[RCaffin]

We may really be saying the same thing here
I think so. I am sure so.

Interesting about Ditron. eBay?

Cheers
Roger

[Jim Dawson]

I purchased direct from China.

Contact: Jaeger Hou

Chengdu Ditron Measuring Co., Ltd.


E-mail: [email protected]


Chengdu DITRON Opto-electronics Equipment Ltd.

[RCaffin]

Thanks.

Cheers
Roger

[__Britt]

Jim Dawson --

Bookmarked.

When the time comes to fit my Shizouka AN-S with linear scales, I'll look into using those ones.

[Jim Dawson]

Jim Dawson --

Bookmarked.

When the time comes to fit my Shizouka AN-S with linear scales, I'll look into using those ones.

That is very interesting, I also have a Shizuoka AN-S with linear scales sitting in my shop. Came in for a retrofit and never left, need another one?

[Halfnutz]

Thanks Jim, it sounds like the key is in the controller, in other words either Linux or a dedicated controller like Galil. It sounds like the Mesa stuff would work and is quite affordable, I just have to make the switch to Linux. I'm still using Mach 3 fifteen years into this, I guess its time to change!

[RCaffin]

the key is in the controller, in other words either Linux or a dedicated controller like Galil.
Um ???
I know that both LinuxCNC and Mach are controllers, in that they both provide full trajectory control and associated features, but afaik Galil does not provide any such thing - does it? Sophisticated drivers, yes, I konw about them, but they are not 'controllers'.

I'm still using Mach 3 fifteen years into this, I guess its time to change!
Ah - give away something which has been working for 15 years for ... what? (And why?)
Mind you, if you are not running the .062 version, upgrading to that could be worth while.

Cheers
Roger

[Jim Dawson]

I know that both LinuxCNC and Mach are controllers, in that they both provide full trajectory control and associated features, but afaik Galil does not provide any such thing - does it? Sophisticated drivers, yes, I konw about them, but they are not 'controllers'.

Cheers
Roger

LinuxCNC and Mach3 are both software motion controllers in that they do trajectory planning.

But the Galil products are true motion controllers, the trajectory planning is all done onboard via a dedicated, real time motion control processor. You just tell them where to go and they figure out the best way to do it and drive the steppers or servos with the proper signals to accomplish that task. The PC only needs to send the endpoint coordinates, speed, and acceleration for the move, and the Galil takes care of the rest, full coordination of up to 8 axes.

I have Galil products running 3 machines (and soon to be 4) in my shop.

[RCaffin]

Hi Jim

OK, interesting. I assume that the Galil controllers can handle G0 and G1 just fine: can they handle helical interpolation using G2 and G3? (I ask out of curiosity, and because I imagine you would know this.)

Can the Galil controllers handle macro routines as well - complex programming using some form of Basic language to do other things as well? This includes conditionals and looping. Again, curiosity.

Cost for a 5-axis unit with power outputs?

Cheers
Roger

[Jim Dawson]

Yes, they will handle any motion required in a CNC application.

But the Galil controllers will not read G code directly, it has to be translated into command lines that the Galil controller can understand. Really not too difficult. There is a Mach3 Galil plugin, but it turns the very intelligent Galil into an expensive BoB. Doesn't use the full capabilities of the Galil.

They are not a dedicated CNC machine tool controllers, but rather a general use industrial motion controller that you will find in many systems including medical, aerospace, general manufacturing, and military systems just to name a few uses. For CNC machine use you have to feed them the correct data from the translated G code.

Galil has onboard routines for both circular and linear interpolation in 2 axes, but in another mode will interpolate any move in up to 8 axes.

Galil can be programmed to do just about anything required for machine control, I guess you might call this macro programming. They can act as a PLC in addition to a motion controller (with no loss of the motion controller update speed). They handle up to 80 digital I/O points, and up to 8 analog inputs. They use 2 letter commands, and there is a command that will cover just about any situation. For my machines I just wrote Galil macros for all of the needed G code commands, and just pass the motion variables for that command to the Galil as needed. (speed, position and acceleration). It has a 512 line command buffer for deep look ahead, so no waiting for the next command to be sent from the PC to the controller.

Cost for their latest 5 axis ethernet controller (DMC-4050) is US$2695, the PCI version (DMC-1856) is US$2595. There are a number of units on the used market, on Ebay, at much more reasonable prices.

Not sure what you mean by ''power outputs''

[RCaffin]

Hi Jim

Interesting, and thank you.
There is a Mach3 Galil plugin, but it turns the very intelligent Galil into an expensive BoB.
They are not a dedicated CNC machine tool controllers, but rather a general use industrial motion controller
That is what I thought: originally designed for a different market maybe.
I find that an ESS and few Geckos does everything I need, with added versatility.

Just out of curiosity, how would you code this for a Galil?
...
m98 p152 L[#5+1] % repeated peck drilling for required depth
...
o152
g0 z#7 % approach the bottom
#7=[#7-#6] % increment Z
g1 z#7 % drill down (0.25 mm peck)
g0 z4 % exit out into clear space
g4 P1.0 % air blast cleaning time
m99
This is a custom drill routine for a rather slim carbide centre drill which plunges to the bottom of a deep hole and then peck-drills down a little further, but it does a full retract above the job for 1 second so the air blast can clean any swarf off the very fine tip. The centre drill has very little fluting space for the chips. I can imagine sending the equivalent of single g-code instructions to a Galil for this, but could it do it any better internally? Curiosity ...

Cheers
Roger

[Jim Dawson]

Nothing wrong with ESS and Gecko.

One way to do that is to use a G83 peck drilling canned cycle with a final step down of 0.25mm, but this is not my prefered way. I do have a G83 canned cycle in my software, just need to pass the variables for depth and step down. I really don't use it.

The way I would really do that is in Fusion 360, you can generate several different drilling cycle routines, and do it all in G1 and G0 moves, you have a lot more control over what is going on and have decreasing step downs with a combination of full and partial retract as desired. For the air blast, I would just manually add a G4 P1000 to the G code, I forget what the air blast M codes are. I have to say that Fusion 360 has made me a bit lazy because it has so many features built in.

[RCaffin]

Yes, I do use the G83 peck drill cycle, but in the case I presented, the drilling starts about 20 mm below the surface. Waiting for 80 cycles of 0.25 mm seems excessive. On the other hand, if I start the g83 about 20 mm from the top surface, the drill tip never comes up to the top surface to be cleaned. This applies for any g83 cycle which is close to the NIST standard.

Air blast turns on with M8 in my system and the pulsed spray turns on with M7. Both are turned off with M9. In fact, the air blast stays on continuously, to clear all the chips away. No second cuts (metal).

I found the response time for Fusion360 here in Australia to be frustratingly slow, and I didn't like the UI anyhow.

Cheers
Roger