[cut more]

With todays Ic's, Is it possible to add memory to an R2E3 by changing the chips or some other way to do it?

My machine runs great but the memory is small, and so far dripfeeding has been quirky for me.

Short of a retrofit is there any way to do this?

Thanks for any replies,
Cutmore

[wcarrothers1]

Code efficiency helps a lot.. Making sure your Gcode uses arcs for circles rather then small moves is very helpfull. Cousre it's also helpfull to be sure and do that seeing the boss makes 1 move at a time with no look ahead. think it looks 1 line ahead when drip feeding or something (remember reading it) but don't remember what off hand.

So efficient code is a good way to combat the small amount of memory.

I have not heard of anyone upgrading the memory size but considering how long it takes to download even filling what it has full I'm not sure I'd want it any bigger..hehe

I have not had great success drip feeding either. Actually I don't do it often enough to remember how to do it (for the most part) but last time I did I was using the dos easy link program in Win2000 and remember it running a program which was to long to fit in memory how ever it ended up stoping at some point in the program but don't know which line or why. Did it 2 times in a row so guessing you are seeing a similar querk to that..
.

Working with in the memory amount is a good thing Finding a backplotter line NCplot can help as it can automaticly remove line numbers from the gcode (saving some memory) as well.. Sometimes that removes just enough to fit.

Also moves which always end in a positive area of the axis saves a "-" char how ever more times then not I find my self zeroing to the upper left corner of my wor making Y mostly Negitive..

b.

[cut more]

Thanks Bob,
I have a part I make regularly, it is (2) 5" deep oval slots. I go down in .5" steps and use 3 tools. I guess it's time to figure out how to use the subroutines and that might save some memory.

On the control looking ahead only 1 block,
I recently read the control can do constant surface speed if you are using tool diameter offset. I wonder if that would cure the start stop at every block?
Here's a trick for bypassing the start stop on the Boss 8 control.
If you put a G99 at the beginning of a G1,G2, or G3 line the control will not start stop on that line, it will keep going until it reads a line with no G99.

DO NOT PUT A G99 ON A LINE WITH a G0! the control will fault.
Works great for smooth circles / arcs.

Later,
Cutmore

[wcarrothers1]

Actually the best way I've found to cure the start stop at the level I am (which is novis CNC guy) is to use the M commands for toggeling acceleration or absoloute stop modes (can't remember the actual verbage and i don't have my programmer book. with me today) But it's like an M8 or M9 or something to turn that on and off. Basicly safe to do if you have any turns shallower then a certin angle or speed. Course you have to be carefull to add these in at the right spots so you re-activage deceleration before a turn that needs it.

My control is a boss 10.. I'll have to look up the G99 thing

[MrBoss8]

I have notice in the past that my R2E3 will stop execution during DNC at line # 32,768 or above?