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LinuxCNC Users? — Parallax Forums

LinuxCNC Users?

ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
edited 2012-04-05 09:12 in General Discussion
Anyone here have experience with LinuxCNC?

I'm looking at setting up a CNC Router using a Gecko G540 and I'm trying to decide if I want to use Mach3 (Windows XP or 32 bit Win7) vs. LinuxCNC.

Thanks,

C.W.

Comments

  • Erik FriesenErik Friesen Posts: 1,071
    edited 2012-04-02 06:20
    This is up to debate, but I think linuxcnc is possibly harder initially to set up, but is easier to modify for a particular application. The screenshot is something rigged up using gladevcp. Gladevcp is now included in the last 2.5 release.

    If you ever should want to use servos, linuxcnc is capable, where mach3 is stepper only.
    Base #1.jpg
    1024 x 722 - 108K
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-04-02 08:36
    One of the more wonderful things about Linux LiveCDs is that you can have a CD convert a regularly used computer into a CNC machine, and then switch back again by rebooting without the CD.

    Try here ==> http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap to get some background.

    While 3D printer builders are using Linux software packages on LiveCD ==> The same software can be used with a lathe or a milling machine.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-04-02 08:41
    Thanks for the input.

    I'll try the LinuxCNC first.

    It will be a few weeks before I can get all my hardware, I'm just doing as much planning ahead as possible.

    C.W.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-04-04 02:40
    I installed linuxcnc 2.5 on my Toshiba 1955-S805 laptop and at least based on the latency test program is should work well for my needs.

    The old toshiba was one of the "desktop replacement" laptops that used a desktop chipset and cpu and the parallel port has EPP mode, so hopefully all of the warnings that laptops can't be used won't apply.

    I'm still at least a few weeks away from actual hardware so I'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

    C.W.
  • Erik FriesenErik Friesen Posts: 1,071
    edited 2012-04-04 08:43
    What is your latency results?
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-04-04 09:22
    Typically max is < 10000ns with one instance of glxgears running, <20000 with two instances running.

    It will shoot up to around 50000ns if I launch a video on youtube, but that was the only way to make it go about 20000ns.

    Safe to say I won't be watching any youtube video's while doing CNC work, so I'll use the 20000ns number.

    It looks like I'll use a base period around 26uS with a dirhold of 2 since I'm going to use a Gecko G540.

    C.W.
  • Erik FriesenErik Friesen Posts: 1,071
    edited 2012-04-04 09:48
    I'd leave it running for a while though, you don't want any surprises when the screensaver or something goes on. I have a machine that had around 200k latency, when I used the software 3d rendering, it brought it down to 50K. I ended up buying one of mesa's parallel port cards, because I bought gecko drives, and with 10 microstep fixed resolution, 50k software stepping doesn't get much more than 100ipm on my machine.
  • tingotingo Posts: 87
    edited 2012-04-05 08:13
    If a screensaver (or other unecessary eye candy) is active, he should disable it.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-04-05 09:12
    I have the screensaver disabled. The test that had <20000ns latency was one that ran for about 4 hours, so I think I should be in good shape.

    C.W.
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