Re: New User

[Jon Elson <jmelson-at-artsci.wustl.edu>]

q137 wrote:

> Hi,
>   I was thinking of using EMC on an old Cybermation Multicutter 8000.
> This machine uses Westamp amps & servos.  It doesn't have ballscrews.
> My question is EMC capable of running this type of machine and which
> build would be best to install?

Assuming these Westamp servo amps take +/- 10 V velocity commands
and that you have some kind of quadrature encoders, then it should work
fine.  The lack of ballscrews is a problem, but that is not just for EMC.

You will have a significant loss of accuracy without good screws and
nuts.  EMC versions later than about Mar 2000 have a backlash
compensation
feature that works.  But, no matter what CNC program you use, if the
backlash is over a few thousandths of an inch, you will not be able
to machine smooth circles.  If the backlash is over about .010", then
you will have the danger of a crash when climb milling, as the cutting
force can cause the table to suddenly be pulled into the cutter.

It seems that the procedure for building EMC on Red Hat 6.2 has been
pretty much solved, but I'm still on Red Hat 5.1

Jon