Please help.

[erinsmith]

Hello CNC folks,

My name is Erin and I work at a small public library in Ohio. We have a Maker Space lab with several different types of equipment: 3D printers, laser engravers, vinyl cutters, etc. and we also have a CNC machine. One of our former employees had it set up and functioning using Linux, but he is no longer working here and the rest of us aren't sure where to begin.

I know for sure that for the sake of ease of use and access, we would like to run the machine from the Windows OS. Our goal here is to have this equipment accessible to and used by our patrons. Is there an easy software for us to start with? Are there any websites that have pre-designed patterns that we can just import and make? (A la thingiverse or yeggi for 3D printing.)

We honestly have no idea where to even begin with this, so I thought I would reach out for help here.

Thanks so much in advance,
Erin

[routalot]

I understand the desire to use Windows as its what a huge number of people are familiar with.Can you describe the CNC machine that used to work?It may be that there is a way to create the programs to run it in a Windows environment and just load them onto the machine that has successfully worked with Linux.I know it would mean keeping Linux active,but it might be a great deal easier than configuring the machine to work with a Windows based system.A photograph of the machine and the Linux screen would be really helpful.

[__Britt]

If the machine is already working; it will be much easier to just learn the Linux user interface than try to rebuild the system using a Windows-based controller. Patrons will have to do quite a bit of learning anyway before they can use the machine; learning that you have to click over here instead of over there to load your part files isn't really that much of an additional burden (and if they can't manage that... are you really sure you want to trust them with power tools?).

Although I do often suggest that people who are interested in having a project to do as a hobby and are thinking about building a CNC machine do in fact take on that project; or that have no choice because they don't have the funds to buy a commercially built machine tool (i.e, garage-based businesses, and unfunded startups) do so; you are in a different situation: you need to provide a working machine for your patrons as a service; not engage in a long build process for yourself. Doing a machine build can be compared to restoring a car like a Corvette or Mustang - the average Joe or Jane can do it; but doing so will involve learning a lot about electronics, real-time control systems, computer operating systems; motors, mechanics and dynamics of structures, etc. You will also need some tools that you may or may not have (although being a maker-space, you probably do) - a good soldering station; oscilloscope; perhaps a signal generator; sometimes a chop saw and/or drill press is needed; etc. Also, the driver hardware sometimes is different between Linux based CNC controls and Windows based ones - so you are not only looking at an outlay of funds for the software, but may be looking at an outlay of funds for new hardware as well.

So... although doable; it's a non-trivial project.

The other concern that I have is that real-time systems and antivirus software often don't get along well... and the CNC control on your machine tool is a real-time system; but putting a Windows based system in a publicly accessible environment pretty much requires an antivirus package. Linux does not have this problem; because of it's much lower installed base, people who write viruses and malware usually don't target it (internet servers are the exception to this; but they are often not targeting the Linux OS itself, but a higher level program running on the system, like Apache or Wordpress - nonetheless, keep your servers up to date, people! ).

So - I agree with routalot in that I think that you should leave the CNC machine tool itself running Linux, and just have the PCs that run the CAD/CAM software on Windows.

[machinehop5]

Welcome to the zone.

Do you know the Logon/ Password for the LinuxCNC machine? If not, try to rehire/contact the former employee who setup the LinuxCNC or at minimum get the Login and Password from him/her because I'll need that information. Please post some Pictures/Videos if you can of the machine and the electronics inside if possible for us.

The other equipment: 3D printers, laser engravers, vinyl cutters, etc. most likely already have some Programs stored on them. Post a List/photos of them with Model#s and Brand will help us find the Operator Manuals.

Good Luck on your mission,
DJ

[routalot]

One thing that hsn't been mentioned is that the machine is unlikely to have any form of sensor to prevent itself machining in places where it shouldn't.It may well have limit switches on the axes, but the machine won't know where the tip of the tool actually is and consequently it is possible to do damage.It would also be good to know what software has been used to create the parts as not every package will have a post processor for all machines.The post processor is the part that takes the instructions you would like to give the machine and puts them into a form that the machine can follow.A photograph would be extremely useful.

[__Britt]

Unless the boot drive is encrypted; it should be possible to reset the login passwords on the Linux installation without having to re-install the whole thing. You'd just need someone to use a live cd or usb drive to boot into a copy of Linux that you do know the password for (and for livecd's it is listed in the documentation what the default password is, if it's not just been left blank); mount the internal drive; and replace the password using a command-line tool.

For reference:
https://www.maketecheasier.com/reset...assword-linux/

[__Britt]

One thing that hsn't been mentioned is that the machine is unlikely to have any form of sensor to prevent itself machining in places where it shouldn't.

And there's no good way to add that either. I'm afraid that it's one of those "This machine has no brain. Use your own." situations.

If it's a mill or router style machine; the best thing you can do is make a replaceable tooling plate; although this won't prevent all accidents, it will tend to absorb most of the damage before the cutter hits a part of the machine itself.

Having a policy that all part programs must be test-run with no cutting bits installed and no material (or just some wax or foam) in the machine can also help catch major problems (like taking a rapid move into the machine table); but it won't catch everything. Eventually clamps and fixturing will be machined and cutting bits will be broken - and this happens even to the best of us; who have lots of experience. It's just a part of life with a CNC.