[SharpShooterSer]

Hi
I have recently purchased these two machines. They have been upgraded to run with Welturn and Welmill software, for learning purposes.
I am a newbie in all of this so please bare with me
I have a lathe runing for now. It seems to be working just fine (the speed encoder on main spindle isnt cooperative, I ll have to fix that soon, I need to do threading at some point).
But besides Welturn software, there isnt anything else on the PC that came along.
My question is can I use it with Mach3 without replacing all the drives/drivers/board etc?
Or is there some user friendly CAM software to use with Welturn, that can import drawings from Solidworks?
There are a lot of parts drawings saved on the computer, and Welturn is working just fine with them, but I need mine also
Thanks in advance

[Fastest1]

I doubt running Mach 3 will be as simple as a software change.

It sounds like all you really need is to be able to import your GCode. Isn't that correct?


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[SharpShooterSer]

I doubt running Mach 3 will be as simple as a software change.

It sounds like all you really need is to be able to import your GCode. Isn't that correct?


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Well I guess so welturn should be able to take it from there.

Edit: just figured out that there is a software on both computers that is called easyCNC, that is opening those .cnc extension files

[dertsap]

linuxcnc is plug and play for the emco pc lathe , thanks to a zone member by the name of Samco . I did it with mine and it works great , the threading is spot on . I haven't played with it much after getting it up and running but what I've done with it so far has been pretty impressive

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/emco-l...-software.html

[SharpShooterSer]

Unfortenatley, I have never used Linux nor programs designed for it, so I believe that going that route wount be much help.
In the meantime, I ve learnt how much I dont know but I have figured out in what way I want to go on.

Both of the machines are working properly, and I have found a way to get gcode generated elsewhere to work.

This will do for now, but I really want and need more out of these two little machines.

I ve made 10 tool holders for the lathe (base is there, but no holders) so I can finally mount the cutters and get some chips flying.

The main spindle optical encoder isnt working. Signal is there on the back of the panel, but no reading what so ever. I ve also realized that I cant control speed with it lol. I cant get the reading too

If and when I get it to read speed, I am not sure how will Welturn work with it (the readout) regarding threading operation. I believe that cant be achieved, so that is why I will move on with getting new electrical stuff to use in the future.

I have ordered M542 drivers, 2Nm motors and a simple 5 axis BOB.

I wanted to get a elswhere suggested Digispeed controller, but they are out of stock. Can you suggest some (cheaper) alternative?

And an spindle encoder that will work with Mach3(I ve read that the one mounted is too fine to get a proper reading for it)?

I will use the existing power supply, and other bits needed from the old housing. And do I need anything else at this moment to get Compact 5 to make threads also?

Thanks

[dertsap]

I bought my compact with the intent of stripping it down and converting it to mach . The linuxcnc was an easy solution to avoid modifying a complete and functional lathe . Linux can sound a bit intimidating but it's very simple and straight forward to use , and the face of it isn't far off from using windows . One thing for certain is that it can verify if your system is working 100% or not , and aside from adding a couple of files - it is plug and play for the compact 5 . I'd suggest that you try downloading the live disc which you can boot up without having to install it , then you can get a feel for it . Or install it on vmplayer which is a free windows software that allows you to run multiple operating systems without modifying your computer . I don't think vmplayer can control a machine with the control software .
If you want to add cad/cam then that gets more tricky , I personally only use my machine computers for controlling the machines only and I don't add any other programs .

[SharpShooterSer]

I tried what you suggested on my home computer, and LinuxCNC looks good, so I will try that out - tomorrow I will install Linux and LinuxCNC to my shop computer.
I looked at the thread you and samco wrote, and to be honest, I cant tell head or tail with it.
Could you, or both of you make one complete instruction, what to do and where to do it (preferably with pictures), what files to alter and how, where to copy what? So the ones intimidated (and noobish) like me could have a go at it without too much fuss? I believe a lot of us out there would really appreciate it, and would opt to go this road, since you say its rather painless.
Thanks!

[dertsap]

start up linux , open your documents / linuxcnc / configs / then drop the downloaded files there and then your done .
when you start linuxcnc - you'll see emco in the menu , click and your good to go
Sam made it painless for the rest of us

[SharpShooterSer]

Christ, from what I ve read, it looked too difficult.
Just use the latest.zip from his site, right?

[dertsap]

right

[SharpShooterSer]

after a lot of struggle today, I managed to install linux on my pc (along with win xp)
but no luck.... attached are two reports I got when trying to start linuxcnc

[dertsap]

may want to ask Samco in the other thread , did you download the latest download that he provided ?
looks like your having the same problem that I had with the 'probe_parport'
latest download link is post 22 in Samcos thread which worked great

[SharpShooterSer]

may want to ask Samco in the other thread , did you download the latest download that he provided ?
looks like your having the same problem that I had with the 'probe_parport'
latest download link is post 22 in Samcos thread which worked great

Did the probe paraport change and the config is not crashing anymore

But my manual controll and mdi are dimmed now? No way to move the axis?
I saw you said something about estop (mine is turned on from what I can understand) but it wont shut off on keyboard/mouse commands. I suppose that something also has to be changed in .ini file, but what?

[samco]

Then I think you are missing the plug for chip guard? (this would cause the estop not to work)

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/emco-l...ml#post1819966

sam

[SharpShooterSer]

Plug is there but it seems that wires are not attached...


Correction, they are attached - 2 wires inside, one connecting 1 and 3 second one connecting 5 and 7

Is this the right configuration?

Also, on your other thread there was "swapped the # in the hal file for the estop and its a moving"
I havent done this, I have no clue what to swap

And my optical sensor isnt atached at the moment, reading unit is corupt so I had to order another one, cancthis cause the estop too?

[dertsap]

open the hal file in the config that you installed , scrolled down to net <=estop parport.............. and swap the # between the two lines that are there

[SharpShooterSer]

open the hal file in the config that you installed , scrolled down to net <=estop parport.............. and swap the # between the two lines that are there

Done. Not dimmed anymore. But, its not listening to my manual commands. Nor the gcode i input

[samco]

you do have a compact 5 pc and not a CNC? I am not finding much info on welturn - did that have electronics that was put in the machine? This only works for an unmolested compact 5 pc.

sam

[SharpShooterSer]

you do have a compact 5 pc and not a CNC? I am not finding much info on welturn - did that have electronics that was put in the machine? This only works for an unmolested compact 5 pc.

sam

Its a PC with Welturn mod. I believe they did do something to the electronics too, along with adding a controller of their own.
I was really hoping this will work.

It is working partialy I mean. But no controls. What else can be done here, to try to make it work? Can I make some sort of a diagnostic yhat would help out with figuring it out?

[dertsap]

I did a bit of googling and it looks like welturn came with a card to mod lathe control . I wonder if it was as simple as slipping in a card without having to modify the existing electronics ?
there isn't much info on it , but the yahoo emco user group may have the info on it