[Emc-users] Soft/hard limits & homing (was: Re: emc2.3.0beta2)

[Rob Jansen]

Steve Blackmore wrote:
> Softlimits? I don't use them. I have limit switches, I don't use them
> either, I think since the eighties I've hit them twice. They are simply
> there to stop the machine ramming the end of the ballscrews ;)
>
> I don't directly use "machine coordinates" either, they are meaningless
> to me as an operator. I, and many others, are only interested in work
> coordinates. What the Controller thinks they are is irrelevant to me, as
> long as I've told it where the work zero's are that should be
> sufficient.
>
> All I want is to simply tell it where X0 Y0 Z0 are in relation to mill
> stock,
Don't confuse limit and home switches. Limit switches prevent damage to 
the machine (but should never be hit in real life).
Home switches determine where your machine's zero location is.

Machine coordinates are very useful for me. From my machine's zero I 
know exactly where the top-left position of my mill stock is, the center 
of my 4th axis and the left bottom position of the bottom left stop for 
large foam/wood blocks. And machine coordinates also determine where the 
tool changer is located.
I plan to add more mill stocks so I can link multiple programs to make 
multiple parts without having to stop in between to insert a new blank 
(and do homing).

So machine coordinates are very useful. One company I know does a lot of 
production of the same parts and the rely fully on machine coordinates 
in order to know where the blanks are located on their palleting system. 
They start of with a large block of aluminum in which a number of plugs 
for the palleting system are mounted, then they mill one side of the 
block, mount the half finished workpiece in a countermold (which is 
placed on the palleting system) and mill the other side.
Here the zero point of the workpiece is solely determined by using 
machine coordinates and making multiple of the same parts would be 
hardly possible without it.

Regards,

Rob

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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Steve Blackmore]

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:20:10 -0500, you wrote:

>On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 12:04:45AM -0500, Jon Elson wrote:
>>
>> I believe this could be implemented fairly easily.  Possibly, it could 
>> be hooked up to a variable, allowing for pretty easy setting of the 
>> limit position.
>
>In my opinion the difficulty is that it needs to be per-tool to have
>much use.  That means adding more stuff to the tool table.

Why would it have to be per tool or anything added to the tool table? 
The offsets and tool numbers are there already, they work with current
soft and hard limits don't they? What else would be needed?

>I'm not sure if I would use it...

I probably would if it was as easy as jogging to extents and pressing a
button. 

Steve Blackmore
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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Leslie Newell]

The main reason why I haven't done this is that I often use the saddle 
to move the tailstock back up the bed. The tailstock on my lathe is damn 
heavy.

Les

Jon Elson wrote:
> Yes, having a limit switch that rides on the tailstock seems like the
> best fix.
>
> Jon
>   


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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Leslie Newell]

For the tailstock end the saddle is the most likely thing to hit the 
tailstock so it would be in machine coordinates.

For the chuck end the tool is most likely to hit so it would have to be 
machine coordinates + tool offset. I don't see any need for changes to 
the tool table to do this.

Les



Chris Radek wrote:
> In my opinion the difficulty is that it needs to be per-tool to have
> much use.  That means adding more stuff to the tool table.
>
> I'm not sure if I would use it...
>   


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Re: [Emc-users] Soft/hard limits & homing (was: Re: emc2.3.0beta2)

[Steve Blackmore]

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:43:48 +0200, you wrote:

>Steve Blackmore wrote:
>> Softlimits? I don't use them. I have limit switches, I don't use them
>> either, I think since the eighties I've hit them twice. They are simply
>> there to stop the machine ramming the end of the ballscrews ;)

>Don't confuse limit and home switches. Limit switches prevent damage to 
>the machine (but should never be hit in real life).
>Home switches determine where your machine's zero location is.

I'm not :)

Why should "home switches" necessarily define where your machines zero
location is? They should be able to be set at any arbitrary numbers you
like, as long as the controller knows where they are and can make the
relationship between them, the work coordinates and the machine limits.
It doesn't matter a jot what the figures are, as long as the machine can
go there ;)

For all intents and purposes, machine coordinates are irrelevant to an
operator. They are a machine setup value that work in the background, in
most commercial shops the only person who ever needs to access them is
the repair man. 

Steve Blackmore
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Re: [Emc-users] Soft/hard limits & homing (was: Re: emc2.3.0beta2)

[John Thornton]

On 29 Mar 2009 at 9:43, Rob Jansen wrote:

> > All I want is to simply tell it where X0 Y0 Z0 are in relation to
> mill
> > stock,
> Don't confuse limit and home switches. Limit switches prevent damage
> to 
> the machine (but should never be hit in real life).
> Home switches determine where your machine's zero location is.

I "trip" my Z limit switch every time I turn my mill on. The I set my Z. I 
don't have home 
switches on my mill. I guess the use of home and limit switches varies with the 
design
of the machine and the intended use.

John

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Re: [Emc-users] THC Systems for plasma?

[John Thornton]

On 29 Mar 2009 at 16:22, Glen wrote:

> >   
> Is there anything to stop the torch diving when it goes over the
> edge of 
> the plate ?
> Glen.

The programmer.

John

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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Chris Radek]

On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 09:12:00AM +0100, Steve Blackmore wrote:
> >
> >In my opinion the difficulty is that it needs to be per-tool to have
> >much use.  That means adding more stuff to the tool table.
> 
> Why would it have to be per tool or anything added to the tool table? 
> The offsets and tool numbers are there already, they work with current
> soft and hard limits don't they? What else would be needed?

Because the tool offset locates only the controlled point (tip) of the
tool.  There is always more stuff attached to the tip that you also
want to keep out of the chuck.


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[Emc-users] upgrading from dapper drake to hardy heron

[Wes S]

I have dapper drake installed on a box I'm playing with.  I see the 
beta of 2.3 is for hardy heron.  Is there instructions someway to 
upgrade in place my version of ubuntu?  I did a google search and 
didn't find anything that helped.

Thanks,

Wes

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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Jon Elson]

Chris Radek wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 12:04:45AM -0500, Jon Elson wrote:
>   
>> I believe this could be implemented fairly easily.  Possibly, it could 
>> be hooked up to a variable, allowing for pretty easy setting of the 
>> limit position.
>> 
>
> In my opinion the difficulty is that it needs to be per-tool to have
> much use.  That means adding more stuff to the tool table.
>
>   
OK, I can see if there is a wide variation in tool configuration, then 
maybe things would have to be different for each tool.
I'm not sure soft limits should really be used for this, just to keep 
the individual axes from hitting the ends.  Some advanced controls have 
"clamp limits" where various combinations of axis positions are 
indicated as "don't go here".  You could set up regions around your vise 
jaws, for instance, to keep the machine from cutting into the vise.  
This is a WHOLE lot more involved than just soft limit values for 
individual axes.
For instance, it would allow the tool to pass OVER the vise jaw, but 
prevent the tool from passing THROUGH the jaw.  This would be a nice 
feature to have, but I think it is an entirely different thing to do 
than just handling soft limits on the axes.

Jon

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[Emc-users] MESA 7I43 and 7I33 OR 5I20 and 7I33 OR MOTENC-LITE(7544)

[Shabbir Hussain]

I need to retrofit an old CNC Lathe machine with SIEMENS Servo Motors. The 
servo drives accept +/- 10V as velocity command. My question is which of the 
following combination is suitable to be used for interfacing these servos and 
differential encoders.

1. MESA 7I43-P with 7I33
2. MESA 5I20 with 7I33
3. MOTENC-Lite PCI (7544)

Can I use MESA 7I33 with MESA 7I43-P?

Thanks in Advannce.

Sincerely,

Shabbir Hussain 


  

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[Emc-users] Circular blade Mill

[vh5...@libero.it]

Hi guys,
I'm going to bild a 3 axis Circular blade Mill and I would like to display a 
circular blade tool instead of displaying the usual "cone" in the Axis 
interface.
I tried to change my tool modifying the tool table but I can only change the 
diameter and not the high of the tool.
Do you know how to do?

Thank you

Luigi 

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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Alex Joni]

> the individual axes from hitting the ends.  Some advanced controls have
> "clamp limits" where various combinations of axis positions are
> indicated as "don't go here".  You could set up regions around your vise
> jaws, for instance, to keep the machine from cutting into the vise.
> This is a WHOLE lot more involved than just soft limit values for
> individual axes.

Now add non trivial kinematics to the mix, and it gets quite fun to code and 
define.
Imagine you want to define some places you don't want to hit with a robot.
Or define some places which are invalid for a hexapod (certain combinations 
of joints).
(so the limits can be both in world - carthesian coordinates - and in joint 
mode).

Regards,
Alex


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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Stuart Stevenson]

I say WOW again. The scope of this is amazing. Solid models of the
machine, tools, holding devices, and workpiece in AXIS (or whatever
gui used). The realtime evaluation of all these components. again WOW
- another world entirely
:)
would be very nice to have - lets get started :)
Stuart

On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 12:25 PM, Jon Elson  wrote:
> Chris Radek wrote:
>> On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 12:04:45AM -0500, Jon Elson wrote:
>>
>>> I believe this could be implemented fairly easily.  Possibly, it could
>>> be hooked up to a variable, allowing for pretty easy setting of the
>>> limit position.
>>>
>>
>> In my opinion the difficulty is that it needs to be per-tool to have
>> much use.  That means adding more stuff to the tool table.
>>
>>
> OK, I can see if there is a wide variation in tool configuration, then
> maybe things would have to be different for each tool.
> I'm not sure soft limits should really be used for this, just to keep
> the individual axes from hitting the ends.  Some advanced controls have
> "clamp limits" where various combinations of axis positions are
> indicated as "don't go here".  You could set up regions around your vise
> jaws, for instance, to keep the machine from cutting into the vise.
> This is a WHOLE lot more involved than just soft limit values for
> individual axes.
> For instance, it would allow the tool to pass OVER the vise jaw, but
> prevent the tool from passing THROUGH the jaw.  This would be a nice
> feature to have, but I think it is an entirely different thing to do
> than just handling soft limits on the axes.
>
> Jon
>
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>



-- 
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but you cannot make him think

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Re: [Emc-users] Circular blade Mill

[Jeff Epler]

AXIS is not really designed to show "custom" tool shapes.  I think your
goal can only be achieved by modifying the source code to draw the shape
you want.  In case you want to try doing this, I'll go ahead and get a bit
technical.

This is the code in the "axis" program that draws the tool -- a shaped lathe
tool, or a cylinder, or the cone.  You would have to determine the proper
OpenGL calls to produce the shape you want, and edit the axis program to
perform them instead of the ones here. (line numbers are from the CVS version
of emc and are probably different than in 2.2.8)
 997 if lathe and current_tool and current_tool.orientation != 0:
 998 glBlendColor(0,0,0,o.colors['lathetool_alpha'])
 999 lathetool()
1000 else:
1001 glBlendColor(0,0,0,o.colors['tool_alpha'])
1002 if lathe:
1003 glRotatef(90, 0, 1, 0)
1004 if current_tool and current_tool.diameter != 0:
 the code for drawing the tool cylinder starts here
1005 dia = current_tool.diameter
1006 r = to_internal_linear_unit(dia) / 2.
1007 q = gluNewQuadric()
1008 glEnable(GL_LIGHTING)
1009 glColor3f(*o.colors['cone'])
1010 gluCylinder(q, r, r, 8*r, 32, 1)
1011 glPushMatrix()
1012 glRotatef(180, 1, 0, 0)
1013 gluDisk(q, 0, r, 32, 1)
1014 glPopMatrix()
1015 glTranslatef(0,0,8*r)
1016 gluDisk(q, 0, r, 32, 1)
1017 glDisable(GL_LIGHTING)
1018 gluDeleteQuadric(q)
 and ends here
1019 else:
1020 glScalef(cone_scale, cone_scale, cone_scale)
1021 glCallList(cone_program)

Jeff

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Re: [Emc-users] THC Systems for plasma?

[Alan]

John,
Yes, that is controlled via the 'anti-dive' settings.
Alan

-Original Message-
From: John Thornton [mailto:jet1...@semo.net] 
Sent: Sunday, March 29, 2009 7:00 AM
To: Enhanced Machine Controller EEMC"
Subject: Re: [Emc-users] THC Systems for plasma?



On 29 Mar 2009 at 16:22, Glen wrote:

> >   
> Is there anything to stop the torch diving when it goes over the
> edge of 
> the plate ?
> Glen.

The programmer.

John


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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Steve Blackmore]

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:03:43 -0500, you wrote:

>On Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 09:12:00AM +0100, Steve Blackmore wrote:
>> >
>> >In my opinion the difficulty is that it needs to be per-tool to have
>> >much use.  That means adding more stuff to the tool table.
>> 
>> Why would it have to be per tool or anything added to the tool table? 
>> The offsets and tool numbers are there already, they work with current
>> soft and hard limits don't they? What else would be needed?
>
>Because the tool offset locates only the controlled point (tip) of the
>tool.  There is always more stuff attached to the tip that you also
>want to keep out of the chuck.

Chris - I think you are being too adventurous here :)

I often work inside the confines of the chuck, drilling, boring and
threading. Stopping the tool crashing into the chuck or stock is a CAM
function, not that of softlimits.

Steve Blackmore
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[Emc-users] Just a big fat thank you

[Chris Epicier]

This probably mainly to jeff and chris but also the other guys from emc 
development.

I hust wanted to tell you guys: great job! whenever you come over here, please 
be assured your cervisia is kept cool for you.

Thank you so much

Chris


  


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[Emc-users] EMC banner for NAMES--volunteer?

[Dale Grover]

Short notice, but I'm looking for a volunteer to lay out a full-color 
banner for the EMC booth at NAMES (for more details on the booth and 
NAMES:  http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?EMC2AtNAMES).

Rab Gordon graciously sent a nice jpg of "Chips," the EMC2 mascot, 
which I can forward.  The text is along the lines of:  "EMC", "Free 
and Powerful Machine Control", "www.LinuxCNC.org".  So imagine Tux on 
the left, and three lines (EMC in red?  "Free and Powerful..." in 
italics?) in Helvetica bold.

The file specs for the banner company are at: 
http://www.bannersinvinyl.com/filespec.html

(It turns out that a full-color banner is only a bit more expensive 
than a cut vinyl banner.  So, we can go crazy with background images, 
etc., if we want.  Say, 2' high by 8' wide.)

I'd like to send this off on Monday or Tuesday.  I do have a layout 
in PDF I can send with a general idea, but I'm not a graphic artist. 
Contact me off-list if you'd like to help.

Thanks.

--Dale

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[Emc-users] ECS Goal3 Motherboard Dimensions

[John Figie]

In case any of you are using the ECS goal3 Motherboard.  I have the dimensions 
of the mounting and tooling holes.



John Figie

ECS_goal3_dimensions.dxf
Description: Binary data
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Re: [Emc-users] MESA 7I43 and 7I33 OR 5I20 and 7I33 OR MOTENC-LITE(7544)

[Sebastian Kuzminsky]

Shabbir Hussain wrote:
> I need to retrofit an old CNC Lathe machine with SIEMENS Servo Motors. The 
> servo drives accept +/- 10V as velocity command. My question is which of the 
> following combination is suitable to be used for interfacing these servos and 
> differential encoders.
> 
> 1. MESA 7I43-P with 7I33
> 2. MESA 5I20 with 7I33
> 3. MOTENC-Lite PCI (7544)
> 
> Can I use MESA 7I33 with MESA 7I43-P?

Either the 7i43-P or the 5i20, together with the 7i33, would probably 
work well for you.

I prefer the 5i20 over the 7i43-P because PCI is so much easier to deal 
with than the EPP parallel port, and it's an order of magnitude faster.

I dont know wnything about the MOTENC-Lite.


-- 
Sebastian Kuzminsky
All my desires and ruminations are no more and no less than eddy
currents generated by the gradual exhalation of our universe.
And until this great exhalation is finished, my thoughts live on.


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Re: [Emc-users] ECS Goal3 Motherboard Dimensions

[John Figie]

Sorry about doing this, but I sent a file that is incorrect.  here is the 
correct one.

John Figie

--- On Sun, 3/29/09, John Figie  wrote:
From: John Figie 
Subject: [Emc-users] ECS Goal3 Motherboard Dimensions
To: "emc-users" 
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 7:38 PM

In case any of you are using the ECS goal3 Motherboard.  I have the dimensions
of the mounting and tooling holes.



John 
Figie--
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goal3_dimensions_rev01.dxf
Description: Binary data
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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[Jon Elson]

Leslie Newell wrote:
> The main reason why I haven't done this is that I often use the saddle 
> to move the tailstock back up the bed. The tailstock on my lathe is damn 
> heavy.
>   
So is mine, on my 15" Sheldon.  I can just barely move either the lower 
or upper half of it myself, and have to disassemble to pieces if I ever 
want to take it off the lathe.  But, with just a little way oil under 
it, it glides like silk.

Jon

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Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2

[stustev]

Design and build a link to connect the tailstock to the saddle. You will then 
be able to push/pull to position as you wish
Stuart
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-Original Message-
From: Jon Elson 

Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:03:28 
To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC)
Subject: Re: [Emc-users] emc2.3.0beta2


Leslie Newell wrote:
> The main reason why I haven't done this is that I often use the saddle 
> to move the tailstock back up the bed. The tailstock on my lathe is damn 
> heavy.
>   
So is mine, on my 15" Sheldon.  I can just barely move either the lower 
or upper half of it myself, and have to disassemble to pieces if I ever 
want to take it off the lathe.  But, with just a little way oil under 
it, it glides like silk.

Jon

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