[ger21]

Yes, you can easily build a control panel to match or exceed those chinese controls. But, at the end of the day, the cost will be similar, and you'd have a lot of time involved. The upside is that you get exactly what you want, rather than an off the shelf solution which may have a lot of things that you don't want or need.

[Tkamsker]

Hi,
I documented here what i did
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/bridge...-part-2-a.html

i understand when you do that as day job i wouldn't also do it -

but in my case i have now to design what the guys at the factory really need (if you look at the original panel Analyse - Liferay beware i just update and change my homepage )
you see it is an total change.

i right now think that you should have minimal things on the use
so (status today because i am still tinkering )
will be

i have a touchscreen and use linuxcnc with gmoccapy
(you can also connect it to the buttons around the screen )

i then have an rotary switch which points to x , y, z axis (would have space for 9 more -
then an speed dial for 1mm 0,5mm 0,1mm 0,05mm and and encoder switch (amp rotary type) which you can use for finding the edges and stuff

on the board i use pokey56U to do the keyboard emulation (work around so far is an plastic covered wireless keyboard witch also has an mouse )

so the main work will be done in gloves using the buttons
fine tuning by bare hands (touchscreen ) or knobs
next week we do first production pieces and see how stable the config is so far.

so i simply wanted to point you in an doable direction

So i think use general mechatronics or mesa cards use linuxcnc 2.6.x and UI you like
then i think you have best solution ,. .

hope i could help
thomas
ps:
I know the PCnc keyboard i have seen it on an show and touched it ,... so i think it doesn't suite me -