Re: 5-axis machine controller

["D.F.S." <dfs-at-xmission.com>]

Thanks all for the info.

I guess what I'm trying to do would best be served by a 2 step approach.

I have a machine I previously described I intend to use as a Printed Circuit
Board manufacturing macine for personal projects only.

The controller is toast.

If I can simply get EMC to run it with some very basic controls and a simple
circuit running off the parallel port of a PC I could then use it to build a
good control board with all the bells and whistles.

One thing I didn't see previously in the source code was a clear cut function
that does the actual output of the signals to the steppers.

I could easily adapt the source to drive my simple hardware if it does not 
already, if I could find the actual functions.

I'd hope for something along the lines of --  Move_Axis_Z(Direction, Count)

I could make that work, but as I said I never found such a function, I'm
sure they are there.

I'd like to toggle the bits on the port and drive the stepper coils directly
thru FETs. I figure a 3-to-8 ttl Decoder and 3 latches along with a dozen
Transistors should do it. I have all that stuff close at hand.

I realize such a setup will have less torque, speed and accuracy than a full
blown controller would, but if will work for a month I can use the machine
to build a better controller for itself.

Once THAT is done I can use it for my real projects, A Bridgeport Clone
and a Wasino CNC Lathe sporting a 500 Lb Refrigerator Size controller I
don't want to mess with.


I have dozens and dozens of Linux distributions going back to 0.97,
I have Dozens of computers to dedicate to the task.
I have almost 20 years of unix experience, NOT Experience with eunics.
What I don't have is a lot of time I want to devote to messing with
making my tools work endlessly.

What particular distribution and version number of Linux will work
with what version number of RT Linux and what version of EMC will
work with that?

I Don't expect a push-one-button Install, but I'd rather not spend
2 weeks in fits and starts trying to find the exact combination of
all of these releases to get it to REALLY work.

I've seen several posts on versions people are using, what is the 
latest solid and tested version that work together?


I'm all for tinkering, I do however want there to be a point in time
where the tinkering is OVER for a particular tool.
At that point, I simply want it to work so I can USE it and have all the
time I'm putting into tinkering on a new project go to THAT project not
the tools themselves.

For example:
After the PCB Machine is working, I'd like to be confident it will work
and the Next Project of building the Circuit Boards for the Wasino will
center on plotting and drilling the boards and making that design WORK
rather than trying to figure out why the PCB machine is trashing my boards.

By the same token, a failure on the PCB machine would be annoying, a failure
of a REAL machine tool could kill or maim someone.

Is EMC to that point?

Marc