've worked with them on...

I've done some programming work for Alexander Dodds on their CNC dovetailers using the SMC2000.

We retrofitted a glass cutting machine with a PC card Galil board and wrote a VB gui for it. Don't remember which card specifically we used.

I've programmed a flying shear that was used to cut cardboard strips for packaging. That was a pretty neat thing to see, these machines could cut up to 400 strips/minute! The SMC was used to index the material into the shear at a programmable length.

We did a similar application where the SMC controlled a servo press feeder. This was a retrofitted Littel system. This was another application where we wrote a VB front end for it, which included a part library.

I've also worked on some other specialty stuff with the Galil, with pretty good results. The programming language is somewhat unusual, but once you get used to it you can usually make it do what you want. For all these projects, we used the Yaskawa YTerm software for working with the controller, I haven't used the Galil software.

Regards,
Scott

[Al_The_Man]

Originally Posted by JFettig Tell me more about these cards, what software runs them and what speeds etc. I am interested. Jon

Unfortunately there is not much in the way of 3rd party s/w other than Camsoft, although they do offer VB and C++ code examples for anyone wanting to write thier own, You can, however get very creative using the native command language (free), Examples http://www.galilmc.com/support/motioncode/index.html, for HMI you can use a PC for the PC slot type or PC or LCD intelligent teminals like Maple Sytems for Stand-alone type through RS232.
They are very powerfull and very fast, due to the fact they have the motion processor on board which operates independantly of PC etc.
So far I have use them for a 3 axis CNC line punch, 2 Cincinnati point-to-point milling machines, a 48" rotary table, a tube cut-off machine, and several back guages for Breaks etc http://cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12674
This example used the older DOS based Opint as I mentioned earlier, which essentially was a program that allowed the quick design of a HMI for motion control purposes.
Al.

[ViperTX]

EMC also supports the Galil card. I would probably use one if I could get it at some inexpensive price, but alas that has not happened...and I don't know anything about the cards.

[miljnor]

Tell me more about these cards, what software runs them and what speeds etc. I am interested. Jon

dito

These cards would be great except for the programing issue..

EMC support is awsome but I know nothing of EMC. Will it run on an older dos computer or is it strictly for the newer pentium 3+ stuff?

[ViperTX]

You can load Linux on just about any system and see a major speed improvement over DOS or Windows.

[miljnor]

Damn! thought someone would say that!

Now I have to learn some new stuff!

[murphy625]

Yup.. Im just another camsoft user of the galil card...

To much work to dig into the galil commands.. Doesnt make sense to have to go threw all that when a few hundred more bucks buys you the camsoft package that simplifies the important things.

I love my Camsoft package.. I dont understand why everyone doesnt own one...

[miljnor]

At 1995.00 dollars! thats why everyone doesn't own it! As for as for professional use, its a deal and a half but, for the DIY crowd thats a VORPLE price! (take your head right off! for those too young for monty)

[murphy625]

Originally Posted by miljnor At 1995.00 dollars! thats why everyone doesn't own it! As for as for professional use, its a deal and a half but, for the DIY crowd thats a VORPLE price! (take your head right off! for those too young for monty)

Wow.. is that what the big package costs?

Mine was only about $500.. (General automation version)..

Not sure what all the difference is... My machine is not a typical CNC center.