H3ndrix,
Congrats on those big motors. You should be able to do some real damage ![Big Grin](images/smilies/biggrin.png)
I would stick with the Galil PCI card stuff, mostly because that is what I know
. But, at least installation is fairly simple and you can do something with it. You can also use their older ISA cards if you have a PC with an ISA slot. The actual specs of the 17xx series ISA cards are pretty much the same as the 18xx PCI, so I don't know if there is much disadvantage to the older card, which might be found on ebay for $500 or so.
You know, you don't have to buy the Camsoft controller. The Galil card has its own motion command set. It is not gcode but there might ways around that with other inexpensive software.
The thing is, you need some kind of control system and an operator I/O panel and it needs to be integrated with proper logic to run your machine safely. Either you use a PLC based system and get someone to write the ladder logic, or learn it yourself.
OR
in a system like Camsoft, you can write your own i/o logic. The Camsoft interface allows you full control of what is going on. If there are limitations, I believe they are all due to having to run Windows on the PC. Windows does not handle I/O events with great speed. That is my opinion.
If Camsoft has an equivalent competitor in flexible retrofitting, I have not heard about it. There may be someone else out there, so don't just take my advice. Maybe this Mach2 software will handle your needs, I don't know much about that. However, I do like the safety factor of a independant motion control card (in the PC) that looks after the machine motion, somewhat independantly of what Windows is doing on your main cpu.
Perhaps Centroid would be another option. I have the notion that their system works best as a package. You would have to ask about using your own components with their software.
RE: Encoders: where are the cheap ones when you need them? You could check at Servo Systems. They sometimes have factory closeouts on certain lines and you might get a deal. I bought new from Encoder Products company.
First you get good, then you get fast. Then grouchiness sets in.
(Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)