Augh. Too many choices in CNC control software

[MadMax]

Aah. My first try at homebuilt CNC. I've had a fair bit of experience using professional CNC in my previous job as a prototype designer. I've since gone off on my own and am slowly piecing together my own hobby scale CNC.

I've purchased a combo lathe/mill which I hope to CNC so I get a CNC lathe and a CNC mill in the end.

So far I've accumulated most of the hardware, but I'm having a tough time deciding on control software.

Between Mach2, CamSoft, and one or two others, I'm having trouble figuring out which one gives me the features I want. The guys at Camsoft make it sound like their product fits my bill, but it's certainly not cheap. I don't know if I can get the other controllers to do what I want:

-interpret 4 axis GCode
-take input from manual pulse generator (MPG) with axis setting and drive servos accordingly
-limit switch inputs
-provision for linear encoder input
-tool offset library
-precanned routines

So far I've swapped out the fixed speed motors in my machine with VFD induction motors (I got sick of changing pulleys) so I can easily control drive motor speed with a 0-10V signal input. I have 2000pp/rev encoder servos/amps and an ISA motion control card. I've got two ball screws and nuts and I'm working on a mill quill control. I may go with a right angle drive and a linear encoder for closed loop (the quill feed is pretty rough on my machine).

[ger21]

Mach2 will do all of the things you listed, for a fraction of the price of Camsoft.
It WILL NOT do closed loop, though, if that's what you need the linear encoders for.

[claudiod]

IF YOU DECIDE TO GO FOR CAMSOFT I'M SELLING MINE BY THE WAY IS CNC LITE VERSION . ALSO iM SELLING THE I/O AND THE GALIL MOTION CARD.

[haysys]

Hi Mad,

I had the good fortune to attend the CNC Workshop last week and met Art Fennerty and the folks who colaborate with him. Brian Barker (I thnk that's his last name -- http://www.newfangledsolutions.com/).

Anyway, my point here is that while Art says Mach2 should still be the app to use for production (for the time being), Mach3 is in great shape, very stable, and provides much additional control & flexibility. Brian's wizards that run on Mach3 provide precanned routines. I was wholly impressed with Brian and what he has done with the Mach3 environment.

Later...

[dmerrll]

are you still selling cnclite?